Abstract. Previous modeling efforts document divergent responses of microbial explicit soil biogeochemistry models when compared to traditional models that implicitly simulate microbial activity, particularly following environmental perturbations. However, microbial models are needed that capture current soil biogeochemical theories emphasizing the relationships between litter quality, functional differences in microbial physiology, and the physical protection of microbial byproducts in forming stable soil organic matter (SOM). To address these limitations we introduce the MIcrobial-MIneral Carbon Stabilization (MIMICS) model. In MIMICS, the turnover of litter and SOM pools are governed by temperature sensitive Michaelis–Menten kinetics and the activity of two physiologically distinct microbial functional types. The production of microbial residues through microbial turnover provides inputs to SOM pools that are considered physically or chemically protected. Soil clay content determines the physical protection of SOM in different soil environments. MIMICS adequately simulates the mean rate of leaf litter decomposition observed at a temperate and boreal forest sites, and captures observed effects of litter quality on decomposition rates. Initial results from MIMICS suggest that soil C storage can be maximized in sandy soils with low-quality litter inputs, whereas high-quality litter inputs may maximize SOM accumulation in finely textured soils that physically stabilize microbial products. Assumptions in MIMICS about the degree to which microbial functional types differ in the production, turnover, and stabilization of microbial residues provides a~mechanism by which microbial communities may influence SOM dynamics in mineral soils. Although further analyses are needed to validate model results, MIMICS allows us to begin exploring theoretical interactions between substrate quality, microbial community abundance, and the formation of stable SOM.
Methanogens: pushing the boundaries of biology
