Koson Yuttham, Mullica Jaroensutasinee, and Krisanadej Jaroensutasinee

pp. 395 - 409

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.