. Results
3.1. Vegetation characteristics and the environment
Our cluster analysis of taxonomic data distinguished three main types of forest named after the diagnostic tree/shrub species (see Supplementary material I.). The type with Q. mongolica and Lindera obtusiloba is representative of the climax forest in the study area (for nomenclature see Park, 2007). These stands had the highest tree richness but the lowest richness of herbs (Table 1). The soils in these stands had an intermediate content of the macronutrients nitrogen and carbon (Table 1). The type with Acer pseudosie- boldianum and Rhododendron schlippenbachii is representative of upper montane forests, which grow on steeper slopes with soils poorer in nutrients (Table 1).