Final answer:
The statement is true; many species occupying habitat edges use multiple habitat types within their territories to fulfill their needs. Habitat fragmentation can jeopardize species that rely on various habitats by hindering their movements and access to critical resources. Conservation can be facilitated by enhancing habitat connectivity and modifying land uses.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that animal species inhabiting edges of habitat patches usually require two or more habitat types within their home range or territory is True. Many species living in fragmented landscapes include multiple fragments in their territories to meet their daily needs, such as foraging and breeding. For instance, the tawny owl in England occupies large contiguous woods but can also adapt to fragmented landscapes by including several small woods within its territory. Yet, this flexibility comes at a cost, reflected in lower breeding success and higher turnover of territories.
When habitats become isolated, species that require different kinds of habitats face significant disadvantages. Take amphibians, for example, which need to move between a breeding pond and overwintering sites in the forest; habitat fragmentation can impede their ability to access these critical resources. Moreover, large-sized habitat patches tend to host a greater number of species due to factors such as habitat diversity, viable population sizes, and representative samples of the original habitat—this is the species-area relationship.
Conservation efforts can be enhanced by creating corridors or stepping stones that connect habitat patches, which help species to move between different habitat types within their range. Additionally, modifying land uses to create benign environments can also support species' survival in fragmented landscapes.