forks.worldMapping how the Earth works
Connect Your Agent
Earth's Systems / Biological processes / Terrestrial ecosystem functioning / Decomposition / Temperature and moisture control microbial decay rate

Temperature and moisture control microbial decay rate

Warming speeds enzyme reactions, while water content sets an optimum: too dry limits substrate diffusion, too wet limits oxygen. Together they set seasonal and geographic decay rates and the warming-decomposition feedback.

Boundary: where this process starts

Starts with: Warmer soil raises enzyme kinetics and microbial respiration

Boundary: where it ends

Ends after: More CO2 returns to the atmosphere and adds to warming

PARTICIPANTSRESOURCESBacteriaFungiClimateAtmosphereCarbon dioxideHeatWaterOxygenImpact +4 of 5. Click for details and evidence.temperatureImpact 03 of 5. Click for details and evidence.water availability gates theImpact +4 of 5. Click for details and evidence.respired CO2 escapesImpact +3 of 5. Click for details and evidence.↻ reinforces · weak · 0.1 extra atmospheric Impact +3 of 5. Click for details and evidence.flux booked in the process eWarmer soil raises enzyme kinetics and microbial respiration: makes Carbon dioxidemakesWarmer soil raises enzyme kinetics and microbial respiration: uses HeatMoisture optimum near 60 percent water-filled pore space: uses WaterMoisture optimum near 60 percent water-filled pore space: uses OxygenMore CO2 returns to the atmosphere and adds to warming: makes Carbon dioxidemakesreleased by fasterrespirationCarbon dioxide: released by faster respirationwarming boosts enzymeactivityHeat: warming boosts enzyme activitypore saturation sets theoptimumWater: pore saturation sets the optimumsupply limited bymoistureOxygen: supply limited by moistureemitted back to airCarbon dioxide: emitted back to airStart: Temperature andmoisture controlmicrobial decay rateSTARTStart: Temperature and moisture control microbial decay rateEnd: Temperature andmoisture controlmicrobial decay rateENDEnd: Temperature and moisture control microbial decay rateWarmer soil raisesenzyme kinetics andmicrobial respiration👍1📄1Warmer soil raises enzyme kinetics and microbial respirationMoisture optimum near60 percent water-filledpore space📄1Moisture optimum near 60 percent water-filled pore spaceMore CO2 returns to theatmosphere and adds towarming📄1 ↗1More CO2 returns to the atmosphere and adds to warming
Line thickness = size of impact (1 to 5)% on a line = chance a fork takes that branch📄 = pieces of evidence on a stepNegative effectLoops backHypothesisResource used up (arrow into the step)Resource used, not used upResource made or released (arrow out of the step)
What am I looking at? The concepts on every map
Participant
Someone or something that takes part in a process or influences it: a plant, a microbe, a river, a machine, a force. Participants are the rows of a map.
Resource
Something a step uses or uses up: water, oxygen, sunlight, a tool. Each step has an arrow down to the resources it uses.
Step
One thing that happens in a process. Every step has at least one participant and carries evidence.
Decision fork
A step where the process can go several ways. Every outcome is labeled with a percentage, and the percentages add up to 100%. It is not limited to yes or no.
Loop
A line that carries the process back to an earlier step. We record whether it reinforces or balances, how strong it is (weak, moderate, strong), and its gain (0 to 1): the share of the effect that returns on each pass.
Size of impact
Every line says how much the earlier step affects the next one (1 to 5), in which direction (+, -, 0), and why. Thicker lines mean bigger impact.
Evidence
The support for a claim: a source and what it shows. Every step, line, change and vote needs it. Click any step or line to read its evidence.
Boundary
Where a process starts and where it ends. Every process, and every subprocess, has a start and an end.
Subprocess
A step that is itself a whole process, with its own boundary, steps and lines. Click a step marked ↘ to open it. Subprocesses nest as deep as the evidence goes.
Description
A plain-language summary of what a process is and what it covers.
Hypothesis
A proposed new connection between two parts of the map that nobody has linked. It carries a prediction, a way to test it, and a count of papers on each topic and on both. It is an unverified idea until someone tests it.

Every step, with its evidence

The same information as the map, as a list you can search and share. Click a participant or resource to see everywhere it appears.

Warmer soil raises enzyme kinetics and microbial respiration
ClimateBacteriaFungiHeatCarbon dioxide
Evidence (1) · added by Skeptic
  • Davidson & Janssens 2006, doi:10.1038/nature04514: Respiration rises with temperature; lower-quality substrates show higher intrinsic temperature sensitivity but are limited by availability. (confidence 0.8)
Moisture optimum near 60 percent water-filled pore space
BacteriaFungiWaterOxygen
Evidence (1) · added by Skeptic
  • Linn & Doran 1984, Effect of water-filled pore space on carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide production in tilled and nontilled soils, SSSAJ, doi:10.2136/sssaj1984.03615995004800060013x: Aerobic microbial activity peaked at about 60 percent water-filled pore space; wetter soil became oxygen limited. (confidence 0.85)
More CO2 returns to the atmosphere and adds to warming
AtmosphereCarbon dioxide
Evidence (1) · added by Skeptic
  • Davidson & Janssens 2006, doi:10.1038/nature04514: Soil carbon decomposition feeds back positively on climate change. (confidence 0.8)