Migration Routes Research Articles

Disability and Migration Routes: An Explorative Analysis Among Refugees Hosted in Italy

Disability and Migration Routes: An Explorative Analysis Among Refugees Hosted in Italy

Genetic diversity and phylogeography of the circumboreal peatland violets (Viola epipsila‐V. palustris complex, Violaceae) as inferred from non‐coding nuclear and chloroplast DNA regions

AbstractThe Pleistocene glaciation cycles are a major factor shaping plant genetic diversity, speciation and radiations, and current distribution ranges in the Northern Hemisphere. Case studies are important for improving our understanding of postglacial migration patterns in the Northern Hemisphere taxa in general. Here, we studied the circumboreal Viola epipsila‐V. palustris complex, whose taxonomy and patterns of variation are unclear, and phylogeography unknown, using non‐coding nuclear (ISSRs; inter simple sequence repeats) and chloroplast (cpDNA; trnS‐trnG and trnH‐psbA spacers) DNA regions. Our ISSR results separated five groups corresponding to V. epipsila, V. palustris, V. pluviae, V. suecica and hybrids (V. epipsila × V. palustris). These groups were also confirmed by the genome size of selected samples from each group. The ISSR results showed low within‐population genetic variation in V. epipsila, V. palustris, and V. pluviae as compared to V. suecica, which also has the widest distribution. The cpDNA data allowed us to infer postglacial migration routes and historical impact of gene flow between populations. A total of 13 haplotypes were identified across all species, with the largest number (eight) in European‐eastern Asian‐North American V. suecica. Five haplotypes were present in more than one taxon of the group. The low haplotype variation of European V. epipsila and V. palustris results from their status as glacial relicts. The cpDNA and ISSR phylogenies were congruent. The pattern of haplotype variation and distribution in the ranges of studied species indicates postglacial intercontinental migration of V. suecica across Beringia and V. palustris across the Atlantic.

Evaluating migration hypotheses for the extinct Glyptotherium using ecological niche modeling

The formation of the Isthmus of Panama allowed for migrations between the once separated continents of North and South America. This led to one of the greatest documented interchanges of biota in Earth history, wherein an array of species across many groups migrated between the continents. Glyptotherium, a giant extinct armadillo‐like grazer, is an example of a taxon that likely originated in South America and migrated to North America. Here we use Ecological niche modeling to test the extent of suitable conditions for Glyptotherium in Central America and surrounding regions during the intervals when the taxon is thought to have dispersed, allowing for assessment of plausible migration routes and the hypothesis that the genus migrated from North America back to South America during the Rancholabrean (14 000–240 000 years ago). Our niche modeling results show suitable abiotic conditions for Glyptotherium in Central America and the surrounding area throughout the Plio‐Pleistocene, with western South America (the ‘high road') suggested as their ancestors' route northwards. Depending on the extent of suitable conditions, it may have been possible for Glyptotherium to return to South America during the Rancholabrean. The results support previous hypotheses that the range of Glyptotherium was constrained by the need for warm, wet environments.

Light-level geolocators and species distribution modeling reveal that the Vulnerable Sporophila cinnamomea (Chestnut Seedeater) migrates through the Paraná-Paraguay System to Central Brazil

Abstract The movement ecology of migratory Sporophila seedeaters in the Neotropics, particularly their migratory routes and nonbreeding areas, remains poorly understood. This study aimed to fill this gap by providing a detailed description of these migratory routes, stopovers, and nonbreeding areas using light-level geolocators on Sporophila cinnamomea (Chestnut Seedeater), a vulnerable species that breeds in southern South America. Species distribution modelling was employed to estimate the probability of occurrence at distribution extremes. Over 3 breeding seasons (October to March 2018–2021), geolocators were affixed to 14 adult males. The overall device recovery rate was 64% (n = 9), and these 8 devices operated, on average, for 301 days. Autumn migration commenced on 24 February, lasting 46 days and spanning 1,679 km, with an average of 2.38 ± 0.92 stopovers—twice the number observed during spring migration (1.40 ± 0.89). We identified 8 nonbreeding areas utilized by the birds for an average of 145 days, primarily located between the northern and northeastern regions of the Paraná and Paraguay Rivers and the southern Tocantins River. Spring migration began in early September, lasted ~58 days, and covered 2,940 km. In both migrations, birds followed routes along the Paraná-Paraguay River valleys, with no significant difference in the number of stopovers detected between seasons. The nonbreeding period model indicated high habitat suitability in 2 regions within the Cerrado biome, particularly a larger area predominantly in the southern and then in the central regions of the Tocantins River. In the southern limit, the breeding model highlighted the most representative area, which is located in the central-eastern region of the Uruguay River. Our study offers valuable insights into the migratory patterns of S. cinnamomea. These findings should be used to inform the planning and establishment of protected areas aimed at conserving grassland species.

