What is the term for the destruction of natural habitats impacting species survival?

The term that specifically refers to the destruction of natural habitats that impacts species survival is habitat destruction. This concept encompasses various activities and processes that lead to the degradation or complete elimination of environments where species live. When habitats are destroyed, the organisms that rely on these spaces for food, shelter, and reproduction often face extinction or severe population decline, highlighting the critical role that intact habitats play in biodiversity and ecosystem health.

Urbanization, while related, refers to the process of developing land for cities and infrastructure, which often includes habitat destruction, but does not exclusively denote habitat loss. Deforestation is a specific type of habitat destruction that involves the clearing of forests, which is just one context in which habitat destruction occurs. Pollution, on the other hand, introduces harmful substances into ecosystems but does not inherently involve habitat destruction in the physical sense. Therefore, habitat destruction is the most accurate term for this phenomenon affecting species survival.