Forest Fragmentation

For years, scientists have considered habitat fragmentation to be one of the greatest threats to wildlife survival worldwide. This book summarizes findings from the first scientific conference to address fragmentation in relationship to forest management and the consequences for wildlife populations in the forests of the western United States and Canada. It defines fragmentation as the process of reducing size and connectivity of stands composing a forest. It differentiates habitat fragmentation (or configuration) from habitat loss, such as that which results from converting forest land to agricultural and urban uses.
The book discusses fragmentation in light of the theory of 'island biogeography' which considers patches of habitat as islands, separated from each other by a sea of hostile land. Patterns of natural and human-caused disturbance and their effects including habitat loss, changes in habitat configuration and connectivity, and creation of edge are addressed in light of their influences on forest-dwelling vertebrates. The effects of habitat loss, changes in habitat configuration on predation, wildlife dispersal and genetics are discussed. The findings indicate that negative effects of fragmentation on wildlife associated with forest land use changes in Midwestern and eastern parts of North America are not apparent in western forests managed for timber production, where older and younger forests are juxtaposed on the landscape.
The book provides little evidence of negative effects on vertebrate biodiversity from changes in the configuration of forest habitat. The findings indicate that total amount of habitat is of greater significance to vertebrate survival and productivity than how it is configured, and suggest that prevention of habitat loss should be the higher conservation priority. The information should help resource managers, planners and scientists understand and address landscape-level concerns related to forestry and wildlife.