Metacommunity concepts, approaches, and directions with Odonata

Abstract

Abstract Metacommunity thinking is a rapidly advancing framework for integrated local and regional multispecies ecology. This chapter begins by discussing the background on this thinking. It goes on to focus on the central factors of scale and dispersal. Next, it attempts to justify odonates as model organisms in metacommunity ecology. It then mentions some current themes in the odonate metacommunity literature. The bulk of the chapter explores selected empirical approaches for studying odonate metacommunities. Via these explorations, it offers several directions for metacommunity research and applications using odonates as model organisms and covers mass effects as they relate to bioassessment and spatial prioritization, as well as dispersal limitation and ecological restoration.