Table 2 Vector analysis of all environmental variables and diversity indices for TNMDS and PNMDS ordinations (Fig. 3a, b)

June soil moisture (%)

24.74

2.19

0.81

0.01

24.74

2.19

0.74

0.01

July soil moisture (%)

22.64

2.01

0.76

0.01

22.64

2.01

0.63

0.03

August soil moisture (%)

32.24

2.15

0.7

0.02

32.24

2.15

0.64

0.04

Canopy cover (densiometer, %)

60.26

6.15

0.58

0.05

60.26

6.15

0.53

0.03

Relative photosynthetically active radiation

0.51

0.03

0.26

0.36

0.51

0.03

0.32

0.25

Soil pH

5.4

0.13

0.48

0.11

5.4

0.13

0.28

0.31

Soil conductivity (mS/m)

37.87

8.12

0.15

0.59

37.87

8.12

0.03

0.9

Slope (°)

2.7

0.56

0.33

0.28

2.7

0.56

0.19

0.49

Species richness (S)

58.1

4.67

0.12

0.66

58.1

4.67

0.41

0.15

Shannon-Weiner Index (H′)

1.25

0.03

0.37

0.2

1.25

0.03

0.13

0.6

Nearest Relatedness Index (NRI)

-0.65

0.08

0.22

0.39

-0.65

0.08

0.64

0.04

Nearest Taxon Index (NTI)

0.43

0.05

0.66

0.03

0.43

0.05

0.19

0.49