Purpose

Despite its wide application in determining litter decomposition rates, the litterbag method has not well been examined involving some criteria, especially the sample weight and placement of litterbags.

Materials and methods

A comprehensive database of leaf litter decomposition in China was established, including 877 datasets, to examine the controlling factors of litterbag method at the large scale.

Results and discussion

Researchers preferentially chose 1 mm, 1 year, 10 g per litterbag, and laying the litterbags on the soil surface as mesh size, incubation duration, litter sample weight, and placement, respectively. The decomposition rate positively correlated with the mesh size and negatively correlated with the incubation duration. Increasing sample weight reduced the decomposition rate, which is not reported by previous studies, probably due to the decreases of exposure of litters. The decomposition rates were overestimated by burying the litterbags in the soil.

Conclusions

Leaf litter decomposition rate was influenced by the criteria of litterbag method. To ensure the data comparability and further carbon modeling, the sample weight and placement of litterbags should be taken into consideration.