Migratory Birds as Global Dispersal Vectors

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Ornithology

Background:

• Propagule dispersal beyond local scales is often considered rare and unpredictable.
• Migratory birds can facilitate regular long-distance dispersal (LDD) for various organisms, including plants, invertebrates, and microbes.
• LDD over hundreds to thousands of kilometers significantly influences species distributions and facilitates rapid range shifts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review evidence for widespread LDD mediated by migratory birds.
• To propose a conceptual framework for estimating LDD facilitated by bird migration.
• To refine predictions of the ecological and evolutionary consequences of LDD.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of existing evidence on bird-mediated LDD.
• Development of a conceptual framework for quantifying LDD.
• Analysis of current knowledge to improve LDD estimations.

Main Results:

• Evidence supports the regular occurrence of LDD by migratory birds across diverse taxa.
• A framework is proposed to estimate LDD based on migratory bird movements.
• Current knowledge allows for more realistic LDD estimations.

Conclusions:

• Migratory birds are significant vectors for LDD, impacting ecological and evolutionary processes.
• The proposed framework can enhance predictions of species distributions and range shifts.
• Further research is needed to validate and refine LDD estimations.