Appendix

Appendix 1:Results of GLM analyses for significant effects of all topographic, climatic, soil, study site-specific and structural tree layer variables on total plant cover by layer and total cover of different life forms in the herb layer as well as on the tree seedlings density in the district of Reutte (Tyrol, Austria). The total number of plots tested for each state is 80 (40 inside and 40 outside of the fenced ungulate exclosures).Pseudo R²and the used modelsettings aregivenat the end of the Table.

total cover by layer (%) / total cover of different life forms in the herb layer (%) / tree seedlings
(n m-2)
independend variables / tree layer / upper shrub layer / lower shrub layer / herb layer / moss layer / trees and shrubs / dwarf shrubs / grasses / herbs / ferns
intercept / 9.715** / 26.290*** / -12.215***
topographic, climatic and soil variables
altitude / -0.004* / 0.002*
slope angle / -0.003* / 0.002**
soil inclination / -0.026* / 0.055*
horizon heightening / - 1) / 0.000* / 0.002***
temperaturevalue (Ellenberg) / -1.117*
moisture value (Ellenberg) / -0961* / -1.931** / 0.751**
reaction value (Ellenberg) / -1.114*** / 0.810*** / 1.862*
nitrogen/productivity value (Ellenberg) / 0.989** / 0.697* / -0.440*
light value (Ellenberg) / - 1) / - 1) / - 1) / 2.037*** / -0.880** / -4.766*
ungulate influence variables
age of the exclosure fences / -0.095***
influence of ungulates / -1.467*** / -0.766** / 0.436**
grazing intensity: low / -2.692** / -0.092*
grazing intensity: high / -14.890***2)
grazing intensity: very high / -20.016***2)
structure of the tree layer
vertical structure: none / 1.462* / -1.148*** / -18.849***2)
vertical structure: single story
vertical structure: two-story / 12.45*
species dominance in the tree layer: dominant
species dominance in the tree layer: subdominant / -1.361*** / 1.208* / -0.972* / -18.688***2) / 1.163***
species dominance in the tree layer: blended
species dominance in the tree layer: scattered
tree crown: none/cleared
tree crown: single trees
tree crown: very sparse / 1.787*** / 1.711** / -0.671* / -13.849***2)
tree crown: sparse / -3.829*** / 3.235*2) / 12.548*2)
tree cover (%) / - 1) / 0.015*
Pseudo R² / 0.380 / 0.537 / 0.409 / 0.690 / 0.502 / 0.442 / 0.770 / 0.755 / 0.747 / 0.269 / 0.906
Model (Eq. 1)
distribution family /
quasi-binomial /
quasi-binomial /
quasi-binomial /
quasi-binomial /
quasi-binomial /
quasi-binomial /
quasi-binomial /
quasi-binomial /
quasi-binomial /
quasi-binomial /
poisson
link function / logit / logit / logit / logit / logit / logit / logit / logit / logit / logit / log
measurement level / / / / / / / / / / /

1) The variable was a-priori excluded from the model becauseit a) was measured at a height of approx. 150 cm and is therefore not relevant for the corresponding layer, b) it was derived from the species composition of the herb layer and therefore is not relevant for the corresponding layer or c) was perfectly correlated with ‘tree cover’.

2)The size of this coefficient is not to be interpreted as a very large influence, because the corresponding variable describes just few observation units (quasi complete separation).

Appendix 2: Results of GLM analyses for significant effects of all topographic, climatic, soil, study site-specific and structural tree layer variables on the speciesnumberin the district of Reutte (Tyrol, Austria). The total number of plots tested for each state is 80 (40 inside and 40 outside of the fenced ungulate exclosures).The Pseudo R² and the used modelsettings are given at the end of the Table.

