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Table 3 Comparison of the mean (± SD) amongst vegetation groups regarding environmental variables

From: Recolonization by Indigenous broadleaved species of a conifer plantation (Cupressus spp.) in Northern Iran after 25 years

Environmental variables

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Group 4

Sand %

38.2 ± 10.3 a

29.9 ± 8.7 ab

31.6 ± 6.5 ab

27.7 ± 7.9 b

Silt %

30.6 ± 5.9 a

31.7 ± 3.8 a

31.6 ± 4.9 a

33.7 ± 6.1 a

Clay %

31.1 ± 5.7 b

38.3 ± 4.1 a

37.4 ± 3.3 a

38.7 ± 2.5 a

Organic carbon %

2.7 ± 1.5 b

3.7 ± 1.0 a

3.8 ± 1.4 a

2.9 ± 0.6 ab

pH

7.7 ± 0.3 a

7.5 ± 0.4 a

7.5 ± 0.3 a

7.4 ± 0.3 a

Total N

0.24 ± 0.11 a

0.31 ± 0.09 a

0.30 ± 0.09 a

0.25 ± 0.07 a

Available P (mg/kgsoil)

5.6 ± 2.3 ab

8.9 ± 5.0 a

7.5 ± 2.3 ab

4.7 ± 2.3 b

Available K (mg/kgsoil)

245 ± 61 b

379 ± 70 a

354 ± 72 a

391 ± 60 a

Litter depth (cm)

0.6 ± 0.2 b

1.4 ± 0.4 a

1.6 ± 0.3 a

0.5 ± 0.0 b

Humus depth (cm)

0.0 ± 0.0 b

0.4 ± 0.3 a

0.6 ± 0.3 a

0.0 ± 0.1 b

Litter coverage %

28 ± 11 b

54 ± 16 a

69 ± 25 a

24 ± 5 b

Tree crown cover %

41 ± 22 a

35 ± 16 a

48 ± 27 a

3 ± 4 b

Shrub crown cover %

29 ± 17 b

60 ± 21 a

62 ± 21 a

18 ± 24 b

Ground vegetation cover %

43 ± 27 b

42 ± 22 b

43 ± 18 b

100 ± 0 a

Moss coverage %

35 ± 29 a

30 ± 25 a

17 ± 21 a

25 ± 7 a

Altitude (m a.s.l)

791 ± 30 a

809 ± 37 ab

831 ± 31 bc

851 ± 10 c

Aspect (degree)

106 ± 23 a

85 ± 38 a

77 ± 40 a

81 ± 20 a

Slope %

64 ± 17 a

34 ± 15 b

30 ± 13 b

58 ± 22 a

  1. Different letters in the same rows show significant difference (p < 0.05) amongst groups