The effects of invertebrates on wood decomposition across the world

Denis M. Njoroge; Gbadamassi G.O. Dossa; Douglas Schaefer; Juan Zuo; Michael D. Ulyshen; Sebastian Seibold; Amy E. Zanne; Brad Oberle; Rhett D. Harrison; Shengjie Liu; Xiaobo Li; Tone Birkemoe; Melanie K. Taylor; Philip J. Burton; David B. Lindenmayer; Jari Kouki; Yagya Adhikari; Johannes H.C. Cornelissen

doi:10.1111/brv.13134

The effects of invertebrates on wood decomposition across the world

Denis M. Njoroge, Gbadamassi G.O. Dossa^*, Douglas Schaefer, Juan Zuo^*, Michael D. Ulyshen, Sebastian Seibold, Amy E. Zanne, Brad Oberle, Rhett D. Harrison, Shengjie Liu, Xiaobo Li, Tone Birkemoe, Melanie K. Taylor, Philip J. Burton, David B. Lindenmayer, Jari Kouki, Yagya Adhikari, Johannes H.C. Cornelissen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Systems Ecology

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Abstract

Invertebrates and microorganisms are important but climate-dependent agents of wood decomposition globally. In this meta-analysis, we investigated what drives the invertebrate effect on wood decomposition worldwide. Globally, we found wood decomposition rates were on average approximately 40% higher when invertebrates were present compared to when they were excluded. This effect was most pronounced in the tropics, owing mainly to the activities of termites. The invertebrate effect was stronger for woody debris without bark as well as for that of larger diameter, possibly reflecting bark- and diameter-mediated differences in fungal colonisation or activity rates relative to those of invertebrates. Our meta-analysis shows similar overall invertebrate effect sizes on decomposition of woody debris derived from angiosperms and gymnosperms globally. Our results suggest the existence of critical interactions between microorganism colonisation and the invertebrate contribution to wood decomposition. To improve biogeochemical models, a better quantification of invertebrate contributions to wood decomposition is needed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	158-171
Number of pages	14
Journal	Biological Reviews
Volume	100
Issue number	1
Early online date	16 Sept 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.13134
Publication status	Published - Feb 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

Funding

G. G. O. D. is grateful to Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, the Environmental Education Department, for organising the first meta-analysis course taught by Shuang Zhang and Sichong Chen in 2016 at which the idea for this manuscript emerged. D. M. N. and J. Z. acknowledge the Knowledge Innovation Program of Wuhan – Basic Research (2022020801010166) and a research grant from Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Y9559701). This work was also funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (W2432022, 31850410488), Yunnan Province Government for Talents Program (E1YN101B01), Zhi Hui Yunnan Program (202203AM140024), and young international staff Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) president international fellowship initiative (PIFI) grant (2019FYB0001) to G. G. O. D. S. S. received funding from the European Union (ERC, BIOCOMP, GA 101075426), A. E. Z. was supported by National Science Foundation grants number DEB-1655759 and DEB-2149151. All authors declare no conflicts of interest. G. G. O. D. is grateful to Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, the Environmental Education Department, for organising the first meta‐analysis course taught by Shuang Zhang and Sichong Chen in 2016 at which the idea for this manuscript emerged. D. M. N. and J. Z. acknowledge the Knowledge Innovation Program of Wuhan – Basic Research (2022020801010166) and a research grant from Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Y9559701). This work was also funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (W2432022, 31850410488), Yunnan Province Government for Talents Program (E1YN101B01), Zhi Hui Yunnan Program (202203AM140024), and young international staff Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) president international fellowship initiative (PIFI) grant (2019FYB0001) to G. G. O. D. S. S. received funding from the European Union (ERC, BIOCOMP, GA 101075426), A. E. Z. was supported by National Science Foundation grants number DEB‐1655759 and DEB‐2149151. All authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Funders	Funder number
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden
European Commission
Wuhan Botanical Garden
Yunnan Province Government for Talents Program	E1YN101B01
Zhi Hui Yunnan Program	2019FYB0001, 202203AM140024
National Science Foundation	DEB‐2149151, DEB‐1655759
European Research Council	GA 101075426
National Natural Science Foundation of China	31850410488, W2432022
Environmental Education Department	2022020801010166
Chinese Academy of Sciences	Y9559701

Keywords

bark effect
carbon cycle
dead wood
invertebrate effect
meta-analysis
woody debris

