Abstract
A theory is proposed for the decomposition of a heterogeneous substrate, in which the heterogeneity is described by a continuously varying quality variable, q. Two microbial properties, efficiency in substrate utilization, e( q), and rate of substrate utilization, u( q), depend on the quality variable and decrease with decreasing substrate quality. General results of the theory can be displayed either in terms of time or quality. It turns out that the quality representation is both more general and more lucid. Only very weak specifications of the functions u( q) and u( q) are necessary to determine whether the decomposition process will end after a finite time and whether all substrate eventually will become mineralized. The final nitrogen-to-carbon ratio is shown to be independent of these two functions but depends on the initial nitrogen concentration and quality of the substrate. Using specific functions for u( q) and u( q) it is possible to derive a number of models used to describe decomposition and the variation in the critical nitrogen-to-carbon ratio with specific decomposition rate of the substrate. The theoretical predictions are compared to a number of decomposition experiments.
Published Version
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