New paper on habitat fragmentation and gastropod movement published in Landscape Ecology

Our new paper on how habitat fragmentation per se affects animal movement is now published in Landscape Ecology. Habitat fragmentation can affect biodiversity not only through changes in habitat area, but also through the spatial configuration of habitat and its consequent effects on dispersal. Using experimental landscapes, we found that gastropod movement was lowest at an intermediate level of fragmentation. Our results show that habitat configuration can directly influence animal movement, with broader implications for understanding how fragmentation shapes biodiversity.

Loke, L. H. L., Yeo, H. H. J., Chisholm, R. A., and Theng, M. 2026. Intermediate habitat fragmentation reduces gastropod movement in experimental intertidal landscapes: implications for fragmentation–diversity relationships. Landscape Ecology.

Close-up of experimental habitat tiles with intertidal gastropods. Photo: Lynette Loke, 2017.

Tagged Nerita undata used in the mark–recapture study. Photo: Lynette Loke, 2017.