Fig. 2
Schematic of stratified random sampling design. Five subalpine meadows were studied within Yosemite National Park, USA, comprised of two different meadow gradient classes. Middle (Mid) gradient (shown by thick outline boxes) included Emeric Lake (EL) and Middle Lyell (ML). Low gradient (shown by thin outline boxes) included Snow Flat (SF), Tuolumne Meadows (TM), and Upper Lyell (UL). Plant community types (PCTs, two to three sampled per meadow, shown by differently patterned boxes) included Calamagrostis muiriana (CM), Carex vesicaria (CV), Deschampsia cespitosa (DC), and Stipa kingii (SK). Soil and vegetative cover sampling occurred over three study weeks in July of 2013: July 15th (sample 1), July 22nd (sample 2), and July 29th (sample 3). Weekly sampling occurred within randomized plots within PCTs. *Plot sample analysis was done for the soil resistance response variable and 14 explanatory variables: group A (n = 252, derived from sampling six plots with two combined replicates per plot, per PCT)—soil resistance, soil bulk density, soil gravimetric water content, soil volumetric water content, soil coarse fragments 2–4 mm in diameter, soil coarse fragments > 4 mm in diameter, total vegetation cover (at 1 m2 and 700 cm2 scales), root mass areal density, and root content; group B (n = 98)—soil water holding capacity, soil organic matter content, sand content, silt content, and clay content