Edges can be a prominent part of landscapes that are subject
to human alteration. They can have profound impacts and
may be classified in various ways, including (among others):
biotic/abiotic; soft/hard; and natural/human-derived. Biotic
edge effects are characterized by marked variations in response
between species, between vegetation types and between regions.
It remains unclear how it will be possible accurately to predict
which ecosystems, vegetation communities and individual vegetation species will be most susceptible to edge effects. Recent
conceptual models offer promise but await further detailed
testing. In the absence of a better understanding of edge
effects, and of well-tested models, attempts to mitigate edge
effects might be best tackled through traditional approaches
such as buffers, the management of spatial patterns of vegetation cover (to limit the length of human-created boundaries)
and targeted management of the matrix surrounding vegetation patches that are potentially susceptible to edge effects
(e.g. to limit levels of structural and physical contrast between
them).