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10.1111/brv.13134

Biological Reviews - 2024 - Njoroge - The effects of invertebrates on wood decomposition across the worldFinal published version, 1.88 MBLicence: Article 25fa Dutch Copyright Act

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Njoroge, D. M., Dossa, G. G. O., Schaefer, D., Zuo, J., Ulyshen, M. D., Seibold, S., Zanne, A. E., Oberle, B., Harrison, R. D., Liu, S., Li, X., Birkemoe, T., Taylor, M. K., Burton, P. J., Lindenmayer, D. B., Kouki, J., Adhikari, Y., & Cornelissen, J. H. C. (2025). The effects of invertebrates on wood decomposition across the world. Biological Reviews, 100(1), 158-171. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.13134

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abstract = "Invertebrates and microorganisms are important but climate-dependent agents of wood decomposition globally. In this meta-analysis, we investigated what drives the invertebrate effect on wood decomposition worldwide. Globally, we found wood decomposition rates were on average approximately 40\% higher when invertebrates were present compared to when they were excluded. This effect was most pronounced in the tropics, owing mainly to the activities of termites. The invertebrate effect was stronger for woody debris without bark as well as for that of larger diameter, possibly reflecting bark- and diameter-mediated differences in fungal colonisation or activity rates relative to those of invertebrates. Our meta-analysis shows similar overall invertebrate effect sizes on decomposition of woody debris derived from angiosperms and gymnosperms globally. Our results suggest the existence of critical interactions between microorganism colonisation and the invertebrate contribution to wood decomposition. To improve biogeochemical models, a better quantification of invertebrate contributions to wood decomposition is needed.",

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doi = "10.1111/brv.13134",

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Njoroge, DM, Dossa, GGO, Schaefer, D, Zuo, J, Ulyshen, MD, Seibold, S, Zanne, AE, Oberle, B, Harrison, RD, Liu, S, Li, X, Birkemoe, T, Taylor, MK, Burton, PJ, Lindenmayer, DB, Kouki, J, Adhikari, Y & Cornelissen, JHC 2025, 'The effects of invertebrates on wood decomposition across the world', Biological Reviews, vol. 100, no. 1, pp. 158-171. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.13134

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AU - Njoroge, Denis M.

AU - Dossa, Gbadamassi G.O.

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AU - Ulyshen, Michael D.

AU - Seibold, Sebastian

AU - Zanne, Amy E.

AU - Oberle, Brad

AU - Harrison, Rhett D.

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AU - Taylor, Melanie K.

AU - Burton, Philip J.

AU - Lindenmayer, David B.

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N2 - Invertebrates and microorganisms are important but climate-dependent agents of wood decomposition globally. In this meta-analysis, we investigated what drives the invertebrate effect on wood decomposition worldwide. Globally, we found wood decomposition rates were on average approximately 40% higher when invertebrates were present compared to when they were excluded. This effect was most pronounced in the tropics, owing mainly to the activities of termites. The invertebrate effect was stronger for woody debris without bark as well as for that of larger diameter, possibly reflecting bark- and diameter-mediated differences in fungal colonisation or activity rates relative to those of invertebrates. Our meta-analysis shows similar overall invertebrate effect sizes on decomposition of woody debris derived from angiosperms and gymnosperms globally. Our results suggest the existence of critical interactions between microorganism colonisation and the invertebrate contribution to wood decomposition. To improve biogeochemical models, a better quantification of invertebrate contributions to wood decomposition is needed.

AB - Invertebrates and microorganisms are important but climate-dependent agents of wood decomposition globally. In this meta-analysis, we investigated what drives the invertebrate effect on wood decomposition worldwide. Globally, we found wood decomposition rates were on average approximately 40% higher when invertebrates were present compared to when they were excluded. This effect was most pronounced in the tropics, owing mainly to the activities of termites. The invertebrate effect was stronger for woody debris without bark as well as for that of larger diameter, possibly reflecting bark- and diameter-mediated differences in fungal colonisation or activity rates relative to those of invertebrates. Our meta-analysis shows similar overall invertebrate effect sizes on decomposition of woody debris derived from angiosperms and gymnosperms globally. Our results suggest the existence of critical interactions between microorganism colonisation and the invertebrate contribution to wood decomposition. To improve biogeochemical models, a better quantification of invertebrate contributions to wood decomposition is needed.

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The effects of invertebrates on wood decomposition across the world

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

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