EFFECTS OF HABITAT FRAGMENTATION ON MAMMALIAN POPULATIONS

Abstract

Habitat fragmentation—defined as the process by which large, continuous habitats are divided into smaller, isolated patches—poses one of the greatest threats to global biodiversity. This research article explores the ecological, genetic, and behavioral effects of habitat fragmentation on mammalian populations, synthesizing findings from multiple ecological studies, field surveys, and conservation biology reports. The study emphasizes that fragmentation not only reduces the total area available for wildlife but also disrupts essential ecological processes, including migration, gene flow, and predator-prey interactions, leading to long-term population declines and ecosystem instability.