This repository contains code associated with the simulations for “Genomic variation among populations provides insight into the causes of metacommunity survival.”
Guzman LM, Srivastava DS. 2020 Genomic variation among populations provides insight into the causes of metacommunity survival. Ecology. 101 (12), e03182 DOI
The application of metacommunity theory to empirical systems remains elusive because key parameters such as dispersal and interaction strengths have been very difficult to quantify. Here we develop a novel approach that combines population genomics with mesocosm experiments to parameterize a metacommunity model. Using genotyping-by-sequencing, we characterized the dispersal kernels of a predator - prey pair living in a phytotelm metacommunity. We found that the prey dispersed much further than the predator. Our empirically parameterized simulation model produced patterns of population survival and occupancy that were consistent with past observations on the natural system. This suggests that the observed dispersal kernels contribute to the dynamics of these species in the metacommunity.