Download Habitat Loss and Fragmentation

Read Handout: Section 3.4 (Science Perspectives 9 by Nelson) – pages 87 – 90.
See PowerPoint: Habitat Loss and fragmentation on webpage
Loss and Fragmentation of Ecosystems
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habitat loss occurs when the natural habitat is converted (usually though human
means) to another form that is unsuitable for the species in question
Ex.
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Urban Sprawl
habitat fragmentation occurs when the natural habitat is broken up by unnatural means
o populations are not able to interbreed (reducing genetic diversity) and more of
the habitat is exposed to pollution and human influence
Ex.
Highways
Improving Fragment Sustainability (know Table 1: page 88)
1) Size

larger areas allow larger and more robust populations
2) Number
 one large area is better than several smaller, unconnected areas totaling
the same square area
3) Proximity
 if the ecosystems must be fragmented, fragments that are closer
together are preferable to those that are farther apart
4) Connectedness
 fragments connected by protected corridors allow for species movement
and enable interbreeding (increases genetic diversity)
5) Integrity
 access to the ecosystem by roads and trails should be as limited as
possible to allow a natural system to develop
Wetlands and Aquatic Ecosystems
Describe the type of human activity that is impacting on wetlands and aquatic
ecosystems and how those impacts affect those ecosystems
Answer the following questions in your notebook using full sentence answers:
Pg. 90 # 1 – 7