Table S1 Summary of all experiments included in the meta-analysis. Stars indicate which experiment provided that type of data. Con: experimental condition; LAT: latitude; LON: longitude; method: UV treatment method; type: types of UV; Trt: treatments (+: increased the level of UV radiation; -: reduced the level of UV radiation); microbe: whether microbial decomposition was or was not inhibited; L: length of the experiment (month); M: litter mass; K: litter decomposition rate; C: carbon; N: nitrogen; Lig: lignin; DOC: dissolved organic carbon; MBC: microbial biomass carbon; MR: microbial respiration. Citation Ecosystem Austin & Ballaré, Semi-arid 2010 grassland Austin & Ballaré, Semi-arid 2010 grassland Austin & Ballaré, Semi-arid 2010 grassland Austin & Ballaré, Semi-arid 2010 grassland Austin & Vivanco, Semi-arid 2006 steppe Austin & Vivanco, Semi-arid 2006 steppe Bao et al., 2014 Agriculture ecosystem M Con LAT LON Method Type Trt Microbe L Field -31.04 -64.31 Filter UVB - Inhibited 4 * Field -31.04 -64.31 Filter UV - Inhibited 4 * Field -34.35 -58.29 Filter UVB - Inhibited 2.5 * Field -34.35 -58.29 Filter UV - Inhibited 2.5 * Field -45.41 -70.16 Filter UVB - Not Inhibited 18 * Field -45.41 -70.16 Filter UVB - Inhibited 18 * Lab -- -- Lamp UVB + Not Inhibited 2.5 K C N C/N Lig DOC MBC * MR Bao et al., 2014 Bao et al., 2014 Bao et al., 2014 Barnes et al., 2012 Barnes et al., 2012 Barnes et al., 2012 Brandt et al., 2010 Brandt et al., 2010 Brandt et al., 2010 Brandt et al., 2010 Agriculture ecosystem Agriculture ecosystem Agriculture ecosystem Semi-desert savanna Semi-desert savanna Semi-desert savanna Mesic grassland Mesic grassland Semi-arid grassland Semi-arid grassland Lab -- -- Lamp UVB + Not Inhibited 2.5 * Lab -- -- Lamp UVB + Not Inhibited 2.5 * Lab -- -- Lamp UVB + Not Inhibited 2.5 * Field 31.47 -110.53 Lamp UV - Inhibited 7.5 * * Field 31.47 -110.53 Lamp UV - Inhibited 7.5 * * Field 31.47 -110.53 Lamp UV - Inhibited 7.5 * * Field 45.40 -93.20 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 24 * * * * Field 45.40 -93.20 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 24 * * * * Field 40.80 -104.80 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 24 * * * * Field 40.80 -104.80 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 24 * * * * * Brandt et al., 2010 Arid grassland Field 34.40 -106.90 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 24 * * * Brandt et al., 2010 Arid grassland Field 34.40 -106.90 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 24 * * * Field 40.49 -104.46 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 36 * * Brandt et al., 2007 Semi-arid grassland Brandt et al., 2007 Brandt et al., 2007 Brandt et al., 2007 Brandt et al., 2007 Brandt et al., 2007 Semi-arid grassland Semi-arid grassland Semi-arid grassland Semi-arid grassland Semi-arid grassland Field 40.49 -104.46 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 36 * * Field 40.49 -104.46 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 36 * * Field 40.49 -104.46 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 36 * * Field 40.49 -104.46 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 36 * Field 40.49 -104.46 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 36 * Day et al., 2007 Arid desert Field 33.50 -111.80 Filter UVB - Not Inhibited 5 * Day et al., 2007 Arid desert Field 33.50 -111.80 Filter UVB - Not Inhibited 5 * Day et al., 2007 Arid desert Field 33.50 -111.80 Filter UVB - Not Inhibited 5 * Day et al., 2007 Arid desert Field 33.50 -111.80 Filter UVB - Not Inhibited 4 * Day et al., 