North American avian species that migrate in flocks show greater long-term non-breeding range shift rates.

Many species are exhibiting range shifts associated with anthropogenic change. For migratory species, colonisation of new areas can require novel migratory programmes that facilitate navigation between independently-shifting seasonal ranges. Therefore, in some cases range-shifts may be limited by the capacity for novel migratory programmes to be transferred between generations, which can be genetically and socially mediated. Here we used 50years of North American Breeding Bird Survey and Audubon Christmas Bird Count data to test the prediction that breeding and/or non-breeding range-shifts are more prevalent among flocking migrants, which possess a capacity for rapid social transmission of novel migration routes. Across 122 North American bird species, social migration was a significant positive predictor for the magnitude of non-breeding centre of abundance (COA) shift within our study region (conterminous United States and Southern Canada). Across a subset of 81 species where age-structured flocking was determined, migrating in mixed-age flocks produced the greatest shifts and solo migrants the lowest. Flocking was not a significant predictor of breeding COA shifts, which were better explained by absolute population trends and migration distance. Our results suggest that social grouping may play an important role in facilitating non-breeding distributional responses to climate change in migratory species. We highlight the need to gain a better understanding of migratory programme inheritance, and how this influences spatiotemporal population dynamics under environmental change.

Reconstructing the experienced temperature during the larval oceanic migration of anguillid eels from otolith stable oxygen isotopes

Migration routes and the depth patterns of anguillid eel larvae migrating long distances from spawning grounds in the ocean remain poorly understood. We used otolith stable isotope analysis to study the oceanic migrations of anguillid eels by reconstructing experienced water temperature histories of larvae. The otolith stable oxygen isotopes (δ18Ootolith) of recruited Anguilla japonica glass eels were analyzed to assess the relationship with the experienced water temperature of the early larval stage in laboratory experiments. A negative linear relationship between rearing water temperature and δ18Ootolith values was observed for eel leptocephali reared at five different temperatures between 19 °C and 27 °C. Subsequently, the obtained equation between water temperature and δ18Ootolith was applied to estimate the water temperature experienced by wild-caught glass eels during their larval oceanic migration according to recruitment latitude, season, and species. The δ18Ootolith values of A. japonica glass eels were significantly higher at higher recruitment latitudes from Taiwan to Japan and later recruitment periods of 6 months, from November to March, indicating that the individuals were exposed to lower water temperatures along the Kuroshio flowing northward as they reached the higher latitudes in the later recruitment seasons. Furthermore, the δ18Ootolith values of the temperate A. japonica were higher than those of the tropical Anguilla marmorata, recruited at the same locations in southern Japan and Taiwan. This suggests that larval migratory behavior in the ocean may differ between the two eel species, although they have sympatric spawning areas in the western North Pacific. Collectively, these results suggest that δ18Ootolith provides a reasonable estimation of the experienced water temperature and may prove useful for reconstructing the early migratory history of anguillid eels in the ocean.

Genetic diversity and intercontinental dispersal of temperate and subarctic populations of Dibothriocephalus dendriticus (Cestoda; Diphyllobothriidea), a causative agent of dibothriocephalosis.

