SUPPORTING INFORMATION

Table S1. Characterization of different ecosystem types

Characterization of the different ecosystem types considered f in the subtropical seasonal Chaco forest of central Argentina, including soil (10 cm depth) and general vegetation structure. Values represent mean and standard error (in braquets) for each ecosystem type. Values followed by the same letter in a given row are not significantly different at P≤0.05 (LSD Fisher), number or replicates was 4 in all cases.

Primary forest / Secondary forest / Closed species-rich shrubland / Open Larreashrubland
Land-use regime / No significant logging or livestock grazing in the past 7 and 5 decades, respectively / Current light selective logging and low cow and goat stocking rate / Current moderate to heavy logging and moderate-high cow and goat stocking rate / Heavy logging and high cow and goat stocking rateduring past decades, now decreasing due to declining productivity
Soil properties (not included in Table 1)
Total N (%) / 0.17 ± 0.01a / 0.15 ± 0.03a / 0.13 ± 0.02ab / 0.08 ± 0.01b
Organic C (mg g-1) / 17.36 ± 2.24a / 13.72 ± 0.86ab / 11.63 ± 0.95bc / 8.26 ± 0.74c
Water Holding Capacity ( %) / 30.12 ± 1.08a / 27.24 ± 0.75b / 24.86 ± 0.87b / 26.07 ± 0.54b
Soil Relative Humidity (%) / 4.00 ± 0.43a / 3.25 ± 0.28a / 3.15 ± 0.25a / 3.95 ± 0.25a
Vegetation structure
Tree cover (%) / 43.7 ± 11.1ab / 50 ± 18.3a / 27.5 ± 15.0bc / 16.2 ± 2.5c
Shrub cover (%) / 78.7 ± 6.3a / 68.7 ± 10.3ab / 71.2 ± 8.5ab / 60.0 ± 17.8b
Herbaceous cover (%) / 70.0 ± 4.0ab / 60.0 ± 7.1ab / 72.5 ± 5.0a / 56.2 ± 17.0b
Bare soil (%) / 30.0 ± 4.1ab / 40.0 ± 7.1b / 20 ± 7.1a / 43.7 ± 17.0b
Maximum tree height (cm) / 1263 ± 50a / 1232 ± 93a / 761 ± 199b / 518 ± 65c
Maximum tree DBH (cm) / 54.3 ± 4.7a / 37.7 ± 3.4b / 33.0 ± 7.1bc / 25.6 ± 4.4c
Species number / 37 ± 3a / 30 ± 4a / 33 ± 8a / 37 ± 8a

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