Recent work on the dynamics of species living in fragmented landscapes
has produced much information on patterns of habitat patch occupancy
in a wide range of organisms. Building on an elementary Markov chain m
odel of patch occupancy, a family of incidence-function models can be
constructed for particular kinds of metapopulations. These models can
be parameterized with field data on patch occupancy, and the models ca
n be used to make quantitative predictions about specific metapopulati
ons. This approach provides a potentially powerful tool for the manage
ment of reserve networks and species living in fragmented landscapes.