Functional traits

Among woody species, 78 species were phanerophytes (n=2176), nine were woody lianas (n=48), one was a geophyte (n=10) and one was a hemiepiphyte (n=1). Among non-woody species 53 species were therophytes, 24 chamaephytes, six were hemicryptophytes, four were non-woody lianas, two were geophytes, one was an epiphyte and one was a hemiepiphyte. Plots far from roads had higher species richness of phanerophytes (p=0.0077) and of chamaephytes (p=0.047, Figure 2). In the woody component (trees, shrubs and lianas), 39 species were resprouters, 27 were endozoochoric, 16 were nitrogen-fixers, nine were urticant or toxic and seven were succulents with spines. Among the non-woody species, eight were spiny succulents, eight were nitrogen fixers, five were endozoochoric, three were resprouters and three were urticant or toxic (Table S1). The species richness of woody resprouters (p=0.027) as well as species richness of all resprouters (p=0.021) were lower near roads than far from roads (Figure 3). There were less species of woody nitrogen-fixers (p=0.018) as well as less species of nitrogen-fixers in general (p=0.027) in plots near roads than in plots far from roads. There were also less endozoochorous species (p=0.002) in plots near roads than in plots far from roads (Figure 3).