Table 4 Reproductive cost ratio and reproduction ratio of C. stenophylla in the four climatic aridity zones (mean ± SE)

CSR (g biomass/sapling)

5.35 ± 0.33

16.48 ± 0.86

31.06 ± 1.27

546.54 ± 89.09

–

CCR (g biomass/ramet)

7.74 ± 0.42

7.37 ± 0.23

6.50 ± 0.45

6.04 ± 0.34

–

GLMM test result of differences between CSR and CCR

F_1,6 = 8.488 P < 0.05

F_1,6 = 52.162 P < 0.01

F_1,6 = 146.593 P < 0.01

F_1,6 = 14.519 P < 0.01

–

Reproductive cost ratio (CCR / CSR)

1.47 ± 0.16

0.45 ± 0.02

0.21 ± 0.02

0.01 ± 0.00

Regression analysis, R² = 0.906, P < 0.01

Proportion of sexual reproduction

67.3%

40.0%

27.5%

10.7%

GLMM F_3,316 = 73.51 P < 0.01

Proportion of clonal reproduction

32.7%

60.0%

72.5%

89.3%

Reproduction ratio (sexual reproduction/ clonal reproduction)

2.08 ± 0.15

0.67 ± 0.04

0.38 ± 0.02

0.12 ± 0.01

Regression analysis, R² = 0.967, P < 0.01