Mechanistic movement models identify continuously updated autumn migration cues in Arctic caribou.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Migrations in temperate systems typically have two migratory phases, spring and autumn, and many migratory ungulates track the pulse of spring vegetation growth during a synchronized spring migration. In contrast, autumn migrations are generally less synchronous and the cues driving them remain understudied. Our goal was to identify the cues that migrants use in deciding when to initiate migration and how this is updated while en route.

Methods

We analyzed autumn migrations of Arctic barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus) as a series of persistent and directional movements and assessed the influence of a suite of environmental factors. We fitted a dynamic-parameter movement model at the individual-level and estimated annual population-level parameters for weath

SUBMITTER: Cameron MD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8559358 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature