Table S1.

Description of each site

Site	No. of plots	Plot area, ha	Stand age at first census, y	Measurement period	Total no. of tree species recorded	Previous land use	Minimum dbh, cm
Brazil 1 (31, 39)	15	0.0125–0.06	2–19	1999–2010	398	None	3
Brazil 2 (31, 39)	13	0.01–0.06	2–11	1999–2010	246	Pasture	3
Costa Rica 1 (14)	6	1	12–35	1997–2012	366	Pasture	5
Costa Rica 2 (14)	4	0.33–1.16	1–25	1987–2011	360	None	10
Mexico wet (17)	10	0.05	2–17	2000–2010	206	Fallow cornfields	5
Mexico dry (16)	12	0.04	3–60	2003–2012	75	Fallow cornfields	5
Nicaragua (18)	12	0.1	2	1990–2007	328	None	5

Characteristics of the study plots for each of the seven sites. Literature references are in parentheses next to the site.