Relative contribution of photodegradation to litter breakdown in Australian grasslands.

Grassy ecosystems cover ~40% of the global land surface and are an integral component of the global carbon (C) cycle. Grass litter decomposes via a combination of photodegradation (which returns C to the atmosphere rapidly) and biological decomposition (a slower C pathway). As such, decomposition and C storage in grasslands may vary with climate and exposure to solar radiation.