Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Other Unique Bacteria

Other Unique Bacteria

Magnetic bacteria exhibit a directed movement called magnetotaxis, driven by structures called magnetosomes. These magnetosomes consist of chains of magnetic particles made of either magnetite (Fe₃O₄) or greigite (Fe₃S₄) and are organized in a linear conformation by a protein scaffold within invaginations of the cell membrane. The bacteria align along the north–south magnetic field lines, much like a compass needle. They are typically microaerophilic or anaerobic and are commonly found near the...

Osmoregulation in Fishes

Osmoregulation in Fishes

When cells are placed in a hypotonic (low-salt) fluid, they can swell and burst. Meanwhile, cells in a hypertonic solution—with a higher salt concentration—can shrivel and die. How do fish cells avoid these gruesome fates in hypotonic freshwater or hypertonic seawater environments?

Migration

Migration

Migration is long-range, seasonal movement from one region or habitat to another. This common strategy, carried out by many different organisms around the world, is an adaptive response that typically corresponds to changes in an organism’s environment, like resource availability or climate. Migrations can involve huge groups of thousands of animals as well as single individuals traveling alone and can range from thousands of kilometers to just a few hundred meters.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Records of compass heading for long-distance ocean migrators show mid-ocean reorientation.

Science advances·2026

Same author

Long lives and high invariant reproductive costs: why do sea turtles not nest every year?

Biology letters·2026

Same author

The value of satellite tracking across multiple year cohorts to identify key areas for conservation.

Biology letters·2026

Same author

Vulnerability of marine megafauna to global at-sea anthropogenic threats.

Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·2025

Same author

Camera Traps: A Novel Method to Estimate Numbers of Nesting Sea Turtles.

Ecology and evolution·2025

Same author

Local Adaptation May Help Mitigate Feminisation of Sea Turtle Populations Globally.

Global change biology·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 14, 2026

Assessing the Influence of Personality on Sensitivity to Magnetic Fields in Zebrafish

Assessing the Influence of Personality on Sensitivity to Magnetic Fields in Zebrafish

Published on: March 18, 2019

Animal navigation: salmon track magnetic variation.

Graeme C Hays¹

¹Department of Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University SA2 8PP, UK. G.Hays@swansea.ac.uk

Current Biology : CB

|February 23, 2013

Summary

Pacific salmon navigate by imprinting on their home river's magnetic coordinates. This magnetic map guides their incredible long-distance migrations from ocean feeding grounds back to their natal rivers.

Area of Science:

Animal behavior
Neuroethology
Oceanography

Background:

Long-distance animal navigation is a complex phenomenon.
The mechanisms underlying precise homing in marine species remain largely unknown.
Pacific salmon undertake extensive migrations between oceanic feeding grounds and freshwater spawning rivers.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the navigational strategies employed by Pacific salmon during their migrations.
To explore the potential role of geomagnetic imprinting in salmon homing behavior.

Main Methods:

This study synthesizes existing evidence and proposes a novel hypothesis.
Focuses on the sensory and cognitive mechanisms of salmon navigation.
Integrates data from behavioral observations and geomagnetic field studies.

More Related Videos

Using Pharmacological Manipulation and High-precision Radio Telemetry to Study the Spatial Cognition in Free-ranging Animals

Using Pharmacological Manipulation and High-precision Radio Telemetry to Study the Spatial Cognition in Free-ranging Animals

Published on: November 6, 2016

Long-term Behavioral Tracking of Freely Swimming Weakly Electric Fish

Long-term Behavioral Tracking of Freely Swimming Weakly Electric Fish

Published on: March 6, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 14, 2026

Assessing the Influence of Personality on Sensitivity to Magnetic Fields in Zebrafish

Assessing the Influence of Personality on Sensitivity to Magnetic Fields in Zebrafish

Published on: March 18, 2019

Using Pharmacological Manipulation and High-precision Radio Telemetry to Study the Spatial Cognition in Free-ranging Animals

Using Pharmacological Manipulation and High-precision Radio Telemetry to Study the Spatial Cognition in Free-ranging Animals

Published on: November 6, 2016

Long-term Behavioral Tracking of Freely Swimming Weakly Electric Fish

Long-term Behavioral Tracking of Freely Swimming Weakly Electric Fish

Published on: March 6, 2014

Main Results:

New evidence suggests Pacific salmon imprint on the magnetic coordinates of their home river.
This imprinting provides a magnetic map for navigation.
This information is utilized to guide their return from distant feeding areas in the open ocean.

Conclusions:

Geomagnetic imprinting is a plausible mechanism for Pacific salmon's remarkable homing ability.
This finding offers significant insights into the navigation of migratory species.
Further research is warranted to fully elucidate the sensory basis of this behavior.