Stability in a metapopulation model with density-dependent dispersal

A spatially explicit metapopulation model with positive density-dependent m igration is analysed. We obtained conditions under which a previously stabl e system can be driven to instability caused by a density-dependent migrati on mechanism. The stability boundary depends on the rate of increase of the number of migrants on each site at local equilibrium, on the intrinsic rat e of increase at local level, on the number of patches, and on topological aspects regarding the connectivity between patches. A concrete example is p resented illustrating the dynamics on the dispersal-induced unstable regime . (C) 2001 Society for Mathematical Biology.