The amount of forest land in the U.S. monitored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service has remained nearly constant over the past century, but the patterns of human land use have affected its distribution from one region of the U.S. to another. Forest fragmentation involves both the extent of forest and its spatial pattern, and is the degree to which forested areas are being broken into smaller patches and pierced or interspersed with non-forest cover. Forest fragmentation is a critical aspect of the extent and distribution of ecological systems. Many forest species are adapted to either edge or interior habitats. Changes in the degree or patterns of fragmentation can affect habitat quality for the majority of mammal, reptile, bird, and amphibian species found in forest habitats