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Title: Substrate and environmental controls on microbial assimilation of soil organic carbon: a framework for Earth System Models

Abstract

Microbial assimilation of soil organic carbon is one of the fundamental processes of global carbon cycling and it determines the magnitude of microbial biomass in soils. Mechanistic understanding of microbial assimilation of soil organic carbon and its controls is important for to improve Earth system models ability to simulate carbon-climate feedbacks. Although microbial assimilation of soil organic carbon is broadly considered to be an important parameter, it really comprises two separate physiological processes: one-time assimilation efficiency and time-dependent microbial maintenance energy. Representing of these two mechanisms is crucial to more accurately simulate carbon cycling in soils. In this study, a simple modeling framework was developed to evaluate the substrate and environmental controls on microbial assimilation of soil organic carbon using a new term: microbial annual active period (the length of microbes remaining active in one year). Substrate quality has a positive effect on microbial assimilation of soil organic carbon: higher substrate quality (lower C:N ratio) leads to higher ratio of microbial carbon to soil organic carbon and vice versa. Increases in microbial annual active period from zero stimulate microbial assimilation of soil organic carbon; however, when microbial annual active period is longer than an optimal threshold, increasing this period decreasesmore » microbial biomass. The simulated ratios of soil microbial biomass to soil organic carbon are reasonably consistent with a recently compiled global dataset at the biome-level. The modeling framework of microbial assimilation of soil organic carbon and its controls developed in this study offers an applicable ways to incorporate microbial contributions to the carbon cycling into Earth system models for simulating carbon-climate feedbacks and to explain global patterns of microbial biomass.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. ORNL
  2. University of California, Santa Barbara
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
1129593
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Ecology Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 17; Journal Issue: 5; Journal ID: ISSN 1461-023X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Xu, Xiaofeng, Schimel, Joshua, Thornton, Peter E, Song, Xia, Yuan, Fengming, and Goswami, Santonu. Substrate and environmental controls on microbial assimilation of soil organic carbon: a framework for Earth System Models. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1111/ele.12254.
Xu, Xiaofeng, Schimel, Joshua, Thornton, Peter E, Song, Xia, Yuan, Fengming, & Goswami, Santonu. Substrate and environmental controls on microbial assimilation of soil organic carbon: a framework for Earth System Models. United States. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.12254
Xu, Xiaofeng, Schimel, Joshua, Thornton, Peter E, Song, Xia, Yuan, Fengming, and Goswami, Santonu. 2014. "Substrate and environmental controls on microbial assimilation of soil organic carbon: a framework for Earth System Models". United States. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.12254.
@article{osti_1129593,
title = {Substrate and environmental controls on microbial assimilation of soil organic carbon: a framework for Earth System Models},
author = {Xu, Xiaofeng and Schimel, Joshua and Thornton, Peter E and Song, Xia and Yuan, Fengming and Goswami, Santonu},
abstractNote = {Microbial assimilation of soil organic carbon is one of the fundamental processes of global carbon cycling and it determines the magnitude of microbial biomass in soils. Mechanistic understanding of microbial assimilation of soil organic carbon and its controls is important for to improve Earth system models ability to simulate carbon-climate feedbacks. Although microbial assimilation of soil organic carbon is broadly considered to be an important parameter, it really comprises two separate physiological processes: one-time assimilation efficiency and time-dependent microbial maintenance energy. Representing of these two mechanisms is crucial to more accurately simulate carbon cycling in soils. In this study, a simple modeling framework was developed to evaluate the substrate and environmental controls on microbial assimilation of soil organic carbon using a new term: microbial annual active period (the length of microbes remaining active in one year). Substrate quality has a positive effect on microbial assimilation of soil organic carbon: higher substrate quality (lower C:N ratio) leads to higher ratio of microbial carbon to soil organic carbon and vice versa. Increases in microbial annual active period from zero stimulate microbial assimilation of soil organic carbon; however, when microbial annual active period is longer than an optimal threshold, increasing this period decreases microbial biomass. The simulated ratios of soil microbial biomass to soil organic carbon are reasonably consistent with a recently compiled global dataset at the biome-level. The modeling framework of microbial assimilation of soil organic carbon and its controls developed in this study offers an applicable ways to incorporate microbial contributions to the carbon cycling into Earth system models for simulating carbon-climate feedbacks and to explain global patterns of microbial biomass.},
doi = {10.1111/ele.12254},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1129593}, journal = {Ecology Letters},
issn = {1461-023X},
number = 5,
volume = 17,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2014},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2014}
}