title: Distributions of occupied and vacant butterfly habitats in fragmented landscapes.
abstract: We found several rare UK butterflies to be restricted to relatively large and non-isolated habitat patches, while small patches and those that are isolated from population sources remain vacant. These patterns of occurrence are generated by the dynamic processes of local extinction and colonization. Habitat patches act as terrestrial archipelagos in which long-term population persistence, and hence effective long-term conservation, rely on networks of suitable habitats, sufficiently close to allow natural dispersal.
authors.affiliation: NERC Centre for Population Biology, Imperial College, Silwood Park, SL5 7PY, Ascot, Berks, UK.
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Furzebrook Research Station, Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, BH20 5AS, Wareham, Dorset, UK.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: , 2 Fairside, Higher Ansty, DT2 7PS, Dorchester, Dorset, UK.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Warren
keywords: Biogeography; Colonization; Extinction; Incidence function; Metapopulation