3.4

3.4 HABITAT LOSS & FRAGMENTATION

Habitat loss occurs when a place where animals and plants live is ______________ or ____________ in some way that makes it uninhabitable. This could be deforestation or pollution

Sustainable Ecosystems

Second to climate change, habitat loss and fragmentation are the most serious threats to the sustainability of natural ecosystems.
Sustainability is defined as meeting our own needs without affecting the ability of an ecosystem to exist.
Expanding human populations puts pressure on the land to supply more food and raw materials, affecting sustainability of ecosystems

Fragmentation

Fragmentation is the dividing up of a region into smaller pieces, or fragments
Fragmented ecosystems are less sustainable because more of the habitat is exposed to damaging outside influences such as pollution

Factors that Improve the Sustainability of Habitat Fragments

Factor	Visual	Description
Size		Large blocks support larger and more sustainable populations and communities.
Number		One large area is preferred over several smaller areas of equal size, because there is less outside influence.
Proximity		The closer ecosystem fragments are to each other, the greater the chance populations will be able to use the entire area
Connectedness		Areas that are interconnected provide wildlife with an opportunity to migrate between larger blocks.
Integrity		Access by roads and trails can increase pollution, hunting, and fishing.