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Decomposition of fine roots is a fundamental ecosystem process that relates to carbon (C) and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. However, this important ecosystem process has been hardly studied in Patagonian ecosystems. The aim of this work was to study root decomposition and nutrient release from fine roots of grasses and trees (Nothofagus antarctica) across a range of Patagonian ecosystems that included steppe, primary forest and silvopastoral forests. After 2.2 years of decomposition in the field all roots retained 70–90% of their original mass, and decomposition rates were 0.09 and 0.15 year⁻¹ for grass roots in steppe and primary forest, respectively. For N. antarctica roots, no significant differences were found in rates of decay between primary and silvopastoral forests (k = 0.07 year⁻¹). Possibly low temperatures of these southern sites restricted decomposition by microorganisms. Nutrient release …