Distribution and biogeographical affinities of species clusters.

<p>Maps of species distribution in the clusters: <i>Luzula arcuata</i> (A), <i>Carex rupestris</i> (B), <i>Nardus stricta</i> (C), <i>Saxifraga aizoides</i> (D) (maps) and their biogeographical affinities (diagrams A’, B’, C’, D’). For explanations see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0102916#pone-0102916-g001" target="_blank">Figure 1</a>.</p

Variation in categorical variables describing the bedrock type, its pH and age for each species cluster.

<p>Values in bold are significantly different from those for the pooled data (p<0.05, χ² test). Abbreviations for age classes: <b>HoloSedi</b>-holocene sediments; <b>PostHist</b>-postglacial, historic, younger than AD 871; <b>PostPreHist</b>-postglacial, prehistoric, older than AD 871; <b>TertPleist</b>-Tertiary and Pleistocene, older 11000 years; <b>UppPleist</b>-Upper Pleistocene, younger than 0.8 m.y.; <b>UppLowPleist</b>-Upper Pliocene and Lower Pleistocene, 0.8–3.3 m.y.; <b>UppTerti</b>-Upper Tertiary, older than 3.3 m.y.; <b>Ind</b>–Indefinite.</p

Environmental (bioclimatic and topoclimatic) variables used in the present study.

[1]<p>The variable called isothermality represents temperature evenness over the course of year (e.g. areas with isothermality value of 100 represent sites where diurnal temperature range equals to the annual temperature range, whereas areas with isothermality value of 50 represent sites where diurnal temperature range is equal to half of the annual temperature range).</p

Results of principal component analysis, correlations of variables and principal components.

<p>Correlations >0.8 are marked in bold face.</p

Environmental characteristics of the species clusters.

<p>Principal Component Analysis biplots: A. Bioclimatic variables PC2 vs. PC1, B. Bioclimatic variables PC3 vs. PC2, C. topographic variables PC2 vs. PC1.</p

Number of species, number of threatened species according to IUCN criteria and percentage of different life forms in each plant cluster.

<p>G-geophytes, Ch-chamaephytes, He-hemicryptophytes, Hy-hydrophytes, Na-nanophanerophytes, Ph-phanerophytes, Th-therophytes. Percentages in IUCN species column reflect the proportion of threatened species in each cluster.</p