This paper reviews the recent progress in the study of the research method, variety, sources, emission rates, production as well as the control factors of monoterpenes emitted from leaves litter during their decomposition. The research approach mainly included two steps: The decomposition of leaves litter and the determination of monoterpenes. In general, leaves litter were decomposed in field with litter bags and then transferred to laboratory or directly incubated on laboratory to determine mononterpenes in gases released from them. In total, fourteen monoterpenes were determined in gases released from leaves litter in forest, among   which α/β-pinene, campene and linmonene were the most common. They were mainly derived from volatilization of inherited monnoterpenes of leaves litter or degradation of leaves litter substrates from microbial activity. The emission rates of monoterpenes ranged from 10^-9~10^-6 g/（g(dry leaves litter)·h）, while the production of monoterpenes were within 10^-9~10^-6g/g(dry leaves litter). The release of monoterpenes was controlled by species, inherited monoterpenes of leaves litter, decay stage and microbial activity during the decomposition process. In future, studies will be concentrated on the inventory and profile of monoterpenes emitted from leaves litter in different forest ecosystem.