Migration in organisms refers to the directed, typically seasonal or life-stage–dependent movement of individuals or populations between distinct geographic regions, often driven by spatiotemporal variation in resources, breeding opportunities, or environmental conditions. It is characterized by relatively long-distance, persistent movements with clear origin and destination areas, underpinned by evolved orientation and navigation mechanisms (e.g., celestial, geomagnetic, olfactory cues). Migration can be obligate or facultative, partial or complete within a population, and plays critical roles in gene flow, metapopulation dynamics, ecological connectivity, disease spread, and responses to climate and habitat change across taxa including animals, plants (via propagule movement), and microorganisms.
Migratory birds such as the pied flycatcher typically have wintering locations in Africa close to others from the same breeding population. That means that birds breeding in the Netherlands run into each other again in Africa, ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 25, 2026
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New research indicates that sea turtles seem to navigate across hundreds of miles of open ocean using Earth's magnetic field. Previous experimental studies suggested that sea turtles use geomagnetism to navigate, but this ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 25, 2026
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14
Images of families displaced by floods, prolonged droughts or extreme storms have become a distressingly regular feature of the daily news. As the impact of climate change intensifies, so does concern over its effects on ...
Environment
Jun 22, 2026
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7
On a remote beach near Esperance, Western Australia, two sick seabirds have brought the bird flu crisis to Australia.
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 22, 2026
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13
Off Oman's coast lives a small population of just over 80 Arabian Sea humpback whales (ASHWs). They are classified as endangered and are thought to be the only humpback whale population that doesn't undertake seasonal migrations ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 19, 2026
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51
Can a snake in Thailand influence the evolution of a snake in the Philippines even if the two species never cross paths? According to a new study, the answer may be yes. The research suggests that migratory predators can ...
Evolution
Jun 15, 2026
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12
Migration flights of dragonflies and damselflies crisscross much of our planet, new research reveals. Scientists from the universities of Exeter and Lund reviewed global evidence and found 100 dragonfly and damselfly species ...
Ecology
Jun 12, 2026
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32
It has taken only a few decades: The wasp spider (Argiope bruennichi) has expanded its range from the Mediterranean region to northern Europe—even as far as southern Finland. In doing so, it has adapted genetically much faster ...
Evolution
Jun 11, 2026
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145
Humpback whales are one of the most popular species for whale watching. Since they are active close to the water's surface, groups of whale watchers can often see them breaching and diving during breeding periods. One popular ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 10, 2026
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25
Researchers at Cornell Lab of Ornithology, University of Massachusetts and University of Illinois have developed breakthrough methods to track the migration of individual bird species by combining participatory science data ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 10, 2026
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