Spectral analysis of simulated species distribution maps provides insights into metapopulation dynamics

Modelling the spatial dynamics of populations is a basic approach in ecology, in order to understand their observed spatial and temporal patterns, which can be diverse and complex. From the metapopulation perspective, the spatial distribution of populations results from colonization–extinction random process over a network of suitable habitat cells. Hence, evaluating such dynamic is an important issue for the follow-up of populations. Our aim here is to demonstrate that Fourier spectral analysis of population distribution maps can provide insights into metapopulation dynamics in a heterogeneous habitat. We simulated metapopulation dynamics in spatially structured habitat maps and investigated the steady spatial occupancy patterns using Fourier analysis. We showed that there were separable spectral signatures of habitat structure and of population dynamics. Fourier spectral analysis thus provides a promising tool for inferring independent characteristics of metapopulation dynamics and habitat structure from species occurrence data.