"fig:"){width="\textwidth"}\
![\[fig:nonreg\]Results on the viability of metapopulations exposed to general dispersal patterns randomly generated by modification of the algorithm described in \[sec:algor-gener-balanc\]. The analysis and graphical presentation of the simulation results is accordant to the procedure described in the caption of Figure \[fig:balanced\]. Please note that $L/N$ now specifies the mean number of connections per patch, while the actual number of dispersal links now can vary between patches.](NR-E50-nonreg_fixed_l.eps "fig:"){width="\textwidth"}

In order to follow up this question we repeated the simulations accordingly, but now without the constraint of having regular dispersal networks. Technically this was implemented by skipping steps 4c and 4d of the pattern generation algorithm detailed in \[sec:algor-gener-balanc\], which then controls for the desired degree of symmetry only. The parameter $L/N$ now should be understood in a statistical sense, such that $L$ dispersal connections randomly were distributed between the $N$ patches resulting in a mean density of $L/N$ connections per patch. The results are depicted in Figure \[fig:nonreg\]. Interestingly, the minor effect of symmetry at low density of dispersal connections now shifts to a slight advantage for metapopulations with a symmetric dispersal pattern. From $L/N\ge 7$ no significant differences with respect to the simulation results based on regular dispersal 