Precipitation rather than temperature primarily drives global termite effects on litter decomposition

Abstract

Termites play a vital role in litter decomposition, yet a comprehensive global-scale quantitative analysis of their effects and key drivers still needs to be developed. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis using 187 observations to evaluate the impacts and drivers of termite influence on litter decomposition. Our findings revealed that termites enhanced litter decomposition by an average of 41.2% globally, with mean annual precipitation (MAP) being the primary factor driving termite effects. Moreover, termites exert a more substantial influence on woody litter decomposition compared to foliar litter, whereas they play a more influential role in forests than in grasslands, showing a more significant impact on litter placed on the soil surface than underground. Additionally, MAP acts as the sole dominant driver of decomposition in woody litter, while both MAP and mean annual temperature (MAT) are the key factors affecting the termite-drived litter decomposition in the forest. MAP, MAT and elevation were also detected as the dominant factors in regulating the degradation of plant debris when litter is placed on the soil surface or using meshbag to exclude termites. Our results indicated that termites could significantly contribute to litter decomposition, and MAP mainly derives these material recycling processes globally and regionally.