The diphyllobothriid tapeworm Dibothriocephalus dendriticus, one of the causative agents of the fish-borne zoonosis dibothriocephalosis, is mainly distributed in the Arctic/subarctic and temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere (Europe, North America, and Asia), but also in the southern cone region of South America (Patagonia). The genetic structure and gene flow among 589 individuals of D. dendriticus, representing 20 populations, were studied using the mitochondrial cox1 gene as the first choice marker and 10 polymorphic nuclear microsatellite loci as a dominant molecular tool. The haplotype network of 30 cox1 haplotypes and Principal Coordinate Analysis/Structure analysis based on microsatellite data revealed close genetic relationships among populations within continents, namely northern and northwestern Europe (Norway, Finland, and UK/Scotland), North America (USA/Alaska, USA/Oregon, and Greenland), and South America (Argentina and Chile). The population from Iceland, located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe, was related to both Europe and North America. The mixed Nearctic and Palaearctic origin of D. dendriticus in Iceland was confirmed by a coalescent-based analysis of the microsatellite loci (in Migrate software). The most likely scenarios suggested that the Icelandic population is a genetic admixture of tapeworms from northwestern Europe and USA/Alaska. These findings corresponded with the distribution and migratory routes of piscivorous birds of the family Laridae, the main definitive hosts of D. dendriticus. The origin of an apparently non-native population of D. dendriticus in Patagonia was investigated in detail. The two most plausible hypotheses based on Migrate analysis represented different scenarios. One of them points to a European origin of the Patagonian population, the other to a North American origin. Future research with more extensive and a geographically broader sampling set is recommended to trace dispersal routes of D. dendriticus in Patagonia.

Lake Iriqui’s Remarkable Revival: Field Observations and a Google Earth Engine Analysis of Its Recovery After over Half a Century of Desiccation

In September 2024, following two rare storms, Lake Iriqui in southern Morocco experienced a remarkable revival after five decades of desiccation. Historically, the lake played an important role as one of the largest water bodies before the Sahara Desert, serving as a critical stopover in migratory routes for various bird species. Two field missions documented this event: the first confirmed the lake’s reappearance, while the second recorded the resurgence of the ecosystem and the return of migratory birds, last observed in the lake in 1968. The lake’s surface water extent, which had been completely dry, expanded dramatically, reaching over 80 km2 after the first storm and subsequently increasing to approximately 146 km2 following the second. This event has drawn considerable attention from international and national media. The revival was monitored using satellite imagery from Landsat 8 and 9 and Sentinel-2A, processed through Google Earth Engine (GEE), with the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) applied to detect water presence. A time-series analysis revealed significant changes in the lake’s surface water extent following the rainfall. This study emphasizes the need for proactive support to preserve Lake Iriqui, aligning with sustainable development goals: SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). These goals highlight the importance of sustainable water resource management, biodiversity conservation, and eco-tourism initiatives to benefit local communities.

Sex differences in migration routes and non-breeding areas of a declining shorebird

Sex differences in migration routes and non-breeding areas of a declining shorebird

Shellfish and shorebirds from the East-Asian Australian flyway as bioindicators for unknown per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances using the total oxidizable precursor assay.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have gained significant global attention due to their extensive industrial use and harmful effects on various organisms. Among these, perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are well-studied, but their diverse precursors remain challenging to monitor. The Total Oxidizable Precursor (TOP) assay offers a powerful approach to converting these precursors into detectable PFAAs. In this study, the TOP assay was applied to samples from the East Asian-Australian Flyway, a critical migratory route for millions of shorebirds. Samples included shellfish from China's coastal mudflats, key stopover sites for these birds, and blood and liver samples from shorebirds overwintering in Australia. The results showed a substantial increase in perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) across all sample types following the TOP assay, with the most significant increases in shorebird livers (Sum PFCAs increased by 18,156 %). Intriguingly, the assay also revealed unexpected increases in perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSAs), suggesting the presence of unidentified precursors. These findings highlight the need for further research into these unknown precursors, their sources, and their ecological impacts on shorebirds, other wildlife, and potential human exposure. This study also provides crucial insights into the TOP assay's strengths and limitations in studying PFAS precursor dynamics in biological matrices.

On the question of the origin of the subethnic group of Russian Arctic old-timers of Yakutia

