Models of Microbially Catalyzed Biogeochemical Cycling in Soils Models of Microbially Catalyzed Biogeochemical Cycling in Soils RR Lassiter 22.61.05.13 Microbial depolymerization of biopolymers followed by microbially catalyzed redox reactions are the predominant transformations that comprise biogeocycling processes in soils. First generation models have been developed which represent biogeocycling in this manner. These and other models that represent major Earth systems comprise Earth systems models whose purpose is to simulate major processes of the Earth in order to predict future states of the biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere, as well as the climate predictions of traditional climate models. First generation Earth systems models will be limited in the scope of their predictions, and research in many disciplines will contribute toward the reduction of these limitations.
Opportunities exist to improve biogeocycling models by developing new or improving existing models.
Specific areas include improving the models for growth on substrates, bioenergetics models, and models for classes of substrates. Opportunities also exist for parameterization and use of existing models for validation, and to study greenhouse dynamics for local and regional scales.