I have put the litter bags in the field and collected the samples after one-year decomposition. In the process of paper submission, the reviewer pointed out that it was inappropriate to discuss the effects of microbial processes on decomposition without measuring microbial parameters, but now all the samples have been freeze-dried. Since microbial fractionation of δ13C happens during utilization of organic matters, I just wonder if I can use the changes in litter δ13C values to indicate the influence of experimental treatment on microbial decomposition process ?