Distribution

==There are only 2 natural locations in which Puritan tiger beetles occur. The first is in steep, sandy cliffs around the Chesapeake Bay and the second is on the banks of the Connecticut River to the north.==



As you learned in the powerpoint presentation, the populations in Maryland and New England are separated by hundreds of miles, and have been for countless generations. In Maryland, each of the subpopulations that reside on the east and west sides of the Chesapeake Bay are considered by scientists to be **metapopulations**. To learn more about the importance of metapopulations, click here: key concept - metapopulation.

Over time, the northern and southern populations of the Puritan tiger beetle have adapted to the unique characteristics of their habitat. This is reflected in behaviors such as how females choose from possible habitat choices for laying her eggs after mating.

You can see the differences in these habitats and their tiger beetle populations:
 * Maryland habitat and species distribution
 * Connecticut River habitat and species distribution.

As you first saw in the powerpoint lesson, and again in this section, the number of adult Puritan tiger beetles in local populations fluctuate significantly from year to year. This is why maintaining a metapopulation is so important. Small populations can grow from emigrating beetles at a later time. Rather than being discounted by conservationists, small populations are considered very important because they provide habitat for beetles that disperse into the area. Large populations can and do become small, while tiny populations can suddenly grow. So, no population can be ignored!

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