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What are habitats and how do the vary throughout the world? This resource from National Geographic provides an overview of the different types of habitats students will be learning about throughout the duration of this project. After utilizing this resource, students will have a better understanding of which habitat they want to research further in their group work.

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Learn about the different natural environments of plants and animals.

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Video: Exploring How Humans Impact the Environment

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Video: Exploring How Humans Impact the Environment

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What impact do humans have on habitats? In this video, by Crash Course Kids, students will take a historical look at the environment of New York City. The video highlights how it has changed over time as a result of human impact. Students will be able to make connections between the urban landscape of Los Angeles and New York. This may serve as a jumping off point for independent research individually or in small groups.

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Big Changes in the Big Apple: Crash Course Kids #38.1

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Articles: Human Impact on the Environment

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Articles: Human Impact on the Environment

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What do I do that impacts the world around me? In this collection of resources, titled Human Impact on the Environment, students will be able to explore real-world effects of humans' actions on the environment.

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Human Impact on the Environment | PBS LearningMedia

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Human Impact on the Environment is a collection of resources that shows real-world effects of our actions on the environment. The collection supports teachers who wish to integrate environmental education into existing Life and Earth Science curricula. For resources that directly explain the science behind climate change see the Clue into Climate and Climate Literacy collections.

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What is habitat destruction? This video discusses types of habitat destruction, as well as the causes and effects of habitat destruction.

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Gustavo Ramirez, Kelly Robson

Gustavo Ramirez
Gustavo Ramírez is a Biologist and Master in Science specialized in Physiology and Ecology of mammals by Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. He has taught subjects such as Biology, Biochemistry, Human Physiology, Ecology and Research Methodology in high school and college levels and participate as private tutor for high school students and science professionals
View bio

Instructor Kelly Robson
Kelly has taught High School Science and Applied Communications. She holds an Education Specialist Degree in Ed. Leadership.
View bio

Learn about habitat destruction. Discover the causes and effects of the different types of habitat loss in ecosystems and see examples of habitat destruction. Updated: 05/26/2022

Table of Contents

What is Habitat Destruction

Types of Habitat Destruction

Causes of Habitat Destruction

Effects of Animal Habitat Loss

Habitat Destruction Examples

How to Prevent Habitat Loss

Lesson Summary

Show

Habitat is the entire living area of an ecosystem. It is made up of all the biological, chemical, and physical factors that allow the survival and reproduction of species. The habitats of living beings can sometimes be destroyed by natural processes such as volcanic eruptions, forest fires, and earthquakes, among others. However, human activities generate destruction or loss of habitat that in most cases is irreversible and to which living beings cannot adapt. This brings as a consequence, the decrease of the populations of some species or the uncontrolled growth of others, leading the ecosystem to a state of imbalance.

The habitat of the species is formed by the biotic and abiotic factors that allow them to survive and reproduce.

Video

Quiz

Course

Types of Habitat Destruction

Habitat destruction by human activities such as agriculture, urbanization, exploitation of natural resources, or pollution can affect flora and fauna in different ways. Therefore, the type of habitat loss must be identified in order to take action adequate to counteract its effects and preserve the ecosystems that are affected.

Habitat destruction can be classified into three categories:

Destruction: This type of loss of habitats of species occurs when actions of the complete transformation of an ecosystem are carried out in a very short time.

Degradation: This happens when human activities gradually impact the biotic or abiotic conditions of the habitat, causing the gradual loss of wild species.

Fragmentation: This form of habitat loss occurs when artificial barriers are placed in an ecosystem that prevents the free movement of animals or exposes them to dangers for their survival.

The fragmentation of ecosystems prevents animals from occupying the full extent of their habitat.

Causes of Habitat Destruction

As mentioned above, the destruction or loss of the habitat of species can be a consequence of catastrophic natural phenomena that transforms the conditions of an ecosystem in a short period of time and alters the diversity of flora and fauna. But, it is human activities that have had the greatest impact on the loss of wildlife habitats.

