4 Habitat loss and fragmentation
Learning Objectives
In this chapter student will be able to:
- Define habitat loss and habitat fragmentation.
- Recognize efforts to prevent further habitat loss and habitat fragmentation
Habitat loss is define as the outright destruction of natural ecosystems, an inevitable consequence of expanding human populations and human activities. In a world where intact natural ecosystems are increasingly being altered by the activities of an ever-increasing human population and its consumptive needs, habitat loss has emerged as the number one threat facing biodiversity today.
Habitat fragmentation creates small and isolated subpopulations that have fewer opportunities to find food, water, shelter and mates. This hastens extinctions where the species in the fragmented areas are prone to a range of deleterious genetic effects that large connected population.
Lets watch this video.
Adopted from: "Human Impacts on Biodiversity | Ecology and Environment " by FuseSchool is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Human-caused habitat loss or habitat fragmentation is altering ecosystems on a global scale causing destruction that is irreversible. Humans are part of the great cycle of life on earth and we depend on the overall function of natural systems for our own survival. Properly function natural systems create the air we breathe, break down our wastes, provide our food, purify our drinking water and ultimately supply all the materials we require for living.
Click below to see the four efforts to prevent further habitat loss and fragmentation:
Self-assessment
Find human activities that contribute to habitat loss and fragmentation.
The outright destruction of natural ecosystems
Divides once large and widespread wildlife populations into several smaller subpopulations.
