Habitat fragmentation is the subdivision of a certain habitat into isolated patches (......). It implies a reduction of the total area of a given habitat, and simultaneously, an increase in the areas of other habitats. It also alters the spatial configuration of habitats, leading to population subdivision which can affect their stability and/or persistence.
..As the built-up areas were not taken into consideration as fragments, it is difficult to asses the impact of such a phenomenon on the results obtained for extinction and colonization rates. Nevertheless, the presence of such strong-ly transformed habitats in a diverse landscape should not be overlooked..
