Costs of dispersal

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Dispersal is a fundamental ecological process influencing population dynamics and species distributions.
• Costs associated with dispersal are critical determinants of individual performance and evolutionary trajectories.
• Previous research has often focused on specific dispersal phases or organism groups, potentially overlooking broader patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive review of the diverse costs associated with biological dispersal.
• To synthesize current knowledge on dispersal costs across a wide range of organisms, from microorganisms to vertebrates.
• To highlight the significance of dispersal costs in shaping life-history traits and their implications for conservation.

Main Methods:

• Literature review synthesizing existing studies on dispersal costs.
• Categorization of dispersal costs into energetic, time, risk, and opportunity costs.
• Analysis of cost occurrence across different dispersal phases (departure, transfer, settlement) and organism types (active vs. passive dispersal).

Main Results:

• Dispersal costs are multifaceted, including direct and deferred expenses, and can arise from pre-dispersal investments in specialized morphologies.
• Costs of transfer are well-documented in actively dispersing organisms, while departure and settlement costs are more emphasized in passively dispersing species.
• Costs associated with developing dispersal traits are more significant than previously recognized, influencing life-history trait covariation.

Conclusions:

• Dispersal costs are integral to understanding organismal performance, evolution, and the covariation of life-history traits.
• Recognizing the magnitude and organization of dispersal costs is vital for effective species conservation strategies.
• There is a need for advanced spatial simulation models that incorporate the complexities of dispersal costs for accurate ecological predictions.