Other ecosystem processes
Extinction and
colonisation rates
Connectivity
Supersaturation
Extinction
and colonisation rates
Colonisation, extinction and recolonisation rely on
the ability of species to get to and from patches.
Connectivity is important in determining flows across
the landscape. Corridors can vary in their degree of connectivity, as
can the matrix. Corridors are of value for movement of species and materials
to ensure persistence of species but they can also facilitate the spread
of disease, pests and fire, and increase predation, which can increase
the risk of extinction (Forman,
1995).
Sometimes overcrowding can occur in patches, or what
is known as supersaturation. This can result in changes in competition
and predation, which eventually lead to altered fecundity.
