This week we’ll continue to look at the ways in which biodiversity in the United States is threatened, as well as the strategies that we can use to combat this issue. Of the factors impacting our country’s wildlife, one of the most influential is habitat loss.
When the term “habitat loss” is mentioned, often peoples’ minds jump to relatively extreme habitat destruction (i.e. trees being chopped down in excess). While this is a very real issue, habitat loss can manifest in a range of other ways, including habitat fragmentation and degradation.
Habitat fragmentation is the “chopping up” of environments. For instance, the construction of roads and dams break terrain into smaller segments. As a result, animals have greater difficulty migrating, and they may have less access to food and water. This can also decrease biodiversity in a given area; because of fragmentation, species’ gene pools are much more limited, making them more susceptible to diseases and other threats.
However, fragmentation doesn’t just harm the animals living in the now-fractured ecosystems; people can also be negatively impacted. For instance, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, there were more than 5,581 vehicle crashes involving deer in 2020. As humans continue to encroach on animals’ natural environments, these types of incidents can be expected to increase in frequency.
The other category of habitat loss, habitat degradation, can refer to a range of different damaging factors such as pollution and the introduction of invasive species. Over time, these components can compound upon one another, ultimately harming the ecosystem and its inhabitants.
How can we address these issues? In order to help animals impacted by environment fragmentation, some have suggested creating “corridors” that link separated habitats. These allow creatures to move and migrate more safely while simultaneously decreasing potentially dangerous interactions with humans. This ability to move is especially important when considered along with rising temperatures due to climate change. In order to thrive, certain animals do best in particular temperature ranges and climates. Thus, some may need to move to relatively cooler areas in response to global warming; corridors can make this process safer for them.
Still, the corridor approach isn’t perfect. After all, the creation of such corridors wouldn’t just allow native species to move; invasive species would also be given an opportunity to increase their range. Corridors could also exacerbate other issues, such as the spread of disease among animal populations.
Another potential solution to habitat loss is the establishment of more federally protected lands. A 2020 study found that animals on private land are significantly more likely to experience habitat loss compared to those on federally protected lands. Thus, by instituting more spaces that are intended for conservation (with this being enforced by the government), we can protect our country’s wildlife.
Both corridor building and creation of federally protected lands are relatively large-scale methods of addressing habitat loss. However, individuals can also make an impact. Recycling waste and cleaning up trash in your community can help to prevent habitat degradation. Making sustainable choices, such as avoiding single-use plastic in favor of reusable options, can also be beneficial. One can appeal to government representatives to push for change, such as through the implementation of the solutions mentioned prior. And as always, the value of educating other community members can’t be overstated.
By taking steps to prevent future habitat loss and to mitigate any additional effects of the damage that has already been done, we can ultimately help to preserve our planet’s biodiversity and beauty.
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References
“Habitat Fragmentation.” Trees for Life, treesforlife.org.uk/into-the-forest/habitats-and-ecology/human-impacts/habitat-fragmentation/. Accessed 8 Apr. 2022.
“Habitat Fragmentation and Wildlife Corridors.” Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District, www.rcrcd.org/habitat-fragmentation-wildlife-corridors#:~:text=By%20habitat%2C%20we%20mean%20homes,are%20isolated%20and%20severely%20affected. Accessed 8 Apr. 2022.
“Habitat Loss.” The National Wildlife Federation, National Wildlife Federation, www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Threats-to-Wildlife/Habitat-Loss. Accessed 8 Apr. 2022.
Before reading your post, I would have assumed that habitat loss just simply meant habitat destruction like you mentioned. I’m glad I was able to learn some information regarding habitat fragmentation and degradation. I also liked how you wrote about potential solutions, along with pointing out some of the negatives associated with them. I’ve seen some articles and things about creating wildlife over passes but I enjoyed reading the details regarding this approach. I’m hoping as a society we are able to solve this difficult issue sooner rather than later.
I really like this post because we need more education on the damage to our globe’s biodiversity. Every day we humans damage and affect the wildlife in terrible ways that lead to species losing so many or their ways of life. I also really like how you incorporated solutions to the problem and not just talked about what the problem is and its effects.
It’s so sad to see that natural habitats are deteriorating. I read a blog the other week about how whole ecosystems (like the coral reefs) are dying completely. We need to take steps to help prevent habitat fragmentation before it is too late. Great post!