Habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation destroy essential ecosystems

Land-use and sea-use change is the largest direct driver of biodiversity loss in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems and a major driver in marine systems, according to the IPBES Global Assessment.

Threatened animals are affected when habitat is removed, degraded or divided into patches too small or disconnected to support feeding, breeding, dispersal and seasonal movement. The impact depends on species ecology and local conditions, but fragmentation can isolate already small populations and increase exposure to roads, fire, edge effects and human conflict.

This issue covers the loss of ecological space required by threatened animals. It excludes direct exploitation, invasive species, pollution and climate hazards except where they compound habitat damage.