Soil invertebrate fauna
We have shown that termites are important decomposers responsible for a significant component of mass loss of litter. Termites specializing in the decomposition of dead plant material and are diverse in the tropics but not in temperate regions (Lavelle et al. 2022). The Termitidae, for example, are litter-feeders with high diversity in tropical forests (Eggleton & Tayasu 2001), well adapted to breaking down organic matter (Hogan et al. 1988; Bignell 2019). Many termite species are able to produce endogenous cellulase predominantly in the midgut enabling them to digest cellulose (Hogan et al. 1988). They also produce extracellular enzymes that digest cell wall polysaccharides cooperatively with symbiotic protozoa (e.g. Kalotermitidae) or microbial symbionts (e.g. the Termitidae) (Eggleton & Tayasu 2001). Our results provide further evidence that termites are key decomposers in the tropics, shaping nutrient turnover with ecosystem-wide implications for carbon flux and soil modification (Ashton et al.2019; Griffiths et al. 2021b). Understanding the links among termite biodiversity, ecosystem processes and environmental change such as climate and land use change is key for understanding biogeochemical cycles.