What is habitat fragmentation?

Habitat fragmentation often involves both habitat destruction and the subdivision of previously continuous habitat. Plants and other sessile organisms are disproportionately affected by some types of habitat fragmentation because they cannot respond quickly to the altered spatial configuration of the habitat. read more

Habitat fragmentation usually occurs because of human activities such as new roads, parking lots and housing developments. Organisms need their specific habitat for survival, and fragmentation is a leading threat to many terrestrial animals. read more

Habitat fragmentation is the process by which habitat loss results in the division of large, continuous habitats into smaller, more isolated remnants. Thousands of scientific studies now show unequivocal evidence for the impacts of patch area, edge effects, patch shape complexity, isolation and landscape matrix contrast on community structure and ecosystem functioning. read more