Metapopulations of four lepidopteran herbivores on a single host plant, Lotus corniculatus

Multispecies metapopulation models generally make the assumption that the i nteracting species occupy the same habitat network as one another. We exami ned the spatial distribution, metapopulation structure, and habitat network of four lepidopteran herbivores feeding on a single host plant, Lotus corn iculatus, in a patchy landscape in North Wales, UK. The four species showed contrasting spatial distributions despite the fact that they feed on the s ame host plant. Information on dispersal rates and population turnover sugg est that each species is likely to exhibit metapopulation dynamics, but wit h different relative contributions of local and regional processes. Detaile d analyses of habitat requirements suggest that habitat networks were speci es-specific, and their degree of occupancy a function of the number of patc hes in the system. These results do not support the idea that patchiness pr omotes regional coexistence through multispecies metapopulation dynamics. R ather, each species appeared to act as a largely independent metapopulation system in its own specific habitat network. The results also suggest that conservation recommendations must be based on detailed analysis of the requ irements of each key species in order to understand their spatial dynamics.