Integrative Migration Biology Symposium Held In Conjunction With Scib

<p>Most people are familiar with the phenomenon of migration, though they may not realize how important it is. Migration has been called a keystone behavior by some researchers because of the large effects that migratory animals have on their ecosystems. One of the main goals of this meeting is to bring together researchers who are trying to understand how and why animals migrate so that biologists can understand, for example, how to conserve salmon in the Pacific Northwest and how migrants may affect the spread of the avian flu. The best way to answer these important questions is to perform integrative research on migration, which combines, among other things, multiple scientific disciplines (such as meteorology, genetics, physiology, and behavior), many different species, and laboratory-based and field-based studies. This meeting and the associated travel grants are designed to attract students and post-doctoral researchers interested in migration from all over the world, which is appropriate since migration is a global phenomenon. The meeting will allow these young investigators to mingle with the speakers and other researchers who are committed to performing integrative migration biology. The students will also have the opportunity to present their own research in coordinated sessions. Individuals who are not able to attend the meeting will be able to gain insights about migration biology through papers authored by the speakers and published in the journal, Integrative and Comparative Biology, a high-impact, well-read journal. Overall, this meeting is designed to increase the visibility of integrative migration biology and promote integrative projects that will lead to a deeper understanding of a phenomenon that has puzzled both children and adults everywhere for hundreds of years: how and why do animals migrate?</p>