Editing Habitat fragmentation (section)

==Definition==
The term habitat fragmentation includes five discrete phenomena:
* Reduction in the total area of the habitat
* Decrease of the interior: [[edge effect|edge]] ratio
* Isolation of one habitat fragment from other areas of habitat
* Breaking up of one patch of habitat into several smaller patches
* Decrease in the average size of each patch of habitat

"fragmentation ... not only causes loss of the amount of habitat but by creating small, isolated patches it also changes the properties of the remaining habitat" (van den Berg et al. 2001){{Failed verification|date=April 2018}}. Habitat fragmentation is the landscape level of the phenomenon, and patch level process. Thus meaning, it covers; the patch areas, edge effects, and patch shape complexity.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=van den Berg |first1=Leon J.L. |last2=Bullock |first2=James.M. |last3=Clarke |first3=Ralph T. |last4=Langston |first4=Rowena H.W. |last5=Rose |first5=Rob J. |date=October 2001 |title=Territory selection by the Dartford warbler (Sylvia undata) in Dorset, England: the role of vegetation type, habitat fragmentation and population size |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0006320701000696 |journal=Biological Conservation |language=en |volume=101 |issue=2 |pages=217–228 |doi=10.1016/S0006-3207(01)00069-6|bibcode=2001BCons.101..217V |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

In scientific literature, there is some debate whether the term "habitat fragmentation" applies in cases of [[habitat loss]], or whether the term primarily applies to the phenomenon of habitat being cut into smaller pieces without significant reduction in habitat area. Scientists who use the stricter definition of "habitat fragmentation" per se<ref name="Fahrig2003" /> would refer to the loss of habitat area as "habitat loss" and explicitly mention both terms if describing a situation where the habitat becomes less connected and there is less overall habitat.

Furthermore, habitat fragmentation is considered as an invasive threat to [[biodiversity]], due to its implications of affecting large number of [[species]] than [[Invasive species|biological invasions]], [[overexploitation]], or [[pollution]].<ref name="Haddad2015" />

Additionally, the effects of habitat fragmentation damage the ability for species, such as [[native plant]]s, to be able to effectively adapt to their changing environments. Ultimately, this prevents [[gene flow]] from one generation of [[Population genetics|population]] to the next, especially for species living in smaller population sizes. Whereas, for species of larger populations have more [[Mutation|genetic mutations]] which can arise and [[genetic recombination]] impacts which can increase species survival in those environments. Overall, habitat fragmentation results in habitat disintegration and [[Habitat destruction|habitat loss]] which both tie into destructing [[biodiversity]] as a whole.