Edge effects
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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]
Types
- Inherent – Natural features stabilize the border location.
- Induced – Transient natural disturbances (e.g., fire or flood) or human related activities, subject borders to successional changes over time.
- Narrow – One habitat abruptly ends and another begins (e.g., an agricultural field.)
- Wide (ecotone) – A large distance separates the borders of two clearly and purely definable habitats based upon their physical conditions and vegetation, and in between there exists a large transition region.
- Convoluted – The border is non-linear.
- Perforated – The border has gaps that host other habitats.
Height can create borders between patches as well.[5]
Biodiversity
Environmental conditions enable certain species of plants and animals to colonize habitat
Animals traveling between communities can create travel lanes along borders, which in turn increases light reaching plants along the lanes and promotes primary production. As more light reaches the plants, greater numbers and sizes can thrive. Increased primary production can increase numbers of herbivorous insects, followed by nesting birds and so on up the trophic levels.
In the case of wide and/or overgrown borders, some species can become restricted to one side of the border despite having the ability to inhabit the other. Sometimes, the edge effects result in
- Abiotic effect—Changes in the environmental conditions that result from the proximity to a structurally dissimilar matrix
- Direct biological effects—Changes in species abundanceand distribution caused directly by physical conditions near the edge
- Indirect biological effects which involve changes in species interactions such as
Human effects
Human activity creates edges through development and agriculture. Often, the changes are detrimental to both the size of the habitat and to species. Examples of human impacts include:
- Introduction of invasives/exotics
- Higher severity and frequency of fires
- Companion animals (pets) acting as predators and competitors
- Trails
- Pollution, erosion
- Lossof foraging habitats
- Habitat fragmentation
- Deforestation and land use change
Examples
When edges divide any
Amazon rainforest
One study estimated that the amount of
North America
The amount of
Conversely,
In the case of developed lands juxtaposed to wild lands, problems with
Effects on succession
Edge effects also apply to succession, when vegetation spreads rather than losing to competitors. Different species are suited either to the edges or to central sections of the habitat, resulting in a varied distribution. Edges also vary with orientation: edges on the north or south receive less or more sun than the opposite side (depending on hemisphere and convex or concave relief), producing varying vegetation patterns.
Other usage
The phenomenon of increased variety of plants as well as animals at the community junction (ecotone) is also called the edge effect and is essentially due to a locally broader range of suitable environmental conditions or ecological niches.
Edge effects in
The edge effect in
See also
References
- ISBN 9780691128399.
- from the original on 2023-07-31. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
- from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
- from the original on 2022-06-19. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
- ^ Smith, T.M.; Smith, R.L. (2009). "Elements of Ecology": 391–411.
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(help) - from the original on 2023-02-14. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
- S2CID 8683460.
- S2CID 91309233.
- from the original on 2023-07-31. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
- S2CID 12853752.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4443-3254-4.)
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: CS1 maint: location (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - from the original on 2023-07-31. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
- ISSN 1523-1739. Archived from the originalon 2021-01-31. Retrieved 2021-01-27.