Pixel-Level Sentinel-2 Modeling Reveals Scale-Dependent Edge Effects and Structural Heterogeneity in Semideciduous Seasonal Forest Fragments of the Brazilian Cerrado

Forest edge effects are commonly interpreted as radial gradients from the edge toward the interior, but this assumption may oversimplify the spatial organization of heterogeneous tropical forest fragments. Here, we integrated field-based phytosociological data with Sentinel-2 spectral indices to evaluate whether edge-effect interpretation depends on analytical scale in Semideciduous Seasonal Forest fragments embedded in the Brazilian Cerrado. Five fragments were analyzed using transect-based plots and continuous pixel-level modeling. Basal area showed a strong positive correlation with NDVI (r = 0.95), supporting its use as the main spectral proxy for vegetation structure. Plot-level segmented regression detected edge-to-interior transitions, with breakpoints ranging from approximately 13 to 39 m. However, pixel-level modeling revealed scale-dependent responses, including shallow gradients in IF and AC, an intermediate transition in CN, a deeper gradient in IP, and high internal heterogeneity without a single dominant radial transition in Panga. The first two PCA axes explained approximately 81% of the total variance, reinforcing the structural–spectral correspondence. These findings show that edge effects are detectable but not adequately represented by fixed radial zones alone. Pixel-level Sentinel-2 modeling improves the spatial interpretation of fragmented tropical forests.