Edges also occur between different aged patches of the same habitat type.
Edges occur naturally where there are abrupt changes in soil characteristics or where fire or severe wind destroy part of a forest, but most edges are created by human activities, such as agriculture or timber harvest. Edges are inhabited by some of the animals and plants that are characteristic of each original habitat, plus species that are specially adapted to live in edges. Therefore, edges usually have more diverse wildlife communities than unbroken blocks of habitat. This increased diversity is known as the edge effect. The brushy nature of some field edges provides nesting, brooding, feeding, and escape cover for a wide variety of animals.