Edge effects

In ecology, edge effects are changes in population or community structures that occur at the boundary of two or more habitats.^[1] Areas with small habitat fragments exhibit especially pronounced edge effects that may extend throughout the range. As the edge effects increase, the boundary habitat allows for greater biodiversity.

Urbanization is causing humans to continuously fragment landscapes and thus increase the edge effect. This change in landscape ecology is proving to have consequences.^[2] Generalist species, especially invasive ones, have been seen to benefit from this landscape change whilst specialist species are suffering.^[3] For example, the alpha diversity of edge-intolerant birds in Lacandona rainforest, Mexico, is decreasing as edge effects increase.^[4]

^ Levin, Simon A. (2009). The Princeton Guide to Ecology. Princeton University Press. p. 780. ISBN 9780691128399.
^ PORENSKY, LAUREN M.; YOUNG, TRUMAN P. (2013-03-26). "Edge‐Effect Interactions in Fragmented and Patchy Landscapes". Conservation Biology. 27 (3): 509–519. doi:10.1111/cobi.12042. ISSN 0888-8892. PMID 23531018. S2CID 13546312. Archived from the original on 2023-07-31. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
^ Holway, David A. (February 2005). "Edge effects of an invasive species across a natural ecological boundary". Biological Conservation. 121 (4): 561–567. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2004.06.005. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
^ Carrara, Emilia; Arroyo-Rodríguez, Víctor; Vega-Rivera, Jorge H.; Schondube, Jorge E.; de Freitas, Sandra M.; Fahrig, Lenore (April 2015). "Impact of landscape composition and configuration on forest specialist and generalist bird species in the fragmented Lacandona rainforest, Mexico". Biological Conservation. 184: 117–126. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2015.01.014. Archived from the original on 2022-06-19. Retrieved 2022-04-01.

[1] Levin, Simon A. (2009). The Princeton Guide to Ecology. Princeton University Press. p. 780. ISBN 9780691128399.

[2] PORENSKY, LAUREN M.; YOUNG, TRUMAN P. (2013-03-26). "Edge‐Effect Interactions in Fragmented and Patchy Landscapes". Conservation Biology. 27 (3): 509–519. doi:10.1111/cobi.12042. ISSN 0888-8892. PMID 23531018. S2CID 13546312. Archived from the original on 2023-07-31. Retrieved 2022-04-01.

[3] Holway, David A. (February 2005). "Edge effects of an invasive species across a natural ecological boundary". Biological Conservation. 121 (4): 561–567. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2004.06.005. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-04-01.

[4] Carrara, Emilia; Arroyo-Rodríguez, Víctor; Vega-Rivera, Jorge H.; Schondube, Jorge E.; de Freitas, Sandra M.; Fahrig, Lenore (April 2015). "Impact of landscape composition and configuration on forest specialist and generalist bird species in the fragmented Lacandona rainforest, Mexico". Biological Conservation. 184: 117–126. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2015.01.014. Archived from the original on 2022-06-19. Retrieved 2022-04-01.

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