Migratory Connectivity is the geographic linking of individuals or populations between stages of an animal's life cycle. Migration is most often associated with birds, and each year upwards of 5 billion birds worldwide migrate to their breeding or wintering grounds, stopping along the way to eat, rest, or find cover.
Understanding migratory connectivity is key to species survival, aspects of human quality of life, and addressing environmental challenges as small as a housing permit or as large as climate change or a devastating oil spill. It is critical to predicting and addressing spread of diseases (human and bird), assessing risk of collisions with aircraft, positioning alternative-energy structures, and many other human-development options. Connectivity can mean the difference between saving or losing an endangered species.
Every aspect of our lab work is linked to solving issues related to migratory connectivity and full life-cycle biology. The framework for these projects can be found within the Migratory Connectivity Project developed by Peter Marra (Smithsonian Institution) and Susan Haig (USGS FRESC). We strive to take a multi-spatial, temporal, and technological approach to movement and population structure problems in order to provide the most comprehensive understanding of the current issues. This can range from use of molecular markers to satellite transmitters to stable isotopes.
Principal Investigator
Susan Haig - Supervisory Research Wildlife Biologist
Federal Staff
Elise Elliott-Smith - Wildlife Biologist
Mark Miller - Statistician
Jeff Hollenbeck - Biologist (Statistician)
Thomas Mullins - Geneticist
Science Themes of the FRESC Migratory Connectivity Team are highlighted below.
Genetic and Demographic Analyses of Species at Risk
Effects of Climate Change and Other Environmental Stressors on Water Birds and Their Habitats
Avian Movements, Monitoring, and Conservation
- Overview
Migratory Connectivity is the geographic linking of individuals or populations between stages of an animal's life cycle. Migration is most often associated with birds, and each year upwards of 5 billion birds worldwide migrate to their breeding or wintering grounds, stopping along the way to eat, rest, or find cover.
Understanding migratory connectivity is key to species survival, aspects of human quality of life, and addressing environmental challenges as small as a housing permit or as large as climate change or a devastating oil spill. It is critical to predicting and addressing spread of diseases (human and bird), assessing risk of collisions with aircraft, positioning alternative-energy structures, and many other human-development options. Connectivity can mean the difference between saving or losing an endangered species.
Every aspect of our lab work is linked to solving issues related to migratory connectivity and full life-cycle biology. The framework for these projects can be found within the Migratory Connectivity Project developed by Peter Marra (Smithsonian Institution) and Susan Haig (USGS FRESC). We strive to take a multi-spatial, temporal, and technological approach to movement and population structure problems in order to provide the most comprehensive understanding of the current issues. This can range from use of molecular markers to satellite transmitters to stable isotopes.
Principal Investigator
Susan Haig - Supervisory Research Wildlife Biologist
Federal Staff
Elise Elliott-Smith - Wildlife Biologist
Mark Miller - Statistician
Jeff Hollenbeck - Biologist (Statistician)
Thomas Mullins - Geneticist
- Science
Science Themes of the FRESC Migratory Connectivity Team are highlighted below.
Genetic and Demographic Analyses of Species at Risk
Genetic and demographic analyses are key to understanding mechanisms of population and species declines and recovery potential. They are equally important to managers assessing risk of extinction relative to the provisions of the Endangered Species Act, and for establishing recovery goals and planning recovery actions. In addition to the methodologically and conceptually complex nature of these...Effects of Climate Change and Other Environmental Stressors on Water Birds and Their Habitats
Predicted climate impacts on arid U.S. Great Basin wetlands will alter their number, distribution, and quality (e.g., salinity). The scarcity and isolation of these wetlands make them essential not only to wildlife but to ranchers, farmers, and urban areas that rely on their ecosystem services. Great Basin wetlands are important habitats for migratory birds at high volumes, but they become...Avian Movements, Monitoring, and Conservation
The Migratory Connectivity Project (MCP) is an effort to research, collect, and provide information about animal movement and full lifecycle biology, particularly for North American bird species, to agencies and NGOs interested in their conservation. - News