Metapopulation and its applications in conservation biology

Abstract

Metapopulation, originally pioneered by Levins, refers to a series or set of local populations, each existing on a patch of suitable habitat that is separated from other occupied patches by unsuitable terrain. Each population has its own relatively independent dynamics. The long-term persistence and stability of the metapopulation arise from a balance between population extinction and recolonisation. Although metapopulation concepts are not commonly fit to real world conditions and there are still questions about the generality of metapopulation dynamics and the applicability of metapopulation models to specific problems in conservation, they have contributed significant insights into conservation and have inspired field studies focused on collecting key data on demography and movement. Moreover, metapopulation concepts have had positive effects in conservation research, especially, as interest in metapopulation dynamics has prompted renewed research concerning dispersal capacities that is extremely valuable in understanding population structure. Therefore, metapopulation concepts replace the island biogeography concepts that have been used in the past for decades