Nature and environment - Conservation - Habitat fragmentation - Habitat connectivity
What does habitat fragmentation mean?
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Habitat fragmentation occurs when originally connected habitats are divided by human structures or land uses into smaller, separated areas. Common causes include highways, railway lines, settlements, industrial areas, and intensive agriculture. For animals, this can make it harder to reach food, mating partners, or suitable refuge areas. If populations remain isolated from one another, genetic exchange can also decline. Wildlife bridges, corridors, and other crossing structures are therefore used to help overcome some of these barriers.
Habitat fragmentation separates connected habitats and can hinder movement and genetic exchange.
Source: IUCN – Linkages in the landscape: The role of corridors and connectivity in wildlife conservation
