A term used to describe the phenomenon of large forested landscapes being broken into separate ownerships - often for purposes of development.
the breaking up of large, contiguous forested tracts into smaller or less contiguous tracts.
Islands of forest habitat that are disconnected from other forests by agricultural lands, transmission lines, roads, developments, etc.
Forest fragmentation occurs when large, continuous forests are divided into smaller blocks, either by roads, clearing for agriculture, urbanization, or other human development.
The reduction of overall forest cover and the isolation of forest patches.
The continuing splitting of large forested areas by highways and residences, which changes the habitat. It affects the acclimation and persistence of wildlife and indigenous plant species.
The change in the forest landscape, from extensive and continuous forests of old-growth to mosaic of younger stand conditions.
the process of transforming large continuous forest patches into one or more smaller patches surrounded by disturbed areas. This occurs naturally through such agents as fire, landslides, wind-throw and insect attack. In managed forests timber harvesting and related activities have been the dominant disturbance agents.
Islands of forest habitat that persist on the land when the intervening forest has been removed (Hunter 1990).
the subdivision of large natural landscapes into smaller, more isolated fragments. Fragmentation affects the viability of wildlife populations and ecosystems.