IND4 | Harnessing Animal Movement for Biodiversity Monitoring: From Movement Trait Data to Biodiversity Indicators and Decision-Making
Harnessing Animal Movement for Biodiversity Monitoring: From Movement Trait Data to Biodiversity Indicators and Decision-Making
Convener: Thomas Mueller | Co-conveners: Lacey Hughey, Anne Hertel, Larissa Beumer, Talia Speaker

Animal movement data often provides dynamic, high-resolution insights into ecosystem processes and conservation needs. These data are particularly valuable for capturing near real-time, spatially explicit processes, individual-scale mechanisms, and transnational ecological phenomena that are often missing from traditional biodiversity monitoring frameworks. Yet despite their potential, movement data remain underutilized in reporting workflows for multilateral environmental agreements. This session will explore the growing potential for animal movement ecology to inform biodiversity monitoring and decision-making across scales. We will examine the benefits of incorporating movement-based metrics into indicator frameworks and highlight ongoing efforts to develop and operationalize suitable animal movement traits for biodiversity monitoring. Topics may include trait-based approaches, integration with global data repositories, applications to connectivity metrics, and case studies demonstrating applications at national or international scales. Through a series of presentations and facilitated group discussions, we aim to surface innovative approaches, identify key challenges, and build momentum toward a more coordinated and impactful use of animal movement data in biodiversity monitoring. We welcome contributions that bridge science and policy, demonstrate scalable methodologies, or offer insights into how movement data can inform conservation action and reporting at national and international levels.