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Caddisfly larvae and crayfish can play a major role in stream food webs by having strong negative effects on leaf litter breakdown. However, less is known about their role in pond food webs and subsequent impacts on ecosystem function. To evaluate the effects of two common species inhabiting ponds in the NC mountains (the caddisfly Platycentropus spp. and the crayfish, Cambarus bartonii), we conducted a mesocosm experiment. We deployed four different food webs (1 large crayfish, 2 small crayfish, 11-15 caddisflies, or no detritivores) to determine the effects of these detritivores on a common leaf litter type (Oak) over 6 weeks. To standardize detritivore biomass, treatments had different densities. We found a marginally significant effect of detritivore treatment on leaf litter decomposition relative to leaf litter controls. Leaf litter biomass did decline through time but was dependent on detritivore identity. Specifically, the effects of two small crayfish caused the greatest decline by the conclusion of the experiment. Our results indicate that detritivores can have effects on pond leaf litter but that this effect may be limited based on species and body size. Future studies should expand and explore the greater range of conditions (detritivore densities, top predator presence, resource availability) that could explain the role of caddisflies and crayfish in pond food webs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]