Final answer:
Animal migration is the seasonal movement of animals in response to changes in resource availability. It involves physiological and behavioral changes and is performed by various species, including birds, fish, insects, and mammals. Migration can vary within a species, and the process is energy-intensive and may carry risks.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Animal Migration
Animal behavior in seasonal migration is a fascinating and complex subject. Migration is the long-range seasonal movement of animals, an evolved, adapted response to variation in resource availability. This innate behavior is usually triggered by seasonal changes in the environment, such as changes in day length, temperature, and food sources. Many species, including birds, fish, insects, and certain mammals like whales and caribou, undertake migration to increase their chances of survival and reproduction by moving to areas with more favorable conditions.
For instance, the Arctic Tern exhibits one of the longest-known migratory patterns, making a 40,000 km (24,000 mi) round trip each year between its feeding grounds in the southern hemisphere and its breeding grounds in the Arctic Ocean. Similarly, Monarch butterflies in the United States migrate to Mexico and the southern U.S. for the winter to escape cold temperatures. While migration is generally thought of as an innate behavior, not all individuals within a species will migrate; this is known as incomplete migration, and may happen when food is plentiful enough to stay in one place.
Physiological changes and behavioral changes also play crucial roles in migration. For example, elk will undergo physiological changes that prepare them for the trip from summer feeding grounds in high mountain meadows to lower valleys during winter, a process heavily influenced by seasonal and environmental cues. Furthermore, such migrations carry risks and come at a high-energy cost, which animals must balance against the benefits of migrating to improved habitats.