Table 5 Summary of the roles of soil fauna and microbes in litter decomposition process

Soil fauna

• Mix the mineral soil and soil organic matter and change the water infiltration and water regime

Brown 1995; Lavelle et al. 1997)

• Alter the soil physical, chemical, and biological activities through tillering

Gonzalez et al. 2001; Gonzalez and Zou 1999

• Increase the surface area of substrate for microbial use

Gonzalez et al. 2001; Gonzalez and Zou 1999

• Stimulate the microbial population which are involved the decomposition process

Gonzalez et al. 2001; Gonzalez and Zou 1999

• Releases soil enzymes, which can help to process root-driven carbon, small organic matter, and fresh aboveground litter, as energy source for bacteria (for example, fungi)

Schinner 1996; Gonzalez and Zou 1999

• Synthesize cellulose and lignin-degrading enzymes (for example, actinomycetes)

McCarthy 1987; Crawford 1988

• Microalgae fix nitrogen and produce organic matter via photosynthesis.

Crawford 1988; Gonzalez and Zou 1999

• Augment the nutrient in soil by adding nitrogenous compounds present in their excreta and dead tissue

Gonzalez and Zou 1999; Gonzalez et al. 2001

Soil microbes

• Release soil enzymes for the purpose of breaking the larger compounds

Vivanco and Austin 2008; Brady and Weil 2010;

• Decompose the fragmented litter and release nutrients

Laganiere et al. 2010