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A Closer Look at Mammal Migration

A Closer Look at Mammal Migration. Gitanjali Gnanadesikan. The Internship:. Princeton University’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department. Working with Allison Shaw in Simon Levin’s theoretical ecology lab. Original internship title: “What factors ultimately drive migration?”.

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A Closer Look at Mammal Migration

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  1. A Closer Look at Mammal Migration Gitanjali Gnanadesikan

  2. The Internship: • Princeton University’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department. • Working with Allison Shaw in Simon Levin’s theoretical ecology lab. • Original internship title: “What factors ultimately drive migration?”

  3. Defining Migration • Often applied definition: long distance, round trip, seasonal movements between two “worlds”: breeding grounds and wintering grounds (as studied in birds). • Problems with this definition: • What is “long” distance? • What if the trip is made on a different timescale: multiple times a year or once a lifetime? • What about distinct locations that are not wintering or breeding grounds?

  4. A New Definition: As described by Dingle (2007): Migration is movement that… 1) Is persistent, undistracted, and directed. 2) Is of greater scale and longer duration than normal daily activities. 3) Is a seasonal back-and-forth between regions which are temporarily favorable. 4) Results in geographic redistribution within a widespread population. Dingle, Hugh. What is Migration? Bioscience. Vol. 57, Iss. 2. Pp 113-121. Feb 2007.

  5. The Internship Task: • Most information about migration is species-specific. • Look at migration as phenomenon across taxa. • Focused on mammals to start. • Task: conduct extensive literature –based research to compile a database of migratory behaviors using new definition. • Synthesize collected to data and look for patterns.

  6. Results: Migratory Species

  7. Two Observed Spatial Patterns: A-to-B: Directed movement by a group of animals between two distinct locations. Examples: Humpback whales, Arctic Terns, and many iconic migrations. Dispersal-recongregation: movement away from some location and then returning to some common location. Involves individuals utilizing different resources and paths. Examples: many bats (caves), pinnipeds (breeding territories).

  8. Global Pinniped Species Distribution

  9. Migratory Pinnipeds

  10. Apparently Nonmigratory Pinnipeds

  11. Looking forward: • Confirmation of major choice. • Valuable research experience and familiarity with the field and current research. • Basis of research to be continued this year: • Continue researching species (about ¼ of mammals done). • Look at more geographic data for patterns and relationships to climate, resources, etc.

  12. Thanks! To PEI, the EEB department, and especiallyAllison Shaw for a great summer internship experience. Also the AOS department for collaborations and journal club.

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