Mechanisms and Consequences of Partial Migration in Insects
Menz, MHM; Reynolds, DR; Gao, B; et al.Hu, G; Chapman, JW; Wotton, KR
Date: 24 October 2019
Journal
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Publisher DOI
Abstract
Partial migration, where a proportion of a population migrates, while other individuals
remain resident, is widespread across most migratory lineages. However, the
mechanisms driving individual differences in migratory tendency are still relatively poorly
understood in most taxa, but may be influenced by morphological, physiological,
and ...
Partial migration, where a proportion of a population migrates, while other individuals
remain resident, is widespread across most migratory lineages. However, the
mechanisms driving individual differences in migratory tendency are still relatively poorly
understood in most taxa, but may be influenced by morphological, physiological,
and behavioral traits, controlled by phenotypic plasticity and the underlying genetic
complex. Insects differ from vertebrates in that partial migration is often associated
with pronounced morphological differences between migratory and resident phenotypes,
such as wing presence or length. In contrast, the mechanisms influencing migratory
tendency in wing-monomorphic insects is less clear. Insects are the most abundant and
diverse group of terrestrial migrants, with trillions of animals moving across the globe
annually, and understanding the drivers and extent of partial migration across populations
will have considerable implications for ecosystem services, such as the management of
pests and the conservation of threatened or beneficial species. Here, we present an
overview of our current but incomplete knowledge of partial migration in insects. We
discuss the factors that lead to the maintenance of partial migration within populations,
and the conditions that may influence individual decision making, particularly in the
context of individual fitness and reproductive tradeoffs. Finally, we highlight current gaps
in knowledge and areas of future research that should prove fruitful in understanding the
ecological and evolutionary drivers, and consequences of partial migration in insects.
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