Definition of Metapopulation



A metapopulation is a group of several populations that consists of the same species but each subpopulation is separated from one another. Though they are separated from each other yet the individuals move regularly from one population to another. These metapopulations have inhabited such areas that were previously unoccupied.

 


The theory of metapopulation was developed only for terrestrial populations at first but now it has extended to the marine ecosystem too. Due to various demographic events, the populations go extinct but metapopulations lead to stability as they are likely to recolonize the space emptied by the extinct individuals.


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