habitat fragmentation
HAB-ih-tat frag-men-TAY-shun
ˈhæbɪtæt ˌfræɡmənˈteɪʃənListen
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Dictionary meaning
the process by which a large, continuous habitat is divided into smaller, isolated patches typically through human activities such as road construction, agriculture, and urban development; fragmentation reduces total habitat area, increases edge effects that alter microclimates and species composition at patch boundaries, and isolates populations, limiting gene flow and raising extinction risk; considered one of the primary drivers of global biodiversity loss, fragmentation makes remaining habitats more vulnerable to invasive species, disease, and climate change
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