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The Wetland Book pp 133–140Cite as

Metacommunity Dynamics of Riparian Ecosystems

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Abstract

A metacommunity is defined as a network of communities populated by potentially interacting species that are linked across landscapes through dispersal. Metacommunity theory unifies landscape or regional processes, namely dispersal, with local processes such as niche dynamics. This unification of ecological theories can provide wetland and riparian ecologists with a framework to understand how community structure and dynamics are impacted by both regional and local processes. Understanding how processes occurring at different scales structure wetland communities can help wetland ecologists predict how landscape fragmentation impacts biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Clayton State University, 2000 Clayton State Blvd, 30260, Morrow, GA, USA

    Jere A. Boudell

Authors
  1. Jere A. Boudell
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jere A. Boudell .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, Australia

    C. Max Finlayson

  2. International Water Security Network, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK

    Mark Everard

  3. UNESCO-IHE, Institute for Water Education, Delft, The Netherlands

    Kenneth Irvine

  4. RM Wetlands and Environment Ltd., Littleworth, Oxfordshire, UK

    Robert J. McInnes

  5. U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, LA, USA

    Beth A. Middleton

  6. Aquatic Ecosystems Group, Department of Water Science and Engineering, UNESCO-IHE, Institute for Water Education, Delft, The Netherlands

    Anne A. van Dam

  7. Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, Australia

    Nick C. Davidson

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Boudell, J.A. (2018). Metacommunity Dynamics of Riparian Ecosystems. In: Finlayson, C.M., et al. The Wetland Book. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9659-3_48

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