Hydrothermal vents ecosystems are unique in the ocean due to their independence from photosynthetic primary production, relying instead on chemosynthesis of venting chemicals. The inhospitable nature of the ocean floor between vent fields for organisms that rely on chemosynthetic primary production means vents are considered ‘island’ systems. Although referring to vents as ‘islands’ is a useful metaphor, the predictions of species diversity and richness stipulated within this theoretical framework have not been tested for vent communities. Using oceanographic models of dispersal as a proxy for distance, it is possible to test the applicability of island biogeographic predictions of species diversity at vents. In island systems, diversity is maintained through connectivity. Dispersal models can infer potential connectivity between vents but they do not measure realized connectivity through colonization. Realized connectivity can be analyzed using network theory and measures of node dissimilarity based on species compositions at vent fields. By comparing models of realized and potential connectivity it will be possible to infer the role of biological as well environmental parameters on connectivity at vents. Modelling habitat suitability and species-species interactions at the community level will facilitate the study of local and regional drivers of diversity at vents within a metacommunity framework.