How important is patch size relative to patch isolation in an arid inselberg landscape?

Patch size (area) and isolation (inverse distance to source) are key variables of island biogeography, but their application in conservation planning has recently come under scrutiny. Based on animal distribution data in fragmented landscapes from around the world it was postulated that occupancy was poorly predicted by patch size and isolation. Do these findings also apply to arid areas and to plants? This question was investigated in four...