Supplementary materials

Journal: Urban Ecosystems

Composition, distribution and habitat effects of vascular plants

on the vertical surfaces of an ancient city wall

Yanning Qiu1, 2, Bin J. W. Chen3, Yanjuan Song2, Zheng Y. X. Huang4, Li Wan5, Cheng Huang1,

Maosong Liu1* and Chi Xu1*

1School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Xianlin Road 163, Nanjing 210023, China;

2School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, 443 Huangshan Road, Hefei 230027, China;

3College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Longpan Road 159, Nanjing 210037, China;

4College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Wenyuan Road 1, Nanjing 210023, China;

5Research Institute of Cultural Relics Conservation, Nanjing Museum, 321 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210016, China.

*Corresponding author:

Maosong Liu () or Chi Xu ()

Table S1. List of plant species recorded on the vertical surfaces of the City Wall of Nanjing.

No. / Species name / No. / Species name
sp1 / Verbena officinalis / sp35 / Paulownia fortunei
sp2 / Portulaca oleracea / sp36 / Platanus acerifolia
sp3 / Arthraxon hispidus / sp37 / Celtis sinensis
sp4 / Oxalis corniculata / sp38 / Sophora japonica
sp5 / Dendranthema indicum / sp39 / Rhododendron simsii
sp6 / Corydalis pallida / sp40 / Morus alba
sp7 / Mirabilis jalapa / sp41 / Ulmus pumila
sp8 / Solanum nigrum / sp42 / Ailanthus altissima
sp9 / Setaria viridis / sp43 / Ziziphus jujuba
sp10 / Pteris multifida / sp44 / Sapium sebiferum
sp11 / Commelina bengalensis / sp45 / Firmiana platanifolia
sp12 / Artemisia carvifolia / sp46 / Cedrus deodara
sp13 / Asplenium trichomanes / sp47 / Grewia biloba
sp14 / Arisaema du-bois-reymondiae / sp48 / Vitex negundo var. cannabifolia
sp15 / Cyclosorus acuminatus / sp49 / Campsis radicans
sp16 / Achyranthes bidentata / sp50 / Parthenocissus semicordata
sp17 / Phytolacca acinosa / sp51 / Calystegia hederacea
sp18 / Dryopteris chinensis / sp52 / Ficus pumila
sp19 / Chenopodium glaucum / sp53 / Calystegia sepium
sp20 / Cyrtomium fortunei / sp54 / Fallopia multiflora
sp21 / Poa annua / sp55 / Trachelospermum jasminoides
sp22 / Solanum lyratum / sp56 / Vitis heyneana
sp23 / Euphorbia humifusa / sp57 / Humulus scandens
sp24 / Conyza canadensis / sp58 / Cayratia japonica
sp25 / Artemisia annua / sp59 / Vitis bryoniifolia
sp26 / Pilea pumila / sp60 / Parthenocissus quinquefolia
sp27 / Ixeridium sonchifolium / sp61 / Actinostemma tenerum
sp28 / Lagedium sibiricum / sp62 / Thladiantha nudiflora
sp29 / Digitaria sanguinalis / sp63 / Cucurbita moschata
sp30 / Acalypha australis / sp64 / Paederia scandens
sp31 / Pterocarya stenoptera / sp65 / Trichosanthes kirilowii
sp32 / Alangium chinense / sp66 / Cocculus orbiculatus
sp33 / Broussonetia papyrifera / sp67 / Stephania cepharantha
sp34 / Melia azedarach

Table S2. Total explanatory power of habitat factors based on CCA.

Explanatory power of habitat factors (%) / p-value
Life form
Herb / 7.5 / 0.066
Vine / 8.5 / 0.002
Woody / 8.5 / 0.002
Seed dispersal trait
Zoochory / 9 / 0.004
Autochory / 6.3 / 0.002
Anemochory / 11.5 / 0.148
All species / 5.4 / 0.002

Table S3. Explanatory power of individual habitat factor(s) based on partial CCA.

Explanatory power (%)
Height / Aspect / Position / Ground vegetation status
Life form
Herb / 1.10 / 3.00 / 1.10 / 2.30
Vine / 1.10 / 4.10 / 2.10 / 2.90
Woody / 1.00 / 2.80 / 1.20 / 3.50
Anemochory / 1.90 / 3.80 / 1.40 / 3.70
Seed dispersal trait
Zoochory / 1.80 / 3.10 / 1.30 / 3.00
Autochory / 0.58 / 2.70 / 1.10 / 2.10
All species / 0.80 / 2.10 / 0.90 / 1.80

Table S4. Summary of the ordinary least square models for the habitat effects on cover of herb, vine and woody plants.

Factor / Herb / Woody / Vine
Estimate / t-value / Estimate / t-value / Estimate / t-value
Aspects / North / 0.091 ± 0.028 / 3.282** / -0.122 ± 0.054 / -2.263* / 0.056 ± 0.033 / 1.667
South / 0.040 ± 0.027 / 1.481 / -0.200 ± 0.053 / -3.787*** / 0.031 ± 0.033 / 0.957
West / 0.030 ± 0.024 / 1.233 / -0.083 ± 0.047 / -1.778 / 0.060 ± 0.029 / 2.057*
Height / 0.003 ± 0.011 / 0.267 / -0.011 ± 0.021 / -0.508 / 0.066 ± 0.013 / 4.971***
Ground vegetation type / Grassland / -0.027 ± 0.026 / -1.044 / -0.037 ± 0.050 / -0.748 / -0.050 ± 0.031 / -1.618
Woodland / -0.052 ± 0.032 / -1.599 / -0.091 ± 0.063 / -1.448 / -0.066 ± 0.039 / -1.696
Position / Inner side / -0.027 ± 0.021 / -1.314 / -0.080 ± 0.040 / -1.976* / -0.005 ± 0.025 / -0.181

Ajusted-R2 = 2.6% (herb), 4.3% (woody), and 6.7% (vine).

* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001.

Table S5. Summary of the generalized linear models for the habitat effects on species richness of herbs, vines and woody plants.

Factor / Herb / Woody / Vine
Estimate / z-value / Estimate / z-value / Estimate / z-value
Aspects / North / 0.859 ± 0.225 / 3.827*** / 0.087 ± 0.164 / 0.529 / 0.389 ± 0.190 / 2.047*
South / 0.906 ± 0.215 / 4.206*** / 0.024 ± 0.163 / 0.150 / 0.239 ± 0.193 / 1.241
West / 0.625 ± 0.214 / 2.921** / -0.027 ± 0.152 / -0.175 / 0.090 ± 0.184 / 0.490
Height / -0.249 ± 0.089 / -2.792** / -0.219 ± 0.069 / -3.151** / 0.288 ± 0.081 / 3.548***
Ground species richness / -0.068 ± 0.036 / -1.911 / 0.039 ± 0.025 / 1.579 / 0.052 ± 0.029 / 1.763
Position / Inner side / -0.245 ± 0.167 / -1.465 / -0.282 ± 0.141 / -1.995* / 0.249 ± 0.153 / 1.629

Pseudo-R2 = 7.0% (herb), 4.9% (woody), and 5.0% (vine).

* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001.

Table S6. Summary of the ordinary least square models for the habitat effects on cover of plant groups with different seed dispersal traits.

Autochory / Anemochory / Zoochory
Factor / Estimate / t-value / Estimate / t-value / Estimate / t-value
Aspects / North / -0.068 ± 0.053 / -1.273 / 0.046 ± 0.019 / 2.411* / 0.043 ± 0.035 / 1.230
South / -0.195 ± 0.052 / -3.715*** / 0.039 ± 0.018 / 2.126* / 0.040 ± 0.034 / 1.163
West / -0.100 ± 0.047 / -2.154* / 0.024 ± 0.016 / 1.447 / 0.085 ± 0.031 / 2.775**
Height / 0.002 ± 0.021 / 0.087 / 0.019 ± 0.007 / 2.548* / 0.032 ± 0.014 / 2.263*
Ground vegetation type / Grassland / -0.040 ± 0.049 / -0.801 / 0.013 ± 0.017 / 0.756 / -0.064 ± 0.032 / -1.975*
Woodland / -0.134 ± 0.063 / -2.146* / 0.015 ± 0.022 / 0.702 / -0.059 ± 0.041 / -1.423
Position / Inner side / -0.132 ± 0.040 / -3.287** / -0.010 ± 0.014 / -0.734 / 0.037 ± 0.026 / 1.394

Ajusted-R2 = 7.4% (autochory), 1.9% (anemochory), and 4.6% (zoochory).

* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001.

Table S7. Summary of the generalized linear models for the habitat effects on species richness of plant groups with different seed dispersal traits.

Autochory / Anemochory / Zoochory
Factor / Estimate / z-value / Estimate / z-value / Estimate / z-value
Aspects / North / 0.200 ± 0.139 / 1.445 / 0.782 ± 0.302 / 2.593** / 0.434 ± 0.214 / 2.025*
South / 0.115 ± 0.139 / 0.827 / 0.780 ± 0.295 / 2.644** / 0.481 ± 0.205 / 2.349*
West / 0.030 ± 0.131 / 0.231 / 0.307 ± 0.305 / 1.008 / 0.339 ± 0.196 / 1.726
Height / -0.182 ± 0.059 / -3.086** / 0.152 ± 0.124 / 1.229 / 0.071 ± 0.084 / 0.841
Ground species richness / 0.033 ± 0.021 / 1.544 / 0.010 ± 0.046 / 0.212 / -0.008 ± 0.034 / -0.240
Position / Inner side / -0.269 ± 0.119 / -2.255* / -0.051 ± 0.239 / -0.214 / 0.236 ± 0.159 / 1.489

Pseudo-R2 = 4.8% (autochory), 3.8% (anemochory), and 3.4% (zoochory).

* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001.

Figure S1. Bi-plots of canonical correspondence analysis by life form. Triangles indicate the species found on the City Wall of Nanjing. Arrows indicate the investigated habitat factors. AE: Aspect (East); AN: Aspect (North); AW: Aspect (West); AS: Aspect (South); P: Wall position; H: Height of quadrat; VW: vegetation type at wall toe (woodland); VG: vegetation type at wall toe (grassland); VN: vegetation type at wall toe (non-vegetated); S: species richness at wall toe.

Figure S2. Bi-plots of canonical correspondence analysis by seed dispersal trait. Triangles indicate the species found on the City Wall of Nanjing. Arrows indicate the investigated habitat factors. AE: Aspect (East); AN: Aspect (North); AW: Aspect (West); AS: Aspect (South); P: Wall position; H: Height of quadrat; VW: vegetation type at wall toe (woodland); VG: vegetation type at wall toe (grassland); VN: vegetation type at wall toe (non-vegetated); S: species richness at wall toe.