Organism
Checkerspot Butterfly
TL;DR
The checkerspot butterfly in California exemplifies metapopulation dynamics.
The checkerspot butterfly in California exemplifies metapopulation dynamics. Local populations on serpentine soil outcrops frequently go extinct, but the metapopulation persists because butterflies disperse from surviving patches to recolonize empty patches. Gene flow enables metapopulation persistence: even if local populations are too small to be viable in isolation, the system persists through migration-mediated recolonization.
Notable Traits of Checkerspot Butterfly
- Classic metapopulation example
- Frequent local extinctions balanced by recolonization