Decomposition in tropical forests: a pan‐tropical study of the effects of litter type, litter placement and mesofaunal exclusion across a precipitation gradient

Summary 1. Litter decomposition recycles nutrients and causes large fluxes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It is typically assumed that climate, litter quality and decomposer communities determine litter decay rates, yet few comparative studies have examined their relative contributions in tropical forests. 2. We used a short-term litterbag experiment to quantify the effects of litter quality, placement and mesofaunal exclusion on decomposition in 23 tropical forests in 14 countries. Annual precipitation varied among sites (760‐5797 mm). At each site, two standard substrates ( Raphia farinifera and Laurus nobilis ) were decomposed in fine- and coarse-mesh litterbags both above and below ground for approximately 1 year.