Isolated patches to metapopulation

Here's the collared lizard paper I referred to in class: The transition from isolated patches to a  metapopulation in the eastern collared lizard in  response to prescribed fires
It's a very readable account of a very long term study.

Hopefully today's class will allow you to understand the terminology.

A dramatic transition was documented from isolated fragments, to a nonequilibrium colonizing metapopulation, and finally to a stable metapopulation. This transition is characterized by the convergence of rates of extinction and recolonization and a major alteration of dispersal probabilities and pattern in going from the nonequilibrium to stable metapopulation states.