Effects of soil fauna on litter decomposition using field microcosms across 16 co-occurring temperate tree species

ABSTRACT Litter decomposition is an important part of the carbon and nutrient cycles in terrestrial ecosystems. However, understanding of the contribution of soil fauna to litter decomposition and the relationship between soil fauna and litter quality is limited. Using custom-made field microcosms, we conducted a two-year experiment to study the effects of soil fauna on litter decomposition and the relationship between soil fauna and litter quality for 16 co-occurring species in a Chinese temperate forest. Our results showed that soil fauna changed the litter decomposition rate by −13.0–34.0%, with an average of +13.1% across the 16 species studied. Moreover, the effects of soil fauna were correlated with initial litter quality. Fauna effects were positively correlated with concentrations of non-structural carbohydrates and nitrogen and negatively correlated with tannin and lignin concentrations. Our study suggests that soil fauna can significantly increase decomposition rates in temperate forest. Initial litter quality, especially in relation to non-structural carbohydrate, nitrogen, lignin and tannin concentrations, may largely explain the effects of soil fauna on decomposition.