Table 1 Descriptive statistics (mean ± standard error) of the environmental variables. n = number of sites

n

35

31

Annual precipitation (mm year⁻¹)

1000 m

728 ± 11

617 ± 13

Enhanced Vegetation Index July

500 m

0.57 ± 0.03

0.40 ± 0.02

Maximum temperature July (°C)

1000 m

24.6 ± 0.4

27.8 ± 0.2

Minimum temperature January (°C)

1000 m

1.1 ± 0.3

5.0 ± 0.2

Water vapor pressure July (kPa)

1000 m

1.7 ± 0.0

1.9 ± 0.0

Elevation (masl)

15 m

590 ± 59

54 ± 10

Terrain ruggedness

250 m

161 ± 11

47 ± 6

Aciculifolious bush

30 m

10 ± 7

28 ± 17

Aciculifolious tree

30 m

165 ± 56

19 ± 10

Alien plants %

30 m

9.5 ± 3.1

3.8 ± 2.0

Deciduous broad-leaved bush

30 m

11 ± 2

11 ± 3

Deciduous broad-leaved tree

30 m

416 ± 55

38 ± 13

Deciduous liana

30 m

21 ± 7

0.3 ± 0.2

Equisetum

30 m

0.1 ± 0.1

0.1 ± 0.1

Fern

30 m

27 ± 5

2 ± 1

Lycophyte

30 m

0.2 ± 0.2

0.0

Perennial broad-leaved bush

30 m

154 ± 22

240 ± 33

Perennial broad-leaved tree

30 m

287 ± 36

242 ± 38

Perennial grass

30 m

42 ± 7

42 ± 12

Perennial liana

30 m

72 ± 10

56 ± 12

Sub-shrub

30 m

31 ± 6

49 ± 6