Movement Ecology

The focus of the 'Movement Ecology' research group is understanding the causes, mechanisms, and consequences of fish movement and behaviour in freshwater ecosystems. Drawing from theoretical ecological concepts and utilizing emerging quantitative tools, we investigate how internal factors – such as an individual’s physiological state, motivation, and motion and navigation capacities – interact with external factors – such as biotic and abiotic conditions – to shape the space use of fishes.

Our research combines biotelemetry with diverse tools and techniques to address fundamental questions about habitat selection, migration, spawning, species interactions, and other behaviours, many of which are increasingly altered by human activities. An integrated approach allows us to quantify movement patterns and space use across spatial and temporal scales and reveal how individual movement decisions scale up to influence population dynamics and ecosystem processes. Ultimately, our goal is to generate fundamental knowledge of fish ecology while supporting evidence-based conservation and management of fishes and freshwater ecosystems.