independend variables / number of species (n)
overall / tree layer / upper shrub layer / lower shrub layer / herb layer
intercept
topographic, climatic and soil variables
altitude
slope angle / -0.003**
soil inclination
horizon heightening / -0.002*
temperaturevalue (Ellenberg)
moisture value (Ellenberg)
reaction value (Ellenberg) / 2.828*
nitrogen/productivity value (Ellenberg) / 0.365*
light value (Ellenberg)
ungulate influence variables
age of the exclosure fences / -0.021** / -0.442*
influence of ungulates / -0.681** / -0.396** / 3.618*
grazing intensity: low / -1.411***
grazing intensity: high / -1.376*
grazing intensity: very high / 13.124**1) / 12.916**1)
structure of the tree layer
vertical structure: none
vertical structure: single story
vertical structure: two-story / -0.520**
species dominance in the tree layer: dominant
species dominance in the tree layer: subdominant
species dominance in the tree layer: blended
species dominance in the tree layer: scattered / 0.489* / 0.278*
tree crown: none/cleared
tree crown: single trees
tree crown: very sparse / 2.014***
tree crown: sparse / -12.169***1) / 3.319* / -15.253***1)
tree cover (%) / -0.012** / -0.006* / 0.175*
Pseudo R² / 0.456 / 0.399 / 0.516 / 0.539 / 0.478
Model (Eq. 1)
distribution family /
gaussian /
binomial /
poisson /
poisson /
gaussian
link function / identity / logit / log / log / identity
measurement level / / / / /

1)The size of this coefficient is not to be interpreted as a very large influence, because the corresponding variable describes just few observation units (quasi complete separation).

Appendix 3: Results of GLM analyses for significant effects of all topographic, climatic, soil, study site-specific and structural tree layer variables on the plant diversity in the district of Reutte (Tyrol, Austria). The total number of plots tested for each state is 80 (40 inside and 40 outside of the fenced ungulate exclosures).The Pseudo R² and the used modelsettings are given at the end of the Table.

independend variables / Shannon-Wiener-Index (Hs) / Evenness (E)
overall / tree layer / upper shrub layer / lower shrub layer / herb layer / overall / tree layer / upper shrub layer / lower shrub layer / herb layer
intercept / -8.213**
topographic, climatic and soil variables
altitude
slope angle / -0.000** / -0.001*
soil inclination
horizon heightening
temperaturevalue (Ellenberg) / 1.192***
moisture value (Ellenberg)
reaction value (Ellenberg) / 0.120** / 0.657* / 0.389**
nitrogen/productivity value (Ellenberg)
light value (Ellenberg) / -0.422*
ungulate influence variables
age of the exclosure fences
influence of ungulates / -0.572*** / -1.909* / -1.229*
grazing intensity: low / -16.701***1) / -8.365*** / -15.948***1) / -35.030***1)
grazing intensity: high / -17.727***1) / -7.597*** / -17.2880***1) / -18.541***1)
grazing intensity: very high / 0.214** / -17.479***1) / 0.259** / -16.437***1) / 0.614*
structure of the tree layer
vertical structure: none / 0.200** / -16.934***1) / -0.152* / 0.801** / -16.353***1) / 0.564*
vertical structure: single story / 1.323*
vertical structure: two-story / -0.449*
species dominance in the tree layer: dominant
species dominance in the tree layer: subdominant / 0.543* / 0.103* / 0.659**
species dominance in the tree layer: blended
species dominance in the tree layer: scattered / 1.236**
tree crown: none/cleared
tree crown: single trees
tree crown: very sparse / -16.363***1) / 1.792*** / 0.433* / -13.620***1) / 21.262***1) / 3.653**
tree crown: sparse / -0.557*** / -15.073***1) / -8.073*** 1) / 2) / -1.613*** / -13.290***1) / -18.604***1) / 2) / -1.031**
tree cover (%) / -0.012** / -0.003* / -0.373**
Pseudo R² / 0.416 / 0.426 / 0.649 / 0.377 / 0.401 / 0.457 / 0.437 / 0.623 / 0.385 / 0.455
Model (Eq. 1)
distribution family /
gaussian /
quasipoisson /
gaussian /
gaussian /
gaussian /
quasibinomial /
quasibinomial /
quasibinomial /
quasibinomial /
quasibinomial
link function / identity / log / log / identity / identity / logit] / logit] / logit] / logit] / logit]
measurement level / / / / / / / / / /

1)The size of this coefficient is not to be interpreted as a very large influence, because the corresponding variable describes just few observation units (quasi complete separation).

2)This variable could not be included in the analysis because there are no values for it due to missings.

