MacroMove: a global database of animal movement across taxa and movement types

Wilkinson, C.; Berti, E.; Dyer, A.; Menz, M. H. M.; Meyer, C.; Tucker, M. A.; Wootton, K. L.; Broekman, M. J. E.; Hoeks, S.; Roth, J.; Ryser, R.; Hirt, M. R.

doi:10.64898/2025.12.08.692918

bioRxiv · 10.64898/2025.12.08.692918

MacroMove: a global database of animal movement across taxa and movement types

Wilkinson, C.·Berti, E.·Dyer, A.·Menz, M. H. M.·Meyer, C.·Tucker, M. A.·Wootton, K. L.·Broekman, M. J. E.·Hoeks, S.·Roth, J.·Ryser, R.·Hirt, M. R.

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Abstract

Animal movement is a key ecological process that shapes species distributions and interactions and connects resources, populations and habitats, underpinning ecosystem functioning and stability. While foraging, dispersal, and migration are the most widely studied movement types, they operate at distinct spatial and temporal scales, and no single resource currently integrates these processes across taxa, traits, and ecosystems. We present MacroMove, a comprehensive global movement database containing 92,207 observations from 4,329 (4,167 using GBIF backbone) species, spanning 36 classes and 648 families across 205 countries, with data sourced from 6,234 references and 36 meta-analyses/databases. It includes both vertebrates and invertebrates from terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments. The database includes various movement metrics - home range area, dispersal distance, migration distance, day range, routine speed and maximum speed - including summary statistics (e.g. mean, median, maximum) where available. Records are reported at individual, population, or species levels and include standardised metadata describing species identity (binomial name, class, family), research methods (e.g. sampling method, sampling level and sampling dates) and location (e.g. country, location and coordinates). The dataset was assembled from published meta-analyses/databases and original studies included in these meta-analyses. Trait information (body mass and locomotion mode) from original studies and associated metadata was incorporated, with additional data sourced from established trait databases and reputable online resources. In the final dataset, body mass is available for 98 % and locomotion for 100% of species. Taxonomy was harmonised using the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) backbone taxonomy. The database is supplied in comma-delimited text (.csv) format to maximise accessibility and compatibility with a wide range of workflows. By consolidating existing movement data into a single, standardised and openly accessible resource, MacroMove fills a major gap in available biodiversity data. It serves as a practical and extensible foundation for synthesising movement information across taxa and ecosystems, advancing data-driven research on the ecological and evolutionary correlates of animal movement.

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Wilkinson, C., Berti, E., Dyer, A., Menz, M. H. M., Meyer, C., Tucker, M. A., Wootton, K. L., Broekman, M. J. E., Hoeks, S., Roth, J., Ryser, R., Hirt, M. R.. 2025-12-10. MacroMove: a global database of animal movement across taxa and movement types. https://doi.org/10.64898/2025.12.08.692918

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