II-BEEology

HABITAT FRAGMENTATION
By: Ferris Troy B. Yu Asensi

Habitat Fragmentation is a process of environmental change essential in
evolution and conservation Biology. As the name implies, it describes
the emergence of discontinuities (fragmentation) in an organism's
preferred environment (habitat).

Habitat Fragmentation affects biodiversity due to reduction in the amount
available habitat for plants and animals like rain forests, forests, oceans, etc.
Habitat Fragmentation invariably involves some amount of habitat
destruction. Plants and other sessile organisms in these areas are usually
directly destroyed. The remaining habitat fragments are smaller than the
original habitat.

Habitat Fragmentation eliminates habitats for those species requiring large
unbroken blocks of habitat. Additionally, the small habitat patches
resulting from fragmentation, often do not provide the food and cover
resources for many species that do attempt to use them. This can result in
an increased risk of death by predation, if the animal has to venture
beyond the cover of the patch to find new resources, or starvation.

INSIGHTS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE:

Habitat Fragmentation is an environmental issue we are constantly
encountering nowadays but us, humans are not aware of it. Moreover,
we are the culprit of this environmental problem. Habitat Fragmentation
is frequently caused by us, humans when native vegetation is cleared for
human activitiessuch as agriculture, rural development or urbanization.

Habitat Fragmentation isn't popular as global warming but it's effects
are as tremendous and dominant like global warming. Many animals are
threatened by this growing environmental problem we all struggle to
unravel. Many living organisms experience starvation that increases competition
among animals.There are many management practices for the maintenance
of species which are threatened because of fragmentation. Some of these
practices include: reduction of inbreeding , preserving or restoring habitat,
meta populations, and facilitating dispersal, migration, and breeding.

Habitat Fragmentation brought about by geological processes, can be
a major problem in the near future. When animals lose their habitats, they
may endanger their existence. Overcrowding and increased population are
the possible results. Providing synthetic habitats for animals can be a way
to prevent this phenomenon.