Redshift evolution of ρ_∗, as measured in different papers by integration of the SMF: Caputi et al. (2011, C+11 in the legend), Caputi et al. (2015, C+15), Duncan et al. (2014, D+14), González et al. (2011, G+11), Grazian et al. (2015, G15), Ilbert et al. (2013, I+13), Mortlock et al. (2011, M+11), Mortlock et al. (2014, M+15), Muzzin et al. (2013a, M+13), Reddy et al. (2012, R+12), Santini et al. (2012, S+12), Song et al. (2016, S+16), and Tomczak et al. (2014, T+14). If ρ_∗ uncertainties are not quoted in the paper, we plot approximate error bars by considering the 1σ error of the α parameter. Red stars are the stellar mass density from our fiducial Schechter, brown stars are from the fit with fixed ℳ_⋆. By integrating their SFRD functions, we can plot ρ_∗(z) from Behroozi et al. (2013, black dashed line) and Madau & Dickinson (2014, grey solid line). In both integrations we assume f_return = 41% (coherently with Chabrier’s IMF). For Madau & Dickinson (2014) we also show with a shaded area the ρ_∗ range enclosed by f_return = 50% and 25% (the latter value is similar to the one prescribed by Salpeter’s IMF).