For the first time, the article identifies three stages in historiography on the topic of Russian settlement of the Arctic part of Yakutia: pre-revolutionary, Soviet and post-Soviet. The first of them was dominated by the idea of the resettlement of Russians by the Northern Sea Route from Pomerania to Indigirka. The second stage is characterized by the finds of the remains of a trade and fishing expedition of the XVII century on Taimyr, which proved the existence of ancient traditions of northern navigation. In the third period, evidence of the liquidation of the Russo-Georgian archive appeared, and works on the migration of Russians by the Northern Sea Route began to be evaluated as "local patriotic discourse". For the first time, documents from the United States prove the complex nature of the genesis of Russians in the Arctic occurred by sea and land, as well as assimilation with indigenous peoples. The methodological basis of the study was the civilizational approach, since the genesis of the Russian old-timers of the Arctic was associated with the formation of their ethnocultural characteristics. In the pre-revolutionary period, based on folklore data and the Russo-Georgian archive, the question of Russian migration by sea from Pomerania to Yakutia was first raised. During the Soviet period, the discovery of the remains of a 17th-century commercial and fishing expedition on the Taimyr testified to the existence of ancient shipping traditions in Eastern Siberia. The genesis of historical legends began to be considered as the result of litigation over fishing areas between indigirschiki and Yakuts. The absence of archival documents on the voyages of the Pomors along the Northern Sea Route was noted and it was said about the flight of the ancestors of the indigirschiks from the epidemic from the south to the north. Russian Russian migration route in the post-Soviet period began to be regarded as not an academic, but a local patriotic discourse, the desire to increase their social status, turning them from "not quite Russian" into "the most Russian". The formation of Russian subethnoses occurred due to migration waves by the Northern Sea Route and the Cossack explorers of the XVII century. Indigenous peoples played a decisive role in the emergence of the Russian Arctic old-timers of Yakutia. Also, for the first time, archival documents introduced here in the United States support the conclusions about the centuries-old experience of Pomeranian sailors. The combination of oral traditions, archaeological data and archival materials confirm the guess about the multi-component nature of the origin of the Russian Arctic old-timers of Yakutia.

The migration and evolutionary mechanisms of northern Asian populations from the perspective of ancient genomics.

The northern part of Asia, including Siberia, the Mongolian Plateau, and northern China, is not only a crossroads for population exchange on the Eurasian continent but also an important bridge connecting the American continent. This region holds a unique and irreplaceable significance in exploring the origins of humanity, tracking human migration routes, and elucidating evolutionary mechanisms. Despite the limited number of samples unearthed, varying preservation conditions, and constraints of technical means, our understanding of the interactions among populations in northern Asia is still in its infancy. However, the development of high-throughput sequencing technology and its advancement in ancient DNA research have provided us with a new perspective for delving into the genetic history of ancient populations from a molecular level. In this review, we synthesize the changes in the genetic structure of ancient populations in different stages of northern Asia, aiming to reveal the patterns of interaction among ancient populations in this region, the evolutionary process of their genetic structure, and their genetic contributions to modern populations. It will also discuss the adaptive strategies of humans in response to extreme natural conditions. This will not only deepen our understanding of the origins and migration processes of humanity but also provide a solid foundation for studying the evolutionary mechanisms and adaptive strategies of humans under environmental selective pressures.

Violation of the International Legal Framework on Rescue at Sea

The irregular migration routes are largely organized by smuggling and trafficking networks. Taking advantage of international obligations and human rights law, these criminalized networks have become innovative and strategic. The Central Mediterranean Sea is infamously connoted with the irregular migration phenomenon travelling in irregular means in overcrowded unseaworthy vessels often resulting in fatalities of deaths at sea. The smugglers’ innovative strategy is to first cross the irregular migrants’ boats from the territorial sea of Libya and then leave them stranded at sea, waiting to be rescued by Member States patrol boats or private vessels. Once stranded at sea for days or weeks, the irregular migrants have suffered from starvation, dehydration, suffocation and even violence from human smugglers. In accordance with the international legal framework on Search and Rescue (SAR), captains of vessels have the obligation to rescue them. This research argues that Italy has adopted a new irregular migrant containment strategy in the form of SAR activity discouragement. Their objective is to disengage these smuggling and trafficking networks. To discourage the irregular migrant crossing, the Italian strategy is to prevent and thus stop captains of private vessels or SAR NGOs from responding to rescue calls at sea through criminalizing SAR operations without prior authorization of the disembarking coastal state.. This paper argues that the criminalization measures against captains of vessels is argued to violate the international legal framework on search and rescue, international obligations and international human rights law. This research analysis how border enforcement measures and closed border policies under the pretense of the pandemic have negatively impacted upon the rights of refugees and asylum seekers travelling in an irregular manner by sea.

