fragmentation
frag-men-TAY-shun
/ˌfræɡmənˈteɪʃən/
The process by which a large, continuous habitat is divided into smaller, isolated patches.
Usually caused by human activities like road building or agriculture; it creates 'islands' of nature that are too small for some species.
The story behind the word. Derived from the Latin 'frangere', meaning 'to break'. It shares a root with 'fracture' and 'fragile', emphasizing the delicate state of a broken ecosystem.
Word relationships
- splintering: More informal and suggests sharp, uneven breaking.
- connectivity: The degree to which the landscape facilitates animal movement.
Commonly confused with
- deforestation: Deforestation is the loss of trees; fragmentation is the breaking up of what remains.
Word family
- fragment (noun/verb): A small part broken off; to break into parts.
Collocations
- habitat fragmentation
- forest fragmentation
- landscape fragmentation
Example sentences
- "Habitat fragmentation can lead to the isolation of populations and a decrease in genetic diversity." Ecological study
- "The new highway caused significant fragmentation of the local wetlands." Urban planning
Memory hook
Think of a 'fragment' of glass; fragmentation breaks a forest into sharp, disconnected pieces. Fragmentation = Fragments of a forest.
When not to use
Not just for breaking things; in ecology, it specifically refers to the spatial arrangement of habitats.
Fun facts
- Fragmentation creates 'edge effects' where the outer boundary of a forest has a different climate than the interior.
Related words
Explore more words
splinter, segment, balkanization, disaggregation, break down, crumble
Also appears in
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