Appendix 4.Presence and mean coverage of vascular species with a presence > 10% inside or outside the fenced ungulate exclosures. Functional groups: DS = dwarf shrub, F = fern, G = grass, H = herb, S = shrub, T = tree.

functional group / precence (%) / coverage (%)
species / non fenced / fenced / non fenced / fenced
tree layer (> 5 m)
Abies alba / T / 32.5 / 42.5 / 4.2 / 8.6
Acer pseudoplatanus / T / 67.5 / 72.5 / 5.7 / 13.7
Fagus sylvatica / T / 42.5 / 42.5 / 8.9 / 15.8
Picea abies / T / 97.5 / 95 / 36.3 / 31.8
upper shrub layer (1.3–5 m)
Pinus sylvestris / T / 15 / 22.5 / 1.9 / 3.3
Sorbus aria agg. / T / 20 / 20 / 0.9 / 2
lower shrub layer (0.5–1 m)
Pteridium aquilinum / F / 10 / 5 / 1.3 / 0.3
Rosa pendulina / S / 15 / 15 / 0.1 / 1
Rubus idaeus / S / 27.5 / 22.5 / 1.1 / 1.3
herb layer (< 0.5 m)
Adenostyles glabra / H / 52.5 / 37.5 / 4 / 2.3
Agrostis stolonifera agg. / G / 17.5 / 10 / 2.9 / 1.2
Alchemilla conjuncta agg. / H / 15 / 12.5 / 2.2 / 1.4
Anthoxanthum odoratum agg. / G / 17.5 / 5 / 0.5 / 0
Aposeris foetida / H / 32.5 / 20 / 1.4 / 1.3
Aquilegia atrata / H / 17.5 / 15 / 0.2 / 0.4
Aster bellidiastrum / H / 22.5 / 15 / 0.3 / 0.4
Astrantia major / H / 12.5 / 17.5 / 0.5 / 0.8
Athyrium filix-femina / F / 25 / 27.5 / 1.6 / 1.6
Brachypodium pinnatum agg. / G / 22.5 / 22.5 / 7.6 / 7.1
Brachypodium sylvaticum / G / 20 / 12.5 / 1.6 / 0.7
Briza media / G / 20 / 7.5 / 0.2 / 0.3
Buphthalmum salicifolium / H / 10 / 17.5 / 0.4 / 1
Calamagrostis varia / G / 27.5 / 10 / 1.7 / 0.4
Calluna vulgaris / DS / 7.5 / 12.5 / 0.4 / 2.5
Campanula cochleariifolia / H / 10 / 2.5 / 0.2 / 0.1
Campanula scheuchzeri / H / 20 / 25 / 0.3 / 0.3
Carduus defloratus s.lat. / H / 42.5 / 37.5 / 1.4 / 0.9
Carex alba / G / 45 / 30 / 9.3 / 3.2
Carex ferruginea / G / 7.5 / 12.5 / 0.1 / 1.5
Carex flacca / G / 42.5 / 37.5 / 1.1 / 1.9
Carex flava agg. / G / 15 / 0 / 0.1 / 0
Carex sempervirens / G / 27.5 / 10 / 3.6 / 1.8
Carex sylvatica / G / 10 / 10 / 0.7 / 0.2
Centaurea jacea / H / 10 / 15 / 0.2 / 0.3
Chaerophyllum hirsutum agg. / H / 22.5 / 22.5 / 4.1 / 3.7
Clinopodium vulgare / H / 12.5 / 7.5 / 0.5 / 1.3
Crepis paludosa / H / 7.5 / 12.5 / 0.1 / 0.5
Dactylis glomerata agg. / G / 12.5 / 7.5 / 0.3 / 0.6
Dactylorhiza maculata s.lat. / H / 17.5 / 15 / 0.3 / 0.1
Daphne mezereum / DS / 22.5 / 12.5 / 0.5 / 0.4
Deschampsia cespitosa / G / 20 / 7.5 / 1.4 / 0.2
Dryopteris dilatata / F / 10 / 10 / 0.2 / 0.4
Epipactis atrorubens / H / 17.5 / 15 / 0.3 / 0.3