Коннотации миграции в дискурсе междисциплинарности

This article explores the potentialities of interdisciplinary studies of migration. It identifies both unifying and particular markers in the connotation of its various forms. Migration often serves as a “cause for scientific concern”; scholars, when investigating this phenomenon, typically exhibit varying degrees of anxiety. Nevertheless, migration routes – whether in natural ecosystems, living organisms, or social structures – can attain a relative stability and permanence; consequently, “well-trodden” routes cause less concern. Furthermore, it is observed that return migration is traditionally (archetypically) perceived as the optimal travel trajectory. Modern sociologists also tend to describe return migration as less risky. However, in everyday consciousness, alternative connotations of the phenomenon of return may emerge. For instance, when migration is initially conceived as unidirectional and irreversible (such as relocating from a province to the capital), an alternate outcome may be evaluated as a failure. Conversely, if migration – such as pendulum migration (commuting from suburban areas to work and back) – is understood as return-based, the adoption of initial positions is perceived positively.

Migration routes and adult survival of the critically endangered yellow-breasted bunting Emberiza aureola.

Migratory animals rely on multiple sites during their annual cycles. Deteriorating conditions at any site can have population-level consequences, with long-distance migrants seen as especially susceptible to such changes. Reduced adult survival caused by persecution at non-breeding sites has been suggested a major reason for the catastrophic decline of a formerly abundant, long-distance migratory songbird, the Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola. However, it is unknown whether the ongoing extinction of this Eurasian species especially in the west of its range could be related to differences in survival or migration routes. We investigated survival rates of populations from both western and eastern parts of the breeding range and successfully tracked the migration of individuals from two eastern populations with light-level geolocators. We found moderate apparent local survival rates in eastern populations, but observed no returning birds in western populations. Our tracking data highlights (1) a joint migration corridor of eastern populations through eastern China, (2) long autumn stopovers likely used for moult and re-fuelling, and (3) very long occurrences at wintering sites. These areas should be given priority for future conservation measures. We call for an increased monitoring of adult survival and breeding output in multiple populations (including western ones) of this critically endangered species to determine (1) the causes for the observed differences in apparent local survival and (2) whether the current survival rates are sufficient to sustain viable breeding populations.

Integrated movement models for individual tracking and species distribution data

Abstract While the quantity, quality, and variety of movement data has increased, methods that jointly allow for population‐ and species‐level movement parameters to be estimated are still needed. We present a formal data integration approach to combine individual‐level movement and population‐level distribution data. We show how formal data integration can be used to improve precision of individual and population‐level movement parameters and allow additional population‐level metrics (e.g., connectivity) to be formally quantified. We describe three components needed for an Integrated Movement Model (IMM): a model for individual movement, a model for among‐individual heterogeneity, and a model to quantify changes in species distribution. We outline a general IMM framework and develop and apply a specific stochastic differential equation model to a case study of telemetry and species distribution data for golden eagles in western North American during spring migration. We estimate eagle movements during spring migration from data collected between 2011 and 2019. Individual heterogeneity in migration behaviour was modelled for two subpopulations, individuals that make significant northward migrations and those that remained in the southern Rocky Mountain region through the summer. As is the case with most tracking studies, the sample population of individual telemetered birds is not representative of the population and underrepresents the proportion of long‐distance migrants in the population. The IMM was able to provide a more biological accurate subpopulation structure using joint estimation. In addition, the integrated approach (a) improves accuracy of other estimated movement parameters, (b) allows us to estimate the proportion of migratory and non‐migratory birds in a given location and time, and (c) estimate future spatiotemporal distributions of birds given a wintering location, which provide estimates of seasonal connectivity and migratory routes. We demonstrate how IMMs can be successfully used to address the challenge of estimating accurate population‐level movement parameters. Our approach can be generalized to a broad range of available movement models and data types, allowing us to significantly improve our knowledge of migration ecology across taxonomic groups, and address population and continental level information needs for conservation and management.

