Human settlement often leads to habitat loss which leads to fragmentation, forming smaller patches of habitats. Select the statements that describe how a small patch differs from a large patch of the same habitat.

(i) Invasive species will never be seen here.

(ii) Population of large animals decreases.

(iii) Biodiversity decreases.

(iv) Competition from surrounding habitats increases.

The correct option is (ii), (iii) and (iv) only.

To understand why this is correct, let us analyze how habitat fragmentation affects small patches compared to larger, continuous habitats step-by-step:

Statement (i): Invasive species will never be seen here.
This statement is incorrect. Smaller habitat patches have a higher ratio of boundary (edge) to interior area, which is known as the "edge effect." This increased exposure makes small patches highly vulnerable to the colonization of invasive species, weeds, and pests from the surrounding modified landscape.

Statement (ii): Population of large animals decreases.
This statement is correct. Large animals (such as large carnivores and herbivores) require extensive territory or home ranges to find sufficient food, resources, and mates. A small habitat patch cannot support their ecological needs, leading to a decline in their population or their complete disappearance from the patch.

Statement (iii): Biodiversity decreases.
This statement is correct. Because small patches support smaller populations, these populations are highly vulnerable to localized extinction due to environmental changes, disease, inbreeding depression, and natural disasters. Additionally, the lack of diverse microhabitats in a small area limits the number of different species that can survive, thereby decreasing overall biodiversity.

Statement (iv): Competition from surrounding habitats increases.
This statement is correct. The high edge-to-area ratio of a small patch means that the species inside are constantly exposed to organisms from the surrounding matrix or adjacent habitats. This increases competition for food, nesting sites, and other resources between the specialist species of the patch and generalist species from the outside.

Therefore, statements (ii), (iii), and (iv) accurately describe how a small patch differs from a large patch of the same habitat.