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Sex-specific plasticity in Alpine ibex migration timing.
Franziska Hacker1, Matthias-Claudio Loretto2
1Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
The Journal of Animal Ecology
|June 12, 2025
Summary
Male Alpine ibex show greater migration timing plasticity than females, adapting to vegetation changes. This difference diminishes in experienced migrants, suggesting complex factors beyond reproduction influence migration.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Animal Behavior
- Conservation Biology
Background:
- Migration timing is crucial for herbivores tracking vegetation phenology.
- Climate change increases environmental variability, impacting migration.
- Individual plasticity in migration decisions is understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate environmental drivers of migration timing in Alpine ibex.
- Assess sex-specific plasticity in migration phenology.
- Understand population-level consequences of adaptive migration.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of long-term movement data from 17 Alpine ibex populations.
- Focus on individual variation in migration timing.
- Integration of environmental data, including vegetation phenology.
Main Results:
- Males exhibit greater behavioral plasticity in migration timing than females.
- Female plasticity is potentially constrained by forage-predation trade-offs.
- Sex differences in plasticity disappear in experienced (repeat) migrants.
Conclusions:
- Migratory plasticity is influenced by a complex interplay of factors including reproductive status, experience, social environment, and heat stress.
- Individual-level monitoring is essential for understanding migration patterns and plasticity.
- Behavioral variation is key to population resilience in changing environments.
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