Table 1 Fragmentation components and their description

Interior

Forest pixels are far away from the forest-non forest boundary. Interior forested areas are surrounded by thicker forested areas.

(P _f = 1). All pixels surrounding the center pixel are forest.

Patch

Forest pixels comprising small forested areas surrounded by non-forested land cover.

(P _f < 0.4). A pixel is part of a forest patch on a non-forest background, such as a small wooded lot within a built-up area.

Perforated

Forest pixels forming the boundary between an interior forest and relatively small clearings (perforations) within the forested landscape.

(P _f > 0.6 and P _f–P _ff > 0). Most pixels in the surrounding area are forested, but the center pixel appears to be part of the inside edge of a forest patch. This would occur if small clearings were made within a patch of forest.

Edge

Forest pixels that define the boundary between interior forest and large non forested land cover features.

(P _f > 0.6 and P _f–P _ff < 0). Most pixels in the surrounding area are forested, but the center pixel appears to be part of the outside edge of a forest. This would occur along the boundary of a large built-up area, or agricultural field.

Transitional

Areas between edge type and non-forest types. If higher pixels are non-forest then they will be tending to non-forest cover with higher degree of edge.

(0.4 < P _f < 0.6). About half of the cells in the surrounding area are forested and the center forest pixel may appear to be part of a patch, edge, or perforation depending on the local forest pattern.