Epipactis helleborine agg. / H / 17.5 / 7.5 / 0.2 / 0.1
Erica carnea / DS / 17.5 / 17.5 / 2.7 / 6.2
Fragaria vesca / H / 65 / 57.5 / 2.6 / 2.6
Galium anisophyllon / H / 17.5 / 12.5 / 0.1 / 0.4
Galium mollugo agg. / H / 40 / 22.5 / 1.2 / 1.2
Galium odoratum / H / 12.5 / 10 / 0.2 / 0.2
Galium rotundifolium / H / 10 / 5 / 0.2 / 0.1
Gymnocarpium robertianum / F / 12.5 / 12.5 / 0.1 / 0.2
Hepatica nobilis / H / 20 / 15 / 0.7 / 0.4
Hieracium murorum / H / 57.5 / 20 / 1.5 / 0.8
Homogyne alpina / H / 40 / 20 / 0.6 / 0.7
Knautia maxima / H / 47.5 / 40 / 1.7 / 1.5
Laserpitium latifolium / H / 10 / 10 / 0.3 / 0.2
Leontodon hispidus / H / 10 / 2.5 / 0.2 / 0.1
Leucanthemum vulgare agg. / H / 10 / 2.5 / 0.4 / 0
Lotus corniculatus agg. / H / 30 / 17.5 / 0.6 / 0.3
Lysimachia nemorum / H / 17.5 / 12.5 / 0.5 / 1.2
Maianthemum bifolium / H / 40 / 32.5 / 0.8 / 0.7
Melampyrum sylvaticum agg. / H / 72.5 / 57.5 / 4.6 / 2.3
Melica nutans / G / 67.5 / 47.5 / 7.7 / 3.1
Mercurialis perennis agg. / H / 50 / 57.5 / 5.0 / 4
Origanum vulgare / H / 10 / 5 / 0.2 / 0.1
Oxalis acetosella / H / 47.5 / 35 / 2.7 / 1.9
Paris quadrifolia / H / 17.5 / 32.5 / 0.1 / 0.5
Petasites albus / H / 20 / 15 / 4.0 / 1.2
Phyteuma spicatum / H / 10 / 5 / 0.1 / 0
Pimpinella saxifraga agg. / H / 30 / 20 / 1.1 / 0.7
Plantago lanceolata / H / 15 / 7.5 / 0.3 / 0
Polygala chamaebuxus / DS / 42.5 / 40 / 1.5 / 2.1
Polygonatum verticillatum / H / 22.5 / 27.5 / 0.3 / 0.5
Potentilla erecta / H / 55 / 47.5 / 2.1 / 2.3
Prenanthes purpurea / H / 32.5 / 25 / 0.6 / 0.6
Prunella grandiflora / H / 20 / 17.5 / 0.6 / 0.3
Ranunculus montanus agg. / H / 20 / 12.5 / 0.2 / 0.2
Ranunculus nemorosus / H / 10 / 2.5 / 0.4 / 0
Ranunculus sp. / H / 12.5 / 2.5 / 0.1 / 0
Sanicula europaea / H / 17.5 / 25 / 0.7 / 1.9
Senecio ovatus / H / 17.5 / 20 / 0.8 / 0.9
Sesleria albicans / G / 55 / 37.5 / 9.9 / 4.4
Solidago virgaurea / H / 12.5 / 7.5 / 0.3 / 0.2
Sorbus aucuparia / T / 40 / 47.5 / 1.3 / 6.5
Thelypteris limbosperma / F / 10 / 7.5 / 1.1 / 0.4
Thymus sp. / DS / 27.5 / 15 / 1.4 / 1.5
Trifolium pratense / H / 10 / 0 / 0.2 / 0
Vaccinium myrtillus / DS / 45 / 47.5 / 6.9 / 14.9
Valeriana montana / H / 15 / 15 / 1.1 / 0.6
Valeriana tripteris / H / 10 / 7.5 / 0.1 / 0.1
Veratrum album / H / 10 / 2.5 / 0.3 / 0
Veronica chamaedrys agg. / H / 10 / 5 / 0.3 / 0.1
Veronica officinalis / H / 10 / 7.5 / 0.2 / 0.2
Veronica urticifolia / H / 30 / 22.5 / 0.7 / 0.7
Viola biflora / H / 20 / 15 / 0.4 / 0.1
Viola reichenbachiana / H / 27.5 / 20 / 0.3 / 0.1

