A collection of interacting subpopulations of a species. Many species exist naturally as more-or-less discrete subpopulations, each occupying a patch of suitable habitat and separated from neighbouring subpopulations by intervening areas of unsuitable habitat. A pond-dwelling species is a clear example. This pattern of distribution is frequently intensified by habitat loss and fragmentation, for example through human intervention (e.g. deforestation or road building). Individuals may migrate between subpopulations or disperse to unoccupied habitat patches. The sizes and composition of the component subpopulations, and levels of migration and dispersal, are all crucial factors in determining the metapopulation dynamics. Knowledge of this is vital, for example in planning the conservation of a threatened species or setting limits for the sustainable harvest of a species.