Early-life sicknesses as drivers of animal movement later in life

Description

Movement, including migration and dispersal, is fundamental for life. Large and sometimes surprising variation in movement between individuals is well documented, but what causes this variation? Why do individuals move the way they
do? The mechanisms underlying migration ontogeny and natal dispersal represent a major knowledge gap in our understanding of the ecology and evolution of animals. Infections, common during early life, have been proposed as drivers of migration ontogeny and natal dispersal. However, unequivocal evidence is missing. Here, I present intriguing data from a proof-of-concept study suggesting that experimentally induced early-life sicknesses, via changes in morphology (i.e. size) and physiology (e.g. immune function), may result in reduced local movements and shorter migration during adulthood. This opens up exciting possibilities to generate a new understanding of the mechanisms that shape movement across an animal’s life span and the consequences for fitness.

Period	2024 Mar 14
Event title	Nordic Oikos 2024: New perspectives in ecological and evolutionary research
Event type	Conference
Location	Lund, SwedenShow on map