A Trait-Based Approach to Studying Animal Movement Responses to Extreme Events

Extreme weather and climate events are threatening wildlife across the globe and animal movement is a primary mechanism that allows individuals to respond appropriately. Why, when, where, and how animals move when faced with extreme events will determine how extreme events transform ecological processes-from individual fitness and population viability to species persistence and range shift dynamics. Here, we propose a framework in which to consider how traits of both extreme events and animals mediate movement responses during extreme events. Temporal and spatial traits of an extreme event underpin the environmental change that occurs on the landscape. Both species- and individual-level traits influence the impact those environmental changes have on an animal. The environmental impact of the extreme event will, in turn, influence an animal's movement response, which ultimately determines their fitness outcome. By integrating the drivers and consequences of animal movement through a trait-based lens, we can accelerate the study, understanding, and conservation of wildlife mobility in an increasingly extreme world.