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Exploring Mammal Migration: Understanding Patterns and Drivers in Ecological Behavior

This research internship at Princeton University's Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department focused on defining and studying mammal migration. Traditional definitions are often limited and do not encompass all migratory behaviors. By adopting Dingle's comprehensive definition, we explored various migratory patterns across mammals, including directed movements and dispersal-recongregation phenomena. Our goal was to compile a detailed database of migratory behaviors and identify key patterns related to climate and resources. This internship provided valuable research skills and insights into ongoing ecological studies.

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Exploring Mammal Migration: Understanding Patterns and Drivers in Ecological Behavior

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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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