Emerging multiscale insights on microbial carbon use efficiency in the land carbon cycle
Xianjin He, Elsa Abs, Steven Allison, Feng Tao, Yuanyuan Huang, Stefano Manzoni, Rose Abramoff, Elisa Bruni, Simon Bowring, Arjun Chakrawal, Philippe Ciais, Lars Elsgaard, Pierre Friedlingstein, Katerina Georgiou, Gustaf Hugelius, Lasse Busk Holm, Wei Li, Yiqi Luo, Gaëlle Marmasse, Naoise Nunan, Chunjing Qiu, Stephen Sitch, Ying‐Ping Wang, Daniel S. Goll
Abstract
Microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) affects the fate and storage of carbon in terrestrial ecosystems, but its global importance remains uncertain. Accurately modeling and predicting CUE on a global scale is challenging due to inconsistencies in measurement techniques and the complex interactions of climatic, edaphic, and biological factors across scales. The link between microbial CUE and soil organic carbon relies on the stabilization of microbial necromass within soil aggregates or its association with minerals, necessitating an integration of microbial and stabilization processes in modeling approaches. In this perspective, we propose a comprehensive framework that integrates diverse data sources, ranging from genomic information to traditional soil carbon assessments, to refine carbon cycle models by incorporating variations in CUE, thereby enhancing our understanding of the microbial contribution to carbon cycling.