Spread of networked populations is determined by the interplay between dispersal behavior and habitat configuration

Predicting the spread of populations across fragmented habitats is vital if we are to manage their persistence in the long term. We applied network theory with a model and an experiment to show that spread rate is jointly defined by the configuration of habitat networks (i.e., the arrangement and length of connections between habitat fragments) and the movement behavior of individuals. We found that population spread rate in the model was well predicted by algebraic connectivity of the habitat network. A multigeneration experiment with the microarthropod Folsomia candida validated this model prediction. The realized habitat connectivity and spread rate were determined by the interaction between dispersal behavior and habitat configuration, such that the network configurations that facilitated the fastest spread changed depending on the shape of the species’ dispersal kernel. Predicting the spread rate of populations in fragmented landscapes requires combining knowledge of species-specific dispersal kernels and the spatial configuration of habitat networks. This information can be used to design landscapes to manage the spread and persistence of species in fragmented habitats.