Comigration

Comigration, sometimes written co-migration, denotes the concurrent movement of two or more populations, species, or elements as they migrate or relocate in response to common drivers or along the same route. The term is used in several disciplines with varying meanings, and there is no single universal definition.

In ecology and cell biology, comigration can describe coordinated movement of related organisms or of different cell types that migrate together during development or wound healing. In human geography and demography, it refers to parallel migration flows where multiple groups move between regions because of shared pull factors, social networks, or economic change.

In genetics or biochemistry, co-migration is a laboratory phenomenon where two molecules of similar mobility travel to the same position in a gel, potentially complicating separation. In migration studies, researchers may use tracking data, census records, isotope analysis, or molecular markers to identify whether movements are truly linked or merely coincidental.

Because usage is inconsistent, comigration is often clarified by context or replaced with more precise terms such as co-migration, parallel migration, chain migration, or co-movement depending on the field.