2007 Arid desert Field 33.50 -111.80 Filter UVB - Not Inhibited 4 * Day et al., 2007 Arid desert Field 33.50 -111.80 Filter UVB - Not Inhibited 4 * Field 31.36 34.15 Shade Total - Not Inhibited 4 * * * Field 32.30 34.55 Shade Total - Not Inhibited 4 * * * Dirk et al., 2010 Dirk et al., 2010 Mediterranean shrubland Mediterranean shrubland * Duguay & Agriculture Klironomos, 2000 ecosystem Duguay & Agriculture Klironomos, 2000 ecosystem Feng et al., 2011 Feng et al., 2011 Gallo et al., 2009 Gallo et al., 2009 Gallo et al., 2009 Gallo et al., 2006 Gallo et al., 2006 Gehrke et al., 1995 Gehrke et al., 1995 Gehrke et al., 1995 Gehrke et al., 1995 Agriculture ecosystem Forest ecosystem Semi-arid riparian Semi-arid riparian Semi-arid riparian Arid ecosystem Arid ecosystem Subarctic heathland Subarctic heathland Subarctic heathland Subarctic heathland Lab -- -- Lamp UVB - Not Inhibited 2 * * Lab -- -- Lamp UVB - Not Inhibited 2 * * Lab -- -- Lamp UV + Inhibited 3 * Lab -- -- Lamp UV + Inhibited 3 * Field 35.13 -106.69 Shade Total - Not Inhibited 23 * Field 35.13 -106.69 Shade Total - Not Inhibited 23 * Field 35.13 -106.69 Shade Total - Not Inhibited 16 * Lab -- -- Lamp UV - Not Inhibited 6 * * Lab -- -- Lamp UV - Not Inhibited 6 * * Field 68.21 18.49 Lamp UV + Not Inhibited 12 * Lab -- -- Lamp UVB - Not Inhibited 2 * Lab -- -- Lamp UVB - Not Inhibited 2 Lab -- -- Lamp UV + Not Inhibited 0.2 * * Gehrke et al., 1995 Henry et al., 2008 Henry et al., 2008 Johnson et al., 2002 Johnson et al., 2002 Kirschbaum et al., 2011 Subarctic -- -- Lamp UV + Not Inhibited 2 Field 37.40 -122.22 Shade Total - Not Inhibited 12 * Field 37.40 -122.22 Shade Total - Not Inhibited 12 * Arctic Lab -- -- Lamp UVB + Not Inhibited 60 * Arctic Lab -- -- Lamp UVB + Not Inhibited 60 * Grassland Lab -- -- Lamp UV - Inhibited 2 * * Lab -- -- Lamp UV - Inhibited 2 * * Field 43.42 -102.20 Filter UV - Inhibited 12 * Field 43.42 -102.20 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 12 * Field 32.14 118.42 Lamp UVB + Not Inhibited 8 * Field 32.14 118.42 Lamp UVB + Not Inhibited 8 * Field 51.07 -0.49 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 12 * * Field 51.07 -0.49 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 12 * * Mediterranean grassland Mediterranean grassland Kirschbaum et al., Forest 2011 ecosystem Lin & King, 2014 Lin & King, 2014 Lou et al., 2011 Lou et al., 2011 * Lab heathland Semi-arid grassland Semi-arid grassland Agriculture ecosystem Agriculture ecosystem Messenger et al., Forest 2012 ecosystem Messenger et al., Forest 2012 ecosystem * * * * * Moody et al., 2001 Moody et al., 2001 Moody et al., 2001 Subarctic shrub heath Dune grassland Experimental garden Moody et al., 2001 Arctic tundra Newsham et al., Temperate 1997 woodland Newsham et al., Temperate 1997 woodland Pancotto et al., Sub-Antarctic 2005 shrubland Pancotto et al., Sub-Antarctic 2005 shrubland Pancotto et al., Sub-Antarctic 2003 shrubland Pancotto et al., Sub-Antarctic 2003 shrubland Pancotto et al., Sub-Antarctic 2003 shrubland Pancotto et al., Sub-Antarctic 2003 shrubland Rinnan et al., 2008 Subarctic mire Field 68.00 18.00 Lamp UV + Inhibited 14 * * * Field 52.00 4.00 Lamp UV + Inhibited 14 * * * Field 38.00 29.00 Lamp UV + Inhibited 14 * * * Field 78.00 16.00 Lamp UV + Inhibited 14 Field 52.24 -0.14 Lamp UVA + Not Inhibited 15 * * Field 52.24 -0.14 Lamp UV + Not Inhibited 15 * * Field -54.51 -68.36 Filter UVB - Not Inhibited 29 * * * Field -54.51 -68.36 Filter UVB - Not Inhibited 29 * * * Field -54.51 -68.35 Filter UVB - Not Inhibited 4 * * Field -54.51 -68.35 Filter UVB - Not