Research progress of litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems

As a main linkage between material cycle and energy flow in ecosystem, the litter decomposition plays a very important role in soil organic matter formation and nutrient release rate. The research progress on litter decomposition in domestic and overseas were reviewed, and combining with its research trends in three different types of terrestrial ecosystems (forest, grassland and desert), the process of litter decomposition and its affecting effect were described, and the main factors which affect litter decomposition rate from different aspects including physical and chemical properties of litter, CO2 concentration, climatic factors and soil properties were analyzed as well. It could be concluded that the long term and fixed onsite research and the establishment of decomposition model would be the research hot pots in the future.