Table 1. Sites description.

Elevation (m)	Position	MAT (°C)	MAP (mm)	Tree category	Vegetation type	Dominant species	Soil type	The depth of organic layer§
795	42°23′N, 128°05′E	2.0	702	Mixed coniferous broad-leaved forest	Deciduous broadleaf and evengreen needleleaf	Pinus koraiensis Tilia amuresis Fraxinus mandshurica	Dark brown forest soil	4.9 ± 0.2a
1102	42°11′N, 128°09′E	0.4	783	Broad-leaved Korean pine forest	Deciduous broadleaf and evengreen needleleaf	Pinus koraiensis Picea jezoensis	Brown coniferous forest soil	3.7 ± 0.2b
1248	42°08′N, 128°07′E	−0.3	824	Korean pine-spruce-fir forest	Evengreen needleleaf	Abies nephrolepis Picea jezoensis Larix gmellini	Brown coniferous forest soil	3.6 ± 0.3b
1510	42°05′N, 128°04′E	−1.7	904	Dark coniferous spruce-fir forest	Evengreen needleleaf	Picea jezoensis Abies nephrolepis	Brown coniferous forest soil	3.3 ± 0.1b
1690	42°04′N, 128°03′E	−2.6	964	Ermans birch-spruce-fir forest	Evengreen needleleaf	Picea jezoensis Abies nephrolepis Betula ermanii	Brown coniferous forest soil	3.6 ± 0.6b
1900	42°03′N, 128°04′E	−3.7	1038	Ermans birch forest	Deciduous broadleaf	Betula ermanii	Soddy forest soil	3.9 ± 0.4b

^§Data are mean ± SE (n = 4). Lowercase letters next to data indicate significant differences (p < 0.05) in the depths of the organic layer among the 6 elevations determined by t test.