InterPore2022

Explicit spatial modeling at the pore scale unravels the interplay of soil organic carbon storage and structure dynamics

30 May 2022, 17:05

15m

Oral Presentation (MS02) Porous Media for a Green World: Water & Agriculture MS02

Speaker

Simon Zech (Friedrich- Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU))

Description

Key functions of soils, such as their contribution to the carbon cycle are significantly influenced by structures down to the microaggregate scale (< 250 µm). Although advanced imaging techniques now allow snapshots even down to the nanoscale, the mutual interdependence of the turnover of particulate organic matter and dynamic restructuring of soil aggregates is not completely understood yet. In this study, we take advantage of a process-based mechanistic model which is spatially and temporally explicit. Based on the cellular automaton framework presented in [1, 2, 3], it allows to investigate disaggregation and re-formationof the soil microstructure taking into account inert primary particles, interacting minerals, water stable solid building units, and organic matter. Likewise the input of fresh particulate organic matter can be integrated into the modeling approach. Its decomposition and the related dynamics of glueing agents is captured by means of (partial) differential equations. With the help of this modeling approach we contribute in particular to the understanding of a structural priming effect, where the increased input of POM stimulated the mineralization of old POM [4].

[4] Simon Zech, Steffen A. Schweizer, Franziska B. Bucka, Nadja Ray, Ingrid Kögel-Knabner, Alexander Prechtel. "Explicit spatial modeling at the pore scale unravels the interplay of soil organic carbon storage and structure dynamics." in preparation 2022.

[3] S. Zech, T. Ritschel, N. Ray, K. U. Totsche, A. Prechtel. “How water connectivity and substrate supply shape the turnover of organic matter – Insights from simulations at the scale of microaggregates.” Geoderma 405, 2022.

[2] A. Rupp, K.-U. Totsche, A. Prechtel, and N.Ray. “Discrete-continuum multiphase model for structure formation in soils including electrostatic effects.” Frontiers in Environmental Sciences 6(86), 2018.

[1] N.Ray, A. Rupp, and A. Prechtel. “Discrete-continuum multiscale model for transport, biofilm development and solid restructuring in porous media.” Advances in Water Resources 107, 2017.

Presentation materials

Interpore2022_Zech.pdf