S1 Measured rates of fine-root decay (k values) in moist tropical forests and plantations.

______

LocationMethodMaterialSize Classk (a-1)Notes

______

Puerto Ricoaaboveground mesh bagsDacryodes excelsa<2 mm live0.83

Puerto Ricoaaboveground mesh bagsPrestoea montana<2 mm live0.60

Puerto Ricobtrenched plotsmixed species2 mm, severed0.4forest

Puerto Ricobtrenched plotsmixed species2 mm, severed0.8lower gap

Puerto Ricobtrenched plotsmixed species2 mm, severed0.9upper gap

Hawaii, USAcburied mesh bagsMetrosideros polymorphah<2 mm live0.419Thurston (C)

Hawaii, USAcburied mesh bagsMetrosideros polymorphah<2 mm live0.483Thurston (+N)

Hawaii, USAcburied mesh bagsMetrosideros polymorphah<2 mm live0.470Thurston (+P)

Hawaii, USAcburied mesh bagsMetrosideros polymorphah<2 mm live0.405Laupahoehoe

Hawaii, USAcburied mesh bagsMetrosideros polymorphah<2 mm live0.261Koke'e (C)

Hawaii, USAcburied mesh bagsMetrosideros polymorphah<2 mm live0.333Koke'e (+N)

Hawaii, USAcburied mesh bagsMetrosideros polymorphah<2 mm live0.387Koke'e (+P)

Costa Rica, LBSdburied mesh bagsDrypetes glauca<2 mm live0.593foreign roots

Costa Rica, LBSdburied mesh bagsPinus elliottii<2 mm live0.340foreign roots

Costa Rica, MTVdburied mesh bagsDrypetes glauca<2 mm live0.463foreign roots

Costa Rica, MTVdburied mesh bagsPinus sp.<2 mm live0.347foreign roots

Panamadburied mesh bagsDrypetes glauca<2 mm live0.980foreign roots

Panamadburied mesh bagsPinus elliottii<2 mm live0.494foreign roots

Puerto Ricodburied mesh bagsDrypetes glauca<2 mm live0.919

Puerto Ricodburied mesh bagsPinus elliottii<2 mm live0.501foreign roots

Pará, Braziletrenched plotsmixed species2 mm, severed0.96clay

Pará, Braziletrenched plotsmixed species2 mm, severed0.61sandy loam

São Paulo, Brazilfaboveground mesh bagsEucalyptus grandis<1 mm live0.56loamy Oxisol

São Paulo, Brazilfaboveground mesh bagsEucalyptus grandis1-3 mm live0.57loamy Oxisol

São Paulo, Brazilfburied mesh bagsEucalyptus grandis<1 mm live0.61loamy Oxisol

São Paulo, Brazilfburied mesh bagsEucalyptus grandis1-3 mm live0.70loamy Oxisol

São Paulo, Brazilfaboveground mesh bagsEucalyptus grandis<1 mm live0.33sandy Entisol

São Paulo, Brazilfaboveground mesh bagsEucalyptus grandis1-3 mm live0.63sandy Entisol

São Paulo, Brazilfburied mesh bagsEucalyptus grandis<1 mm live0.55sandy Entisol

São Paulo, Brazilfburied mesh bagsEucalyptus grandis1-3 mm live0.65sandy Entisol

Costa Ricaintact soil coresHieronyma alchorneoidesg2 mm, starvedh 1.36this study

Costa Ricaintact soil coresPentaclethra macrolobag2 mm, starvedh 1.28this study

Costa Ricaintact soil coresVirola koschnyig2 mm,, starvedh 0.29this study

Costa Ricaintact soil coresVochysia guatemalensisg2 mm, starvedh 2.00this study

______

a Bloomfield et al. (1993).

b Silver and Vogt (1993).

c Ostertag and Hobbie (1999).

d Gholz et al. (2000). The same samples were described by Cusack et al (2009), whocalculated k differently, and who included data for Andropogon gerardii,a U.S. prairie grass. Both publications also provide data from Guanica State Forest in Puerto Rico, but thatsite isdryand is not included in this tabulation.

e Silver et al. (2005).

f Mello et al. (2007), who provide additional data fromnewly clear-cut plantations that are not included here.

g Roots were not sorted to species prior to use, but were primarily those of the species named.

h Trees were girdled 1-2 months prior to study.

1