FRAGMENTATION

Fragmentation is the process by which larger contiguous forest landscapes are broken into smaller, more isolated tracts, only to be surrounded by human-modified environments. There are two major effects of fragmentation: a reduction in the total area of the original habitat, and the creation of an edge between the original habitat and the human altered landscape, known as "edge effects".

Links:
An overview of fragmentation with examples from bird studies

Forest fragmentation in Pacific Northwest forests

Forest fragmentation in the Eastern U.S.

Forest fragmentation in tropical forests

Case Studies and Issues Involving Old-Growth Forest:
Plum Creek Land Exchange