**2. Materials and Methods**

#### *2.1. Study Area*

The study area corresponds to the plantations of *Eucalyptus grandis* and *E. dunnii* in the forest aptitude soils of the northern, western, and south-eastern regions of Uruguay (Figure 1, Table S2 Supplementary Materials). Forest priority soils cover areas defined as forest according to current legislation, which include those marginal soils for agricultural uses [26].

**Figure 1.** Map of current plantations of *Eucalyptus dunnii* and *E. grandis.* Source: http://web. renare.gub.uy/js/visores/coneat/, https://web.snig.gub.uy/arcgisprtal/apps/webappviewer/index.html? id=b90f805255ae4ef0983c2bfb40be627f.

Its suitability is associated with the conditions which allow good forest growth: good conditions for root formation, adequate drainage, and low natural fertility. Currently, the total area of these soils is 4.42 million hectares and this land is characterized by having a low or average suitability for arable crops or livestock, according to the national productivity index.