International Migration, Globalization, and the Threatened Well-Being of Migrants and their Households in Nepal: An Anthropological Critique

The first quarter of the twenty-first century has witnessed that international migration from low- and middle-income countries is taking place at an increasing pace. The main focus of this article is to show the effects of such migration on the welfare of migrants, their families, along the society at large in select parts of Nepal. People migrate to relatively well-off nations from comparatively less developed ones in search of work. A brief portrayal of the migration route highlights the complexities involved in it. Moreover, the impacts of international migration reach beyond Nepal's countryside and agricultural sector to embrace towns and cities and off-farm sectors. Analyzing from the critical perspective of the anthropology of globalization, this article portrays the consequences of local-global relations in this era of accentuated mobility of people manifested through international migration. The key argument of the paper is that international migration is not contributing to the aspirations of the migrants and their households and in many respects, it has threatened their well-being. This article is based on primary qualitative data acquired through anthropological research and limited secondary data from an online newspaper.

First Detection of West Nile Virus Lineage 2 in Culex pipiens Vectors in Croatia.

The West Nile virus (WNV) has recently become more widespread, posing a threat to both human and animal health. In Western Europe, most outbreaks have been caused by WNV lineage 1, while in Eastern Europe, WNV lineage 2 has led to human and bird mortality. The ability to appropriately manage this threat is dependent on integrated surveillance and early detection. This study aimed to quantify the prevalence of WNV infection in mosquitoes and to identify the circulating viral lineage in eastern Croatia. Mosquito traps were set up in rural and urban areas during the 2021-2023 seasons, and the collected specimens were identified morphologically. Mosquito species Culex pipiens and Aedes albopictus were tested for Flaviviruses using conventional PCR in a heminested system. The positive samples were then subjected to a specific real-time PCR designed to detect WNV. A total of 385 mosquito pools were tested, and positive pools were found in samples from Osijek-Baranja and Vukovar-Srijem, both of which contained Cx. pipiens mosquitoes. Sequencing of amplicons revealed WNV lineage 2 partial NS5 gene sequences. Phylogenetic analysis suggests the Hungarian origin of strain, which complements birds' migratory routes. These findings indicate the first detection of WNV in mosquitoes in Croatia. This suggests that human cases in this region are likely due to infections with lineage 2 transmitted by local Culex mosquitoes.

1930 ЖЫЛДАРДЫҢ БАСЫНДАҒЫ АҚТӨБЕ ӨҢІРІНДЕГІ БОСҚЫНШЫЛЫҚТЫҢ ТАРИХЫ

This article focuses on the study of the history of population migrations in the Aktobe region in the early 1930s. The forced migration of the Kazakh people during the early 1930s is one of the pressing issues in national history. The mass exodus of the Kazakh population was a direct consequence of the political and economic campaigns conducted by the Soviet government, followed by a devastating famine. The aim of the article is to examine the process of population migrations in this region and provide a historical assessment of the place and significance of these tragic years in the region's history. The study identifies the causes, progress, scale, and specific characteristics of the migration periods in the Aktobe region, the number of refugees, migration routes, the attitude of government bodies towards the famine and migrations, as well as the measures taken and their outcomes. The article is based on the principles of historicism and objectivity, adopting a national perspective. In the process of studying the causes, progression, and periodic features of the Kazakh migrations, the problem-chronological method was employed. Additionally, methods such as generalization, analysis, comparative-historical, historical-genetic, retrospective, and statistical approaches were used in the research. These methods helped to identify the causes of the migrations, their onset, peak, and conclusion, the scale of the migrations, the number of refugees, and the stance and policies of the government bodies. The conclusions drawn from this study are significant and can be applied to teaching the regional history.

Mechanical signaling through membrane tension induces somal translocation during neuronal migration.

Neurons migrate in a saltatory manner by repeating two distinct steps: extension of the leading process and translocation of the cell body. The former step is critical for determining the migratory route in response to extracellular guidance cues. In the latter step, neurons must generate robust forces that translocate the bulky soma against mechanical barriers of the surrounding three-dimensional environment. However, the link between the leading process extension and subsequent somal translocation remains unknown. By using the membrane tension sensor Flipper-TR and scanning ion conductance microscopy, we show that leading process extension increases plasma membrane tension. The tension elevation activated the mechanosensitive ion channel Tmem63b and triggered Ca2+ influx, leading to actomyosin activation at the rear of the cell. Blockade of this signaling pathway disturbed somal translocation, thereby inhibiting neuronal migration in three-dimensional environments. These data suggest that mechanical signaling through plasma membrane tension and mechano-channels links the leading process extension to somal translocation, allowing rapid and saltatory neuronal migration.