Mechanisms and Consequences of Collective Navigation in Fish

Throughout the natural world, fish make long distance migrations, involving impressive feats of navigation. Collective behavior (schooling) is ubiquitous in these migratory species. A growing body of theoretical and empirical work predicts that traveling in groups might help migrating individuals find their way. I will explore mechanisms driving collective navigation and present evidence that it benefits migratory fish. I will also use models and empirical data to explore the consequences of social navigation on population dynamics, patterns of gene flow, and the persistence of locally adapted populations.