Table 1 Site information and general soil characteristics

Latitude

N 30° 01′ 55″

N 29° 46′ 34″

N 30° 03′ 51″

N 30° 16′ 03″

N 30° 51′ 27″

Longitude

E 92° 55′ 56″

E 91° 51′ 49″

E 90° 34′ 46″

E 90° 40′ 56″

E 91° 03′ 27″

Elevation (m a.s.l.)^a

3664

3919

4243

4573

4741

pH

6.70 ± 0.03

6.22 ± 0.03

6.52 ± 0.01

6.65 ± 0.04

6.82 ± 0.02

Organic C (g kg⁻¹)

4.32 ± 0.03

3.98 ± 0.04

2.04 ± 0.01

1.53 ± 0.02

3.12 ± 0.03

Total N (g kg⁻¹)

0.31 ± 0.01

0.25 ± 0.01

0.22 ± 0.02

0.12 ± 0.02

0.10 ± 0.01

C/N ratio

13.93 ± 0.37

15.92 ± 0.78

9.52 ± 0.62

13.43 ± 0.89

31.76 ± 0.34

P (mg kg⁻¹)

11.04 ± 1.08

5.43 ± 0.55

7.50 ± 0.47

5.96 ± 0.12

7.01 ± 0.31

K (mg kg⁻¹)

114.36 ± 4.34

106.71 ± 5.10

211.54 ± 7.22

233.34 ± 3.85

218.03 ± 8.82

MAT (°C)^b

8.3

7.1

2.5

1.7

− 0.6

MAP (mm)^c

640.1

515.7

483.1

459.6

414.6

The main accompanying plant species

Stipa purpurea, Poa pratensis, Potentilla chinensis, Polygonum macrophyllum

S. purpurea, Kobresia humilis, Carex rigescens, P. chinensis

S. purpurea, K. pygmaea, C. moorcroftii

S. purpurea, K. pygmaea, K. humilis

S. purpurea, K. pygmaea, K. littledalei

Soil type

Montane scrub grassland soil

Subalpine meadow soil

Subalpine meadow soil

Alpine meadow soil

Eolian sandy soil