Wild rodent trapping, tracking and sampling for genetics and gut microbiome, Silwood Park, Berkshire, November 2014 to November 2015

This data set is a combination of trapping data, tracking data and data on the genetic relatedness and gut microbiome composition of wild rodents caught in 2.3 ha study site in Nash’s Copse, Silwood Park, from November 2014 to November 2015. As part of a longer-term capture-mark-recapture study, three species of rodents were trapped with Sherman live-traps fortnightly for 12 months: wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis) and bank vole (Myodes glaerolus). Upon capture, they were measured, weighted, sexed, aged and a tissue sample and a faecal sample were collected from all mouse individuals for genetic and microbiome analyses. All rodents were released to their location of capture. First time each individual was captured, they were injected with a permanent subcutaneous identification Radio-Frequency Identification(RFID)-tag (Passive Integrated Transponde-tag). The tagged rodents were subsequently tracked with a set of custom-made tracking devices (loggers). Loggers produced dense time-stamped occurrence data suitable for inferring spatio-temporal activity patterns of rodents, such as temporal niches, home ranges and social networks. Tissue samples were used to genotype the wood mouse population and bacterial DNA extracted from faecal samples were used to profile their gut microbiome composition.

This work was funded by a NERC independent Research Fellowship to Sarah Knowles (NE/L011867/1)