Understanding partial migration: linking genetic, developmental, and environmental drivers

Résumé fourni par la source

Partial migration, where some individuals in a population migrate while others remain resident, arises from the dynamic interplay of multiple non-exclusive eco-evolutionary mechanisms. These mechanisms vary because migratory patterns can be shaped by genetics, individual experience, social learning, and fluctuating environmental pressures. Yet there is no clear link between these mechanisms and the behavioral patterns observed across species and environments. As a result, studies often focus on isolated examples without a shared structure for comparison or synthesis. Here, we integrate mechanisms, scales, and patterns to guide the study of partial migration. This synthesis emphasizes three core components: (1) identifying and linking developmental, plastic, and genetic drivers of partial migration, (2) incorporating processes from individual decisions to population-level patterns across spatial and temporal scales, and (3) providing a roadmap to help researchers choose an appropriate framing for their research questions. It also stresses that careful consideration of these scales is essential before developing models or analyses that address eco-evolutionary questions. This holistic approach enables researchers to generate testable hypotheses about the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms governing partial migration, thereby capturing complexity in terrestrial systems more effectively and supporting the selection of appropriate methods.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.