The phenology, lifespan, and decomposition of fine roots mediate fluxes of carbon and nutrients within plants and across terrestrial ecosystems. Leveraging institutional support from The Morton Arboretum and a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant focused on root decomposition, this umbrella project unites over a decade of research with collaborators in China, the University of Minnesota, and elsewhere in the United States. It pushes forward with new installations to understand how different tree species allocate resources to build and maintain roots, and how these choices then manifest diverse strategies for soil resource acquisition across seasons and years.