In a diversity of organisms, closely related species, or even various populations of the same species exhibit strikingly different migratory behaviours, spanning from intercontinental movements to complete residency. We know that a significant proportion of phenotypic variance in migratory traits has a genetic basis, and migratory traits are under strong selection and can change within few generations.
But we still don't understand which genes are responsible for variable expression of specific migratory traits, such as migratory direction, timing and migratory distance? How many genes are involved in variation of migratory strategies? What is the magnitude of their effects?
Given the revolutionary technological achievements in the field of genomics, we think that this can be a turning point for the field, and finally allow us to evolve migratory genetics from phenotypic to molecular approaches enabling us to incorporate genetic architecture into our understanding of migratory traits.
Thus, we thought this is a great time to synthesise and review the state-of-the art in the field in an opinion paper (doi:10.1016/j.tree.2011.07.009).
Our review covers a diverse range of taxa (sketching key studies currently carried out in insects, fish and birds) with focus on different technical aspects, experimental paradigms, and presents the various methodological approaches ready to be applied to study migration in order to make major advances in this research field.
We hope that this paper will contribute to providing the necessary forum to enhance discussion in this newly emerging field, encourage interdisciplinary dialogue, foster collaborations and promote debate.
But we still don't understand which genes are responsible for variable expression of specific migratory traits, such as migratory direction, timing and migratory distance? How many genes are involved in variation of migratory strategies? What is the magnitude of their effects?
Given the revolutionary technological achievements in the field of genomics, we think that this can be a turning point for the field, and finally allow us to evolve migratory genetics from phenotypic to molecular approaches enabling us to incorporate genetic architecture into our understanding of migratory traits.
Thus, we thought this is a great time to synthesise and review the state-of-the art in the field in an opinion paper (doi:10.1016/j.tree.2011.07.009).
Our review covers a diverse range of taxa (sketching key studies currently carried out in insects, fish and birds) with focus on different technical aspects, experimental paradigms, and presents the various methodological approaches ready to be applied to study migration in order to make major advances in this research field.
We hope that this paper will contribute to providing the necessary forum to enhance discussion in this newly emerging field, encourage interdisciplinary dialogue, foster collaborations and promote debate.
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