One of the first ways in which human societies have caused the destruction of ecosystems has been the conversion of land for agriculture and livestock. These activities have been responsible for the clearing of vegetation cover and the alteration of soil conditions in natural ecosystems. As a consequence, many species of animals and plants are displaced and the entry of exotic species is favored, causing an imbalance in food chains.

With agricultural activities, other actions have caused habitat destruction. For example the infrastructure for water supply through the diversion of rivers or the flooding of areas to reserve water. In addition, urbanization, the harvesting of natural resources, and the installation of industries have contributed to the deterioration of ecosystems. As a whole, different human activities have caused serious problems of environmental pollution and climate change that impact the habitats of the biodiversity of the planet.

Effects of Animal Habitat Loss

Habitat loss can negatively affect a large number of wild animal species and, on the other hand, can generate conditions that favor the uncontrolled reproduction of exotic or ecosystem species. When an ecosystem is extirpated to transform the land into an urbanized center, for food production or harvesting of natural resources, many animal species disappear due to the loss of the vegetal cover that provides them with food or that serves as a shelter. This process of disappearance or displacement of species has been seen in the populations of wolves, coyotes, and pumas that are forced to occupy other habitats where they cannot find adequate food and shelter, in addition to coming into contact with human settlements, endangering their lives. Finally, it should be remembered that the transformation of the vegetation cover of ecosystems is one of the main causes of the climate change process that is manifesting itself today.

Habitat Destruction Examples

Considering that there are three basic ways in which habitat loss can occur due to human activity - destruction, degradation, and fragmentation - the following examples can be mentioned:

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What is an example of habitat destruction?

An example of habitat destruction is the conversion of land for agriculture or ranching. This is a form of habitat loss that occurs in the short term, but habitats can also be destroyed by degradation or fragmentation of ecosystems.

What are effects of habitat destruction?

The destruction of the habitat has a direct effect on the alteration of the populations of species of flora and fauna in the ecosystems. These alterations bring as a consequence the loss of biodiversity and pollution and even influence the Earth's climate change.

What causes habitat destruction?

Habitat destruction can occur from natural phenomena such as earthquakes, forest fires, or volcanic eruptions. However, the greatest loss of habitat today is caused by human activities of transformation, degradation, and fragmentation of ecosystems.

What are the 3 types of habitat destruction?

The three types of habitat destruction are short-term destruction, gradual degradation of habitat conditions, and ecosystem fragmentation. These forms of habitat loss cause the displacement or disappearance of several species and the uncontrolled reproduction of others.

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Habitat Destruction Overview & Examples | What is Habitat Loss? - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

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Learn about habitat destruction. Discover the causes and effects of the different types of habitat loss in ecosystems and see examples of habitat...

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Video: How to Access Library Databases in the Classroom

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Video: How to Access Library Databases in the Classroom

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Before you begin, please watch this short tutorial I created about how to access some of the wonderful library databases provided to us by the state of California. In this video, I highlight how to access Encyclopedia Britannica through Schoology, which will be necessary to access the videos in the Resource Pack posted below.

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What is a habitat and how do humans impact habitats? This collection of resources is curated using the library database Encyclopedia Britannica. Before teachers and students utilize these resources, please watch the video I create that shows how to access the databases through Schoology.

This resource pack includes a variety of different articles specifically curated at an independent reading level and would be wonderful to support the learning they have already done in class. Please let me know if I can come in and teach them how to independently research using these resources.

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Welcome to Britannica School, a safe, up-to-date, and age-appropriate information resource for Elementary, Middle, and High School.

Discover encyclopedia articles, multimedia, primary sources, games, and other learning resources that support student research and reinforce curriculum standards.

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Enter the Access ID and Passcode provided by your school to access Britannica School.

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What is climate change? One of my personal favorites, Wow in the World Podcast that is silly and engaging while tackling tough topics kids want to know more about. This episode demystifies the science behind climate change.

