• File containing data of the biotic variables and environmental variables examined for local communities (0.01ha) and plots (0.1ha).

Data and File Overview

Summary Metrics

• File count: 1
• File formats: .csv

Naming Conventions

• File naming scheme: files with the "local communities" denote 3614 local communities included in the study.

Table of Contents

• local communities.csv

File/Folder Details

Details for: local communities.csv

• Description: one file containing the biotic variables and environmental variables (scaled) for 379 plots and 3614 local communities included in the study.

• Format(s): .csv

• Dimensions: 3614 rows x 15 columns

• Variables:

  • plot: 379 plots

  • local communities: 3614 local communities

  • BP: the biomass productivity within a given local community; unit: Mg ha-1 yr-1

  • SR: the tree species richness within a given local community; unit: unitless

  • 1D: Hill numbers as alternative taxonomic diversity measures within a given local community; unit: unitless

  • 2D: Hill numbers as alternative taxonomic diversity measures within a given local community; unit: unitless

  • FPD: phylogenetic diversity within a given local community; unit: unitless

  • FDSLA: functional diversity of specific leaf area within a given local community; unit: unitless

  • FDLA: functional diversity of leaf area within a given local community; unit: unitless

  • FDWD: functional diversity of wood density within a given local community; unit: unitless

  • FDN: functional diversity of leaf nitrogen concentration within a given local community; unit: unitless

  • AGE: stand age within a given plot; unit: year

  • H: human footprint within a given plot; unit: unitless

  • TS: temperature seasonality within a given plot; unit: unitless

  • PS: precipitation seasonality within a given plot; unit: unitless

• Description of the variables for local communities (0.01ha) and plots (0.1ha):

  • Forest biomass productivity (BP) of each subplot was quantified as biomass increments per hectare from 2012 to 2017.

  • Taxonomic diversity was quantified as the tree species richness (SR). In addition to SR, we also studied Hill numbers (1D and 2D) as alternative taxonomic diversity measures. 1D was calculated as the exponential of the familiar Shannon entropy. 2D was calculated as the inverse of the Gini-Simpson index.

  • Functional diversity was quantified as the functional dispersion of single trait values using leaf area, specific leaf area, leaf nitrogen concentration, and wood density.

  • Phylogenetic diversity was quantified as Faith's phylogenetic diversity based on evolutionary distance.

  • The human footprint index (H) was used as a proxy for chronic anthropogenic disturbance. The human footprint index was extracted from the global human footprint map with a 1 km2 resolution. A human footprint map was constructed based on eight surveyed human pressure indicators including (1) the extent of built-up environments, (2) human population density, (3) electricity infrastructure, (4) crop lands, (5) pasture lands, (6) roads, (7) railways, and (8) navigable waterways.

  • The stand age (AGE) is a proxy for the approximate number of years that have elapsed since the cessation of prior deforestation and the year when our measurements were conducted. Stand age was determined through tree ring analysis focusing on the age of the top 15% largest trees within each plot. The varying stand ages could be attributed to different intervals since the last deforestation that occurred prior to initiation of the Natural Forest Conservation Program.

  • Two bioclimatic variables - temperature seasonality (TS) and precipitation seasonality (PS) were extracted from the World Climate Dataset with a 1 km2 spatial resolution.

Description of the local communities

• The study region covers a large, natural forest area in northeastern China (39°N‒54°N latitude, 119°E‒134°E longitude) where coniferous and broadleaved mixed forests occur. The total study area covered approximately 700,000 km2, where the 379 circular field plots with relatively even cover, each measuring 0.1 ha, were used in this study. Each plot was equally divided into ten subplots (local communities) of 0.01 ha.