Abstract

Metapopulation models are a valuable tool for understanding how changes in habitat affect species' survival. These models highlight the importance of habitat patches and their connection pattern in determining the fate of species. In this context, a seminal phenomenoglogical metapopulation model introduced the concept of metapopulation capacity to evaluate survival chances in fragmented landscapes, and recent work has linked this phenomenoglogical model to the dynamics of individuals on real-world networks. However, the interaction between multiple species, an aspect critical to fully understanding ecosystem dynamics and biodiversity, has not yet been investigated in this context.

Here, we present comprehensive analytical findings on species survival and coexistence within this spatial metapopulation model. We show that metapopulation capacity is a necessary condition for survival but not sufficient when species compete for resources: Coexistence requires a fine-tuned balance of fitness. To solve this coexistence paradox, we incorporate spatial disorder into the model and analytically demonstrate that stable coexistence is achievable if the disorder's intensity exceeds a certain threshold. We show that the key to coexistence involves the formation of ecological niches, and that spatial patterns arise with correlated disorder. Our work offers a comprehensive framework to grasp the essential interaction among habitat, dispersal dynamics, and biodiversity.