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We've all heard of Climate Change, but what is it, and why is it bad news for planet Earth? Join Guy Raz and Mindy Thomas as they go back in time in an effort to protect our future! It's the Who, What, When, Where, Why, How, and Wow in the World of Climate Change Heroes! Originally Aired April 15th 2018

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Operation Earth: How to Be Cool To A Planet That's Hot : Wow in the World

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We've all heard of Climate Change, but what is it, and why is it bad news for planet Earth? Join Guy Raz and Mindy Thomas as they go back in time in an effort to protect our future! It's the Who, What, When, Where, Why, How, and Wow in the World of Climate Change Heroes!

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Reader's Theater: The Wind from the East

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Reader's Theater: The Wind from the East

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How do changes in the environment impact our health? This Reader's Theater script touches on the topic of how environmental issues impact our health. This would be a great precursor to diving into the solutions phase of the project.

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What have other done to make a difference? The true story of a fourteen year old boy, William, whose village in Africa is faced with severe drought. With hard work and dedication, William discovers how to bring much needed water and electricity to his village.

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Fourteen-year-old William's Malawi village was hit by a drought, and so all of the villagers' crops begin to fail. Without enough money for food, his father asks William to drop out of school so he can help support his family. To learn, William spends his days in the library and figures out how to bring electricity to his village. William comes across a junkyard full of parts to make the windmill. Will he be able to put what he learned to the test?
William Kamkwamba's story from his past of a 14...more

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Fourteen-year-old William's Malawi village was hit by a drought, and so all of the villagers' crops begin to fail. Without enough money for food, his father asks William to drop out of school so he can help support his family. To learn, William spends his days in the library and figures out how to bring electricity to his village.

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What have others done to make a difference? In this podcast from the series Goodnight Stories for Rebel girls, students will learn about how Swedish youth activist Greta Thunberg sparked a massive global movement to address the climate crisis

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Once upon a time, there was a Swedish girl who refused to go to school. Her name was Greta.

When Greta found out about an island of trash the size of Mexico floating around the ocean, she couldn't understand why there weren't more people concerned enough to take action. Greta found strength in talking about how global warming affects kids and grownups alike and how together we can make a positive impact on the world we live in.

Our narrator this episode is the one-of-a-kind Jameela Jamil. She is an actress, writer, host and advocate. In 2018, Jameela launched a movement and activism platform called I Weigh. The platform explores social issues that stem from mental health to climate change. Jameela can be seen on shows including The Good Place on NBC and as the voice of Auntie Pushpa on Disney Jr.'s animated series Mira, Royal Detective.

This podcast is based on the book series also titled Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. Our Executive Producers are Elena Favilli and Joy Fowlkes. This season was produced by John Marshall Cheary, Sarah Storm, and Robin Lai. This episode was written by Joy Fowlkes and edited by Pam Gruber. Maithy Vu proofread. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi who has also sound designed this episode. Mattia Marcelli is the sound mixer.

Search past episodes of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls.

OTHER EPISODES IN THIS PODCAST

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Once upon a time, there was a Swedish girl who refused to go to school. Her name was Greta. When Greta found out about an island of trash the size of Mexico floating around the ocean, she couldn't understand why there weren't more people concerned enough to take action.

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What can we do to make a difference? This will be a great resource when students are in the solutions phase of their project. This book, written by Julie Hall, not only addresses national science and social science standards, but includes easy to accomplish project ideas that students could complete in small groups.

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Great book to help kids deal with the impending threat of climate change. Inspires kids to action and instills hope but doesn't tiptoe around the facts and real dangers. It means a lot to me that the book was endorsed by climate change leaders: Washington Governor Jay Inslee, Bill McKibben, the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. ...more

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Great book to help kids deal with the impending threat of climate change. Inspires kids to action and instills hope but doesn't tiptoe around the facts and real dangers. It means a lot to me that the book was endorsed by climate change leaders: Washington Governor Jay Inslee, Bill McKibben, the Pew Center on Global Climate Change.