Why do we need networks?

Networks can be useful in dealing with a range of problems. Most of the information on these pages focuses on how habitat networks can be beneficial for biodiversity, by enhancing individual areas of habitat and allowing species to move between those areas.  That's going to be particularly important as climate change takes hold and species need to move to new areas to find the right climatic conditions. 

Networks can also have social and economic benefits as well - networks which focus on delivering these benefits as well as environmental improvements are usually referred to as green networks. 

Networks that focus on particular habitats and species are usually referred to as habitat networks and are designed to tackle the problem of habitat fragmentation.  Integrated habitat networks combine the networks of several habitats and species.

Habitat fragmentation

Habitat fragmentation is the process where larger areas of habitat are split apart into smaller, separated areas.

Firstly, a large area of habitat, such as a woodland, is split in half by the construction of a road.  For species that can't cross that road, the original area of habitat has now been split into two separate blocks. 

Over time, more roads are built and some of the woodland is cleared and the land is used for agriculture, then urban development.  These new land uses won't provide suitable habitat for some woodland and so the total area of habitat available to those species has decreased.

As further development takes place, the remaining areas of native woodland are now isolated - they are separated from each other by a different land use, making it difficult for plants and animals to move between the remaining patches.  The original woodland habitat has both reduced in size and become highly fragmented.

Fragmentation of habitats has been occurring for many years.  As the total area of a particular habitat declines, the remaining habitat patches are often spread across a large geographical area, meaning that each patch of habitat can be located a considerable distance from other patches.

 Click here for more information on:

• the history of networks  - background to the development in the concept  
• the problem with patches  - why habitat fragmentation often has negative consequences for wildlife
• getting away from the relatives  - how species spread to new areas
• climate change and networks  - why connectivity is important