This indicator is defined as the breaking up or loss of connectivity of rangeland or of a rangeland cover type. Fragmentation has been shown to impact plant and animal species and ecosystem function in western ecosystems. While fragmentation studies have a long history in forested ecosystems, recent research has also described fragmentation as an interruptive process affecting the sustainability of rangeland ecosystems. Fragmentation of rangelands affects wildlife and some plant populations, hydrological and biogeochemical processes, and even social and economic systems associated with rangelands. Fragmentation measures the size of contiguous areas, spatial organization, and community type dispersion.