Habitat fragmentation is a landscape-level phenomenon in which a once-continuous habitat is broken into smaller, spatially isolated patches separated by a matrix of modified or unsuitable land cover. It encompasses reductions in patch size, increased edge-to-interior ratios, and isolation effects that alter species movement, gene flow, metapopulation dynamics, and community composition. Fragmentation modifies abiotic conditions (e.g., microclimate, hydrology), disrupts ecological interactions such as pollination and predation, and can increase extinction risk, invasion susceptibility, and biotic homogenization. It is typically quantified using metrics of patch configuration, connectivity, and edge density in landscape ecology and conservation biology.
Old oak trees and semi-natural grasslands are very important for a large number of species that risk disappearing as habitats decline. In a new study, researchers at Linköping University in Sweden present their findings on ...
Ecology
Jun 25, 2026
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Larger areas contain more species. This is one of the most ironclad laws of ecology, which explains why large natural areas usually receive higher priority in conservation strategies. In fragmented landscapes, this logic ...
Ecology
Jun 19, 2026
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Imagine returning to a favorite hiking trail 15 years after your first visit and discovering that many of the plants and animals that once lived there are gone. While these species may still exist elsewhere, these disappearances—known ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 18, 2026
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As conservationists seek to maintain biodiversity levels in tropical coffee landscapes, data indicate the presence and quality of surrounding forest habitat may play a larger role than previously thought. New research from ...
Ecology
Jun 10, 2026
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Climate change-fueled landslides wiped out nearly one in 10 remaining members of the world's rarest great ape species on Indonesia's Sumatra island, scientists said Wednesday.
Plants & Animals
Jun 10, 2026
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National governments and multilateral institutions face difficult challenges reconciling environmental goals, such as biodiversity conservation and addressing climate change, with economic development goals. In a first-of-its-kind ...
Environment
Jun 4, 2026
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Fish that split their lives between fresh and salt water often face obstacles getting back and forth. Dams and roads fracture river networks and interfere with traditional migratory routes, sparking concerns about fish health ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 4, 2026
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Research from the University of Twente shows how the Javan leopard, one of the world's rarest big cats, survives on one of the most crowded islands on Earth. Using camera traps and spatial models, Andhika Chandra Ariyanto, ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 3, 2026
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Across Europe, many landscapes show strong potential to move forward climate mitigation, climate adaptation, and biodiversity benefits, with low socioeconomic risk, according to an analysis using a new climate-smart rewilding ...
Environment
May 25, 2026
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Current indices for assessing the biological status and quality of rivers are designed to study perennial rivers, so they are not suitable for temporary rivers. This is because the lack of a constant flow of water in the ...
Ecology
May 13, 2026
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