EVERYDAY SCIENCE

SCIENCE

ECOLOGY

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Which of the following terms describes the breaking up of habitat or vegetation types into smaller, disconnected sections, generally as a consequence of human land use patterns?
A
fragmentation
B
disruption
C
disturbance
D
dispersal
E
cracking
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -Forest fragmentation is the breaking of large, contiguous forested areas into smaller forest patches, separated by roads, agriculture, utility corridors or other anthropological developments. It is a gradual process which starts with smaller, discontinuous patches in an otherwise unbroken forest or grassland.

Detailed explanation-2: -Habitat fragmentation is defined as the process during which a large expanse of habitat is transformed into a number of smaller patches of smaller total area isolated from each other by a matrix of habitats unlike the original (Fahrig, 2003).

Detailed explanation-3: -Habitats can also be degraded when natural process they depend on, such as fire or flooding, are altered by human activity. Habitat fragmentation occurs when large blocks of habitat are cut into smaller pieces by development such as roads or housing.

Detailed explanation-4: -Fragmentation happens when parts of a habitat are destroyed, leaving behind smaller unconnected areas. This can occur naturally, as a result of fire or volcanic eruptions, but is normally due to human activity. A simple example is the construction of a road through a woodland.

Detailed explanation-5: -More specifically, habitat fragmentation is a process by which large and contiguous habitats get divided into smaller, isolated patches of habitats.

There is 1 question to complete.