In-situ local litter decomposition was mainly microbial and differed between pastures and mature forests but not along early succession in a tropical dry forest ecosystem

•Litter quality and successional age of the sites were not related to decomposition.•Decomposition was slightly higher in pastures than in mature forests.•Decomposition was mainly microbial, bacteria proliferated in the rapid period.•Meso- and small macro-fauna access to litter bags did not increase decomposition.•Decomposition of local litter in-situ seems a resilient ecosystem function.