Migratory Networks: Exploring the dynamics of complex migration systems

There is a gap in theoretical population ecology. We lack theory and models that can be used to address the population dynamics and movements of animals that migrate seasonally. This is surprising because the spectacular phenomenon of migration has fascinated people for centuries and because migratory species, which are found within a wide range of taxa including birds, marine mammals, ungulates, and insects, comprise a large proportion of the earth’s biodiversity. Many migratory species, especially those that migrate long distances whether by land, air, or sea, are facing considerable threats from anthropogenic habitat loss and degradation, and from changes to the environment wrought by climate change. There is, therefore a pressing need to develop models and theory that can be used to understand the complex dynamics of migratory populations.

I propose that the ecology of migratory species can be studied by developing a new theoretical framework, Migratory Networks. Migratory networks consist of nodes representing habitat regions connected by the regular, seasonal movements of species. Migratory networks differ from other ecological networks in that nodes can be different functional habitat types (breeding and non-