Week 9 Post 2

Dispersal and Migration

Most animals are mobile in some way or another.  Sometimes, animals move from one place to another for different reasons and in different ways. Dispersal is one of the ways animals move from place to place; it is when animals move short or intermediate distances to a similar kind of habitat. It is a one-way trip, meaning the animals stay where they moved.  Competition over food, space, or resources can be a cause of dispersal. Usually, younger animals disperse because they are less competitive by nature. When young animals disperse it is called natal dispersal. Parents will kick out their children due to competition, and to reduce inbreeding.  This awareness of inbreeding is an adaptation, as inbred offspring are usually born with defects, thus not surviving for long.
Migrations occur when animals leave their habitat to move temporarily to a different habitat and return at some later stage. Billions of animals migrate every year. Migration evolves when habitat for feeding or breeding is better in one area during certain times of the year and is harsher at other times. During migrations, animals navigate in different ways; using a star compass (earth's rotation), the sun rising and setting, magnetic fields, and landmarks/smells.

A combination of genetic and environmental information and experience help animals migrate thousands of miles successfully.

Humans actually migrate in their own way; we take vacations to warmer places when it's cold, and to cooler places when it's hot. We will also move from place to place to find jobs or opportunities.