Inhibited 4.6 * * Field -54.51 -68.35 Filter UVB - Not Inhibited 4.6 Field -54.51 -68.35 Filter UVB - Not Inhibited 4.6 Field 67.22 28.38 Lamp UVB + Not Inhibited 30 * * * * Rinnan et al., 2008 Rinnan et al., 2006 Rinnan et al., 2006 Rinnan et al., 2005 Rinnan et al., 2005 Subarctic mire Mire ecosystem Mire ecosystem Arctic heathland Arctic heathland Rozema et al., Dune 1997 grassland Rozema et al., Dune 1997 grassland Rozema et al., Dune 1997 grassland Rozema et al., Dune 1997 grassland Rozema et al., Dune 1997 grassland Rozema et al., Dune 1997 grassland Smith et al., 2010 Smith et al., 2010 Forest ecosystem Forest ecosystem Field 67.22 28.38 Lamp UVB + Not Inhibited 30 * Field 55.41 12.06 Lamp UVB + Not Inhibited 2 * Field 55.41 12.06 Lamp UVB + Not Inhibited 2 * Field 74.30 -20.30 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 36 * Field 74.30 -20.30 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 36 * Field 52.30 4.40 Lamp UVB + Not Inhibited 2 * Field 52.30 4.40 Lamp UVB + Not Inhibited 2 * Field 52.30 4.40 Lamp UVB + Not Inhibited 1.5 * * Field 52.30 4.40 Lamp UVB + Not Inhibited 1.5 * * Field 52.30 4.40 Lamp UVB + Not Inhibited 2 * Field 52.30 4.40 Lamp UVB + Not Inhibited 2 * Lab -- -- Lamp UV + Not Inhibited 6 * * Lab -- -- Lamp UV + Not Inhibited 6 * * Smith et al., 2010 Smith et al., 2010 Smith et al., 2010 Smith et al., 2010 Smith et al., 2010 Smith et al., 2010 Smith et al., 2010 Smith et al., 2010 Smith et al., 2010 Smith et al., 2010 Song et al., 2014 Song et al., 2014 Song et al., 2014 Forest ecosystem Forest ecosystem Forest ecosystem Forest ecosystem Forest ecosystem Forest ecosystem Forest ecosystem Forest ecosystem Forest ecosystem Forest ecosystem Subtropical forest Subtropical forest Subtropical forest Lab -- -- Lamp UV + Not Inhibited 6 * * Lab -- -- Lamp UV + Inhibited 6 * * Lab -- -- Lamp UV + Inhibited 6 * * Lab -- -- Lamp UV + Inhibited 6 * * Lab -- -- Lamp UV - Not Inhibited 6 * * * Lab -- -- Lamp UV - Not Inhibited 6 * * * Lab -- -- Lamp UV - Not Inhibited 6 * * * Lab -- -- Lamp UV - Inhibited 6 * * * Lab -- -- Lamp UV - Inhibited 6 * * * Lab -- -- Lamp UV - Inhibited 6 * * * Field 30.16 119.44 Lamp UV + Not Inhibited 32 * * * Field 30.16 119.44 Lamp UV + Not Inhibited 32 * * * Field 30.16 119.44 Lamp UV + Not Inhibited 32 * * * Song et al., 2014 Song et al., 2014 Song et al., 2014 Song et al., 2012 Song et al., 2012 Song et al., 2011 Song et al., 2011 Uselman et al., 2011 Uselman et al., 2011 Uselman et al., 2011 Our experiment Our experiment Subtropical Field 30.16 119.44 Lamp UV + Not Inhibited 32 * * * Field 30.16 119.44 Lamp UV + Not Inhibited 32 * * * Field 30.16 119.44 Lamp UV + Not Inhibited 32 * * * Field 30.16 119.44 Lamp UV + Not Inhibited 12 * Field 30.16 119.44 Lamp UV + Not Inhibited 12 * Field 30.14 119.42 Lamp UV + Not Inhibited 12 * * * * Field 30.14 119.42 Lamp UV + Not Inhibited 12 * * * * Desert riparian Field 39.51 -119.23 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 12 * * * Desert riparian Field 39.51 -119.23 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 12 * * * Desert riparian Field 39.51 -119.23 Filter UV - Not Inhibited 12 * * * Lab -- -- Lamp UV + Inhibited 6.5 * * * * * Lab -- -- Lamp UV + Not Inhibited 6.5 * * * * * forest Subtropical forest Subtropical forest Subtropical forest Subtropical forest Subtropical forest Subtropical forest Semi-arid grassland Semi-arid grassland * * Austin AT, Ballare CL (2010) Dual role of lignin in plant litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems. 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