The NMDS ordination on ground cover in the 10-year-old stands
yielded an optimum solution in three dimensions with a final
stress of 10.813 (Fig. 3A). Axis 1, which explained 52% of the variation
in the data, was most positively correlated with vascular
plants (s = 0.462), and most negatively correlated with CWD
(s = 0.702). Axis 2, which explained 26% of the variation in the
data, was most positively correlated with litter/exposed soil
(s = 0.696) and most negatively correlated with moss
(s = 0.277). FIRE stands were strongly distinguished from INT
and CUT stands due to their high relatively high CWD, although
several of the CUT sites in the top right of the figure grouped separately
from the other two stand types due to high percent cover of
soil/litter.