Newfoundland and Labrador Hunter Education Program

Edge

Edge is the border where different plant communities or habitat types, such as field and forest, meet and overlap.

Edges can be man-made, such as the border between a field and forest, or they can be natural, such as an area of shrubs along a forest stream. Edges differ in size and shape. Some may be very narrow, while others are wide or patchy.

Edges tend to be rich in the variety and types of plants they contain. For many wildlife species, they represent areas where food and cover are found close to one another. As a result, edges often support a greater abundance and diversity of wildlife than adjacent habitats.

Succession

Succession is the orderly change in plant and animal communities over time. The process of succession normally starts after a natural or man-made disturbance to the natural environment such as a forest fire, windstorm, logging, or farming. 

A common type of succession seen in Newfoundland is old field succession. Within a few years after grazing or cultivation stops, a field begins the process of reverting back to forest. This happens over many years in a series of stages—from grass to shrubs, young trees and finally forest. Each wildlife species has its own unique habitat requirements. As habitat changes due to the process of succession, so do the types of wildlife associated with that area.