Table 1. List of variables assembled for old and new dry grassland patches in this study.
| Variable | Units | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Abiotic | ||
| TWI* [51] | Topographic wetness index to describe spatial soil moisture patterns | |
| Slope | degrees | Steepness |
| Elevation | m | Elevation above the main water course |
| PDSI_(December to June) | Potential direct solar irradiation of every month from December to June | |
| Present-day landscape configuration (2009) | ||
| Log (A) | m2 | Logarithm of area of present-day grasslands |
| I2000 | Isolation based on the present-day area of the surrounding dry grasslands | |
| Historical landscape configuration | ||
| I1843 | Isolation based on the area of the surrounding potential grassland habitats in 1843 | |
| I1954 | Isolation based on the area of the surrounding potential grassland habitats in 1954 | |
| I1980 | Isolation based on the area of the surrounding potential grassland habitats in 1980 | |
| A1843 | Area of the patch calculated as percentage of its present-day area covered by PGH in 1843 | |
| A1954 | Area of the patch calculated as percentage of its present-day area covered by PGH in 1954 | |
| A1980 | Area of the patch calculated as percentage of its present-day area covered by PGH in 1980 | |
| Age | years | Number of years of continuous existence of a patch in the landscape |
*non-dimensional index calculated as TWI = ln (As/tan b), where As is the specific catchment area (the cumulative upslope area draining through a cell divided by the contour width), and b is the local slope. PGH, potential grassland habitats.