Microbiological indicators of soil carbon dynamics
https://doi.org/10.19047/0136-1694-2025-124-116-143
Abstract
Microorganisms play a key role in the dynamics of soil organic matter (SOM) stocks, redistributing carbon (C) among microbial biomass growth, respiration, polymer synthesis, and intracellular and extracellular enzymatic processes. This paper provides a review of microbiological indicators used to study the decomposition, transformation, and stabilization of SOM, as well as their application in modeling soil C dynamics. This study examines microbiological parameters of the carbon cycle, such as microbial biomass C, soil enzymatic activity, microbial necromass C, C use efficiency (CUE), basal respiration, and microbial community structure. Methods for determining these indicators, their interpretation, and examples of their application in mathematical models are discussed. Given that microbial necromass constitutes a significant portion of SOM and that CUE is a key parameter balancing C mineralization and stabilization, integrating microbiological data into predictive models can significantly improve their accuracy. Quantitative determination of microbiological indicators of the С cycle under various soil and ecological conditions is essential for studying the mechanisms of microbial transformation and stabilization of SOM.
Keywords
microbial biomass carbon,
microbial necromass carbon,
enzymatic activity,
carbon use efficiency in microorganisms
Supporting agencies: The work has been prepared within the framework of the implementation of a major state-level innovation project, “Unified National System for Monitoring Climate-Active Substances” (Consortium No. 4 “Carbon in Ecosystems: Monitoring”, Agreement No. VIP GZ/24-4 of March 11, 2024), and under the state assignment of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia No. FGUR-2025-0011 “Mechanisms of microbial transformation of sequestered carbon in agroecosystem soils”
About the Author
M. V. Semenov
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mikhail-Semenov
Federal Research Centre “V.V. Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute”
Russian Federation
Federal Research Centre “V.V. Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute”
Russian Federation
7 Bld. 2 Pyzhevskiy per., Moscow 119017
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Semenov M.V. Microbiological indicators of soil carbon dynamics. Dokuchaev Soil Bulletin. 2025;(124):116-143. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.19047/0136-1694-2025-124-116-143
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