# MoveTraits—A Database for Integrating Animal Behaviour Into Trait‐Based Ecology

## TL;DR

MoveTraits is a new database that integrates animal movement data into ecological research to better understand species' behavior and responses to environmental change.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a standardized, living database for movement traits to bridge behavior and trait-based ecology.

## Key findings

- Movement traits can quantify behavioral reaction norms and adaptive capacity to environmental change.
- The MoveTraits database includes standardized traits for 52 mammal and 97 bird species across over 5000 individuals.
- Movement traits can improve global change predictions and biodiversity assessments as Essential Biodiversity Variables.

## Abstract

Trait‐based approaches are key to understanding eco‐evolutionary processes but rarely account for animal behaviour despite its central role in ecosystem dynamics. We propose integrating behaviour into trait‐based ecology through movement traits—standardised and comparable measures of animal movement derived from biologging data, such as daily displacements or range sizes. Accounting for animal behaviour will advance trait‐based research on species interactions, community structure and ecosystem functioning. Importantly, movement traits allow for quantification of behavioural reaction norms, offering insights into species’ acclimation and adaptive capacity to environmental change. We outline a vision for a ‘living’ global movement trait database that enhances trait data curation by (1) continuously growing alongside shared biologging data, (2) calculating traits directly from individual‐level data using standardised, consistent methodology and (3) providing information on multi‐level (species, individual, within‐individual) trait variation. We present a proof‐of‐concept ‘MoveTraits’ database with 52 mammal and 97 bird species, demonstrating calculation workflows for 5 traits across multiple timescales. Movement traits have significant potential to improve trait‐based global change predictions and contribute to global biodiversity assessments as Essential Biodiversity Variables. By making animal movement data more accessible and interpretable, this database could bridge the gap between movement ecology and biodiversity policy, facilitating evidence‐based conservation.

We propose integrating animal behaviour into trait‐based ecology through movement traits – standardised and comparable metrics of animal movement derived from biologging data, such as daily displacements or range sizes. Explicitly accounting for behaviour will advance trait‐based research and allow for the quantification of behavioural reaction norms, offering insights into species' adaptive capacity to environmental change. We provide a first proof‐of‐concept ‘MoveTraits’ database with standardised, multi‐scale (species, individual, within‐individual) movement traits for 52 mammal and 97 bird species across more than 5000 individuals.