Further species (degree of presence < 10%): Achillea millefolium agg., Acinos alpinus, Aconitum lycoctonum ssp. vulparia, Aconitum napellus agg., Aconitum variegatum agg., Adenostyles alliariae, Aegopodium podagraria, Agrostis sp., Alchemilla sp., Amelanchier ovalis, Anemone nemorosa, Angelica sp., Angelica sylvestris, Anthericum liliago, Anthericum ramosum, Aruncus dioicus, Asarum europaeum, Asplenium ruta-muraria, Atropa bella-donna, Berberis vulgaris, Betula pendula, Biscutella laevigata, Blechnum spicant, Bromus sp., Calamagrostis arundinacea, Calamagrostis villosa, Campanula glomerata, Campanula rapunculoides, Campanula rotundifolia agg., Campanula sp., Carduus acanthoides, Carex digitata, Carex montana, Carex nigra, Carex pallescens, Carex panicea, Carex paupercula, Carex sp., Carlina acaulis, Centaurea scabiosa, Cephalanthera rubra, Cerastium sp., Circaea alpina, Cirsium oleraceum, Clematis alpina, Colchicum autumnale, Convallaria majalis, Cotoneaster tomentosus, Crataegus laevigata, Danthonia decumbens, Daphne striata, Dryas octopetala, Dryopteris expansa, Elymus caninus, Epilobium angustifolium, Eupatorium cannabinum, Euphorbia cyparissias, Euphrasia officinalis ssp. picta, Euphrasia sp., Festuca altissima, Festuca arundinacea, Festuca pratensis agg., Festuca rubra agg., Frangula alnus, Fraxinus excelsior, Galium boreale agg., Galium lucidum, Galium sp., Galium sylvaticum agg., Galium verum agg., Gentiana asclepiadea, Gentiana clusii, Gentiana sp., Gentiana verna, Geranium robertianum agg., Geranium sanguineum, Geranium sylvaticum, Globularia cordifolia, Gymnadenia conopsea, Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Heracleum sphondylium, Hieracium bifidum, Hieracium bupleuroides, Hieracium lachenalii, Hieracium sp., Hippocrepis comosa, Hordelymus europaeus, Hypericum maculatum agg., Juncus alpinoarticulatus, Juniperus communis, Knautia arvensis agg., Lamium sp., Larix decidua, Lathyrus pratensis, Leucanthemum adustum, Lilium martagon, Linum catharticum, Listera ovata, Listera sp., Lonicera alpigena, Lonicera xylosteum, Luzula sylvatica, Luzula sylvatica ssp. sieberi, Molinia caerulea agg., Mycelis muralis, Nardus stricta, Orobanche gracilis, Parnassia palustris, Peucedanum ostruthium, Phegopteris connectilis, Phyteuma betonicifolium, Phyteuma orbiculare, Pimpinella alpina, Pimpinella major, Pinguicula alpina, Pinus cembra, Plantago media agg., Platanthera bifolia, Poa nemoralis agg., Poa pratensis, Polygala alpestris, Polygonatum multiflorum, Polystichum aculeatum, Populus tremula, Potentilla aurea, Primula auricula, Primula elatior agg., Primula farinosa, Prunella vulgaris, Prunus padus, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Ranunculus lanuginosus, Ranunculus repens, Rhinanthus glacialis, Rhododendron hirsutum, Rosa montana, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus saxatilis, Rumex alpestris, Salix appendiculata agg., Salix caprea, Salix purpurea, Salix waldsteiniana, Salvia pratensis, Sambucus nigra, Sambucus racemosa, Scabiosa triandra, Selaginella selaginoides, Solanum dulcamara, Solidago gigantea, Sorbus chamaemespilus, Stachys sylvatica, Stellaria nemorum agg., Taxus baccata, Thalictrum aquilegiifolium, Thesium alpinum, Thesium rostratum, Thymus serpyllum, Tofieldia calyculata, Trifolium alpestre, Trifolium medium, Trifolium pallescens, Trifolium repens, Trifolium sp., Ulmus glabra, Vaccinium uliginosum, Valeriana officinalis agg., Valeriana sp., Veronica beccabunga, Veronica montana, Veronica serpyllifolia, Vicia cracca agg., Vicia dumetorum, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, Viola hirta, Viola riviniana, Viola sp.

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