Final answer:
Metapopulation persistence is a dynamic balance between the extinction and recolonization of empty habitat patches.
Step-by-step explanation:
A metapopulation is a set of subdivided populations interconnected by occasional movements of individuals among them. Two main kinds of metapopulation have been described: mainland-island and metapopulation with similar-sized populations.
In a mainland-island metapopulation, a large mainland population provides a source of emigrants that disperse to nearby small populations. The mainland population has a low likelihood of extinction, while the small populations become extinct relatively frequently and are supplemented by emigration from the mainland. In a metapopulation with similar-sized populations, all populations have a likelihood of experiencing extinction, but the overall population persists through time.