habitat fragmentation
Quick Summary
Habitat fragmentation is a type of habitat loss in ecology where larger habitats are divided into smaller, disconnected patches. This subdivision reduces the overall available habitat for species.1
The effects of fragmentation vary:
* Mobile species like birds may be less affected if the spaces between fragments are small. However, larger distances increase risks from predators, vehicles, or isolation, hindering reproduction.1
* Immobile species, such as plants, and mobile species in widely separated fragments can face challenges with reproduction and altered environmental factors like water availability and temperature.1
Conservation efforts include creating wildlife corridors to connect these fragments, allowing species to move between them.2
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
