Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.9cnp5hqzg

Description of the data and file structure

There are two csv files in this paper: 1) Data matrix of the eleven plots, and 2) Site description. The file “Data matrix of the eleven plots” contains a data matrix consisting of eleven plots (plot name) and 263 tree genera. The file “Site description” contains the information on plot locality, forest structure, soil chemical properties and data sources.

• Data_matrix_of_the_eleven_plots.csv: data matrix indicating genus relative abundances
• Site_description.csv: site descriptions of the eleven plots

Structure of the file “Data matrix of the eleven plots” is as follows:

263 tree genera are sorted alphabetically. Unidentified tree genera are excluded from the dataset. Vales in cells indicate relative abundances (%) of genera at each plot. Study plots include Bukit Babi, Mt. Kinabalu; Bukit Ular, Mt. Kinabalu; Danum, Danum Valley; Deramakot, Deramakot Forest Reserve; Nabawan LC, Nabawan Town; Nabawan SC, Nabawan Town; Nalumad, Mt. Kinabalu; PHQ, Mt. Kinabalu; Poring, Mt. Kinabalu; Tawau, Tawau Hill’s Park; and Tawau Heath, Tawau Hill’s Park. All sites are located in the Malaysian state of Sabah in northern Borneo. Exact coordinates are not available.

Variable names in the file “Site description” are as follows:

Plot name: name of the plots as appeared in “Data matrix of the eleven plots.”

Forest type: type of the forest at each plot.

Locality: Locality of each plot.

Canopy H (m): the height (m) of a tallest tree at each plot.

Soil N/P: the quotient of soil nitrate concentration to soil inorganic P concentration. Nitrate was extracted with 1.5N KCl solution and determined colorimetrically, and inorganic P was extracted with 1N NaHCO3 solution and determined colorimetrically. All soils are topsoil of 10 or 15-cm depth.

DC-ext Fe (mg/g): concentration of pedogenic Fe (mg/g) extractable in dithionite-citrate solution. For the exact determination method, see Wagai et al. (2008) Climate and parent material controls on organic matter storage in surface soils: A three-pool, density-separation approach. Geoderma 147: 23?33. doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2008.07.010

Altitude (m): altitude (m) of each plot.

Data source: source of the data