Jiong Fu

Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China
Author    Correspondence author
International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 2025, Vol. 15, No. 5   
Received: 16 Jul., 2025    Accepted: 25 Aug., 2025    Published: 08 Sep., 2025

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

This study reviews the ecological significance, driving mechanisms, phased dynamics and role in nutrient cycling of the deciduous decomposition process, and focuses on evaluating the responses of decomposition and nutrient cycling in the context of global change. Research has found that the decomposition of fallen leaves supports vegetation regeneration and primary productivity by releasing nutrients, enhances soil fertility and structural stability, and strengthens the ecosystem's resistance to disturbances. The decomposition process is driven by a variety of biological and abiotic factors: the diversity and functional division of decomposers (microorganisms and soil invertebrates), environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity in the habitat, and the chemical quality of fallen leaves themselves jointly determine the decomposition rate. Meanwhile, the decomposition of fallen leaves has a distinct phased dynamic pattern. The rapid loss of soluble substances in the early stage, the degradation of structural substances in the middle stage, and the formation of stable residues (humus) in the later stage occur in stages. This study emphasizes that the decomposition of fallen leaves is an important process for maintaining ecosystem functions, with the aim of better predicting and managing the nutrient cycling of ecosystems under climate change and human interference.

Decomposition of fallen leaves; Nutrient cycling; Diversity of decomposers; Decomposition rate; Global changes