Movement Ecology

Movement ecology refers to the idea that as the environment changes, animals migrate to accommodate the environmental changes. For example, in the Galapagos Islands, introduced species and humans have changed the environment greatly, whether by destroying vegetation or destroying habitats for the tortoises. As a result of this, the tortoises slowly migrated to different islands, leading each group of tortoises to evolve differently based on the needs of their new environments. Scientists believe the same phenomenon is happening in Forest Park of St. Louis, Missouri. The park used to be more rural, but as the city of St. Louis continues to expand, the environment of Forest Park is changing. Highway traffic, pedestrians, and even dogs are threatening the environments of the box turtles. As a result, less and less box turtles are found in Forest Park, and scientists are researching whether or not the decrease in box turtles in Forest Park is due to movement ecology, like in the case of the Galapagos giant tortoises.

Figure 1: Overhead view of Forest Park in St. Louis, MO
Picture from: Google Images

Figure 2: Overhead view of the Galapagos Islands
Picture From: Google Images