Readme: Descriptive data for USN Research Data Archive

Datasets generated by [Nicolas De Pelsmaeker]


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GENERAL INFORMATION
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TITLE FOR THE DATASETS:
Replication data for: Host in Reserve: the role of common shrews (Sorex araneus) as a stable supplementary source of tick hosts in small mammal communitites influenced by rodent population cycles.


INFORMATION ON PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR COLLECTING THE DATA

- Nicolas De Pelsmaeker	
- University of South-Eastern Norway
- email: Nicolas.De.pelsmaeker@usn.no(until 28-02-2022) or nicolas.de.pelsmaeker@outlook.com


DATE(S) OF DATA COLLECTION
- 2017-06-07
- 2017-07-20
- 2017-09-20
- 2018-05-20
- 2018-07-20
- 2018-09-20

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION(S) OF DATA COLLECTION
- Lifjell Mountain Massif (Norway)
- Erdal Valley Lærdalsøyri


LANGUAGE
- English


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FILE INFORMATION
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FOR EACH FILENAME

- Ixodes_ricinus_larvae.csv
	- data for Ixodes ricinus larvae
	- comma separated value file
	- Microsoft Excel or R
- Ixodes_ricinus_nymphs.csv
	- data for Ixodes ricinus nymphs
	- comma separated value file
	- Microsoft Excel or R
- Ixodes_trianguliceps_larvae.csv
	- data for Ixodes trianguliceps larvae
	- comma separated value file
	- Microsoft Excel or R
- Ixodes_trianguliceps_nymphs.csv
	- data for Ixodes trianguliceps nymphs
	- comma separated value file
	- Microsoft Excel or R
- Absolute_burden_data.csv
	- comma separated value file
	- Microsoft Excel or R
 
Each data files can be loaded into R, and the mixed effects model as described in the paper can be applied.


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METHODOLOGY
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- The data was collected by assessing the tick burdens of captred small mammals
- Live and lethal traps were used to collect the small mammals
- Tick burdens were assessed in the lab using stereo microscopes

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VARIABLE EXPLANATION
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- Ixodes_ricinus_larvae.csv:
	* Station: Altitude (m) of the trapping locations
	* Site: study area
	* Year: collection year
	* Pop_size: population size (number of captures)
	* Pop_vole: number of bank voles captured
	* Pop_shrew: number of common shrews captured
	* X_values_rel: ratio of bank voles in the total host population
	* Hum: relative air humidity (%)
	* Log_mean_ric_l: logarithm of the mean tick burden
	* Log_mean_ric_l_mod: logarithm of the mean tick burden to which a constant was added

- Ixodes_ricinus_nymphs.csv:
	* Station: Altitude (m) of the trapping locations
	* Site: study area
	* Year: collection year
	* Pop_size: population size (number of captures)
	* Pop_vole: number of bank voles captured
	* Pop_shrew: number of common shrews captured
	* X_values_rel: ratio of bank voles in the total host population
	* Hum: relative air humidity (%)
	* Log_mean_ric_n: logarithm of the mean tick burden
	* Log_mean_ric_n_mod: logarithm of the mean tick burden to which a constant was added

- Ixodes_trianguliceps_larvae.csv:
	* Station: Altitude (m) of the trapping locations
	* Site: study area
	* Year: collection year
	* Pop_size: population size (number of captures)
	* Pop_vole: number of bank voles captured
	* Pop_shrew: number of common shrews captured
	* X_values_rel: ratio of bank voles in the total host population
	* Hum: relative air humidity (%)
	* Log_mean_tri_l: logarithm of the mean tick burden
	* Log_mean_tri_l_mod: logarithm of the mean tick burden to which a constant was added

- Ixodes_trianguliceps_nymphs.csv:
	* Station: Altitude (m) of the trapping locations
	* Site: study area
	* Year: collection year
	* Pop_size: population size (number of captures)
	* Pop_vole: number of bank voles captured
	* Pop_shrew: number of common shrews captured
	* X_values_rel: ratio of bank voles in the total host population
	* Hum: relative air humidity (%)
	* Log_mean_tri_n: logarithm of the mean tick burden
	* Log_mean_tri_n_mod: logarithm of the mean tick burden to which a constant was added

Absolute_burden_data.csv:
	* hostid: serial number of every captured host
	* site: study area
	* alt: altitude (m)
	* traptype: type of trap used. L: Live, D: Lethal
	* species: species name of the captured animal
	* ticks: total size of the tick burden
	* weight: weight (g) of the captured host
	* doa: "dead on arrival". 0: found dead in the trap, 1: foudn alive in the trap
	* year: collection year
	* season: collection season
	* ric_l: number of Ixodes ricinus larvae
	* ric_n: number of Ixodes ricinus nymphs
	* tri_l: number of Ixodes trianguliceps larvae
	* tri_n: number of Ixodes trianguliceps nymphs
	* humidity: relative air humidity (%)
	* hum_scale: rescaled air humidity
	* weight_overall_standard: standardized weight of the host over the whole host population
	* weight_sp_standard: standardized weight of the host per species population
	* altnum: altitude (m)