The Brazilian Atlantic Forest (AF) covers 13% of Brazil but retains only 26% of its original forest area. Utilizing a Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA), we generated 30 m spatial resolution fragmentation maps for old-growth and secondary forests across the AF. We quantified landscape fragmentation patterns and carbon (C) dynamics over 35 years using MapBiomas data between the years 1985 and 2020. We found that from 1985 to 2020 the forest suffered continuous fragmentation, losing core (nuclei forest fragments) and bridge (areas that connect different core areas) components of the landscape. About 87.5% (290 468.4 km²) of the remaining forest lacked core areas, with bridges (38.0%) and islets (small, isolated fragments) (35.4%) being predominant. Secondary forests (1986–2020) accounted for 99 450.5 km² and played a significant role in fragmentation pattern, constituting 44.9% of the areas affected by edge effects (perforation, edge, bridge, and loop), 53.7% of islets, and comprising only 1.4% of core forest. Additionally, regeneration by secondary forests contributed to all fragmentation classes in 2020. Even with the regrowth of forests, the total forested area in the biome did not increase between 1985 and 2020. Deforestation emissions reached 818 Tg CO₂, closely paralleled by edge effects emissions at 810 Tg CO₂, highlighting a remarkable parity in C emissions between the two processes. Despite slow changes, AF biome continues to lose its C stocks. We estimated that around 1.96 million hectares (19 600 km²) of regenerated forest would be required to offset the historical C emissions over the analysed period. Hence, MSPA can support landscape monitoring, optimizing natural or active forest regeneration to reduce fragmentation and enhance C stocks. Our study’s findings are critical for guiding land-use policies focusing on minimizing emissions, promoting forest regrowth, and monitoring its permanence. This study offers biome scale, spatially explicit information, critical for AF conservation and management.

中文翻译：

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量化巴西大西洋森林 35 年来的景观破碎化和森林碳动态

巴西大西洋森林 (AF) 覆盖巴西国土面积的 13%，但仅保留了 26% 的原始森林面积。利用形态空间模式分析 (MSPA)，我们为整个 AF 的原始林和次生林生成了 30 m 空间分辨率的破碎图。我们使用 1985 年至 2020 年之间的 MapBiomas 数据量化了 35 年来的景观破碎化模式和碳 (C) 动态。我们发现，从 1985 年到 2020 年，森林遭受了持续的破碎化，失去了核心（核心森林碎片）和桥梁（连接森林的区域）不同的核心区域）景观的组成部分。约87.5%（290 468.4 km ²）的剩余森林缺乏核心区域，其中桥梁（38.0%）和小岛（小而孤立的碎片）（35.4%）占主导地位。次生林（1986-2020年）面积为99 450.5 km ²，在破碎化格局中发挥着重要作用，占边缘效应（穿孔、边缘、桥和环）影响面积的44.9%，岛屿的53.7%，包括仅占核心林的1.4%。此外，次生林的更新对 2020 年的所有破碎类别都有贡献。即使森林重新生长，生物群落中的森林总面积在 1985 年至 2020 年间也没有增加。毁林排放量达到 818 Tg CO ₂，​​与边缘效应排放量密切相关810 Tg CO ₂，​​凸显了两个过程之间碳排放量的显着平衡。尽管变化缓慢，AF 生物群落继续失去其 C 种群。我们估计，需要大约 196 万公顷（19 600 km ²）的再生林来抵消分析期间的历史碳排放量。因此，MSPA 可以支持景观监测、优化自然或主动森林再生，以减少破碎化并增加碳储量。我们的研究结果对于指导土地利用政策至关重要，重点是最大限度地减少排放、促进森林再生和监测其持久性。这项研究提供了生物群落规模、空间明确的信息，对于 AF 保护和管理至关重要。