Resolving the Relationship Between Microbial Growth and Soil SOC via a Principle of Energy Conservation and Maintenance Priority

Resolving the Relationship Between Microbial Growth and Soil SOC via a Principle of Energy Conservation and Maintenance Priority | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Resolving the Relationship Between Microbial Growth and Soil SOC via a Principle of Energy Conservation and Maintenance Priority Shumiao Shu, Yuelin Wang, Xiaoxiang Zhao, Xiaodan Wang, Wanze Zhu This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7752013/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) is often regarded as a key determinant of soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation, yet this view faces a paradox: SOC continues to accumulate even as rising microbial biomass and associated respiration reduce CUE. We propose a new model (IGMM), grounded in microbial metabolic growth principles, which reveals a power-law relationship between SOC and the ratio of maximum microbial biomass ( MIC max ) to baseline decomposition rate (BDR). This single ratio explains most global SOC variation (R 2 = 0.82). Notably, MIC max and BDR show a "triangular boundary pattern": BDR rises with MIC max initially, declines when MIC max hits ~ 0.4 g C/kg, and SOC then accumulates stably. Unlike the CUE-centric view, which is indirect, MIC max provides an explicit and quantitative basis for SOC dynamics. By establishing MIC max as a unified mechanistic axis, the IGMM opens up a holistic theoretical analysis pathway rooted in the metabolic growth mechanism for understanding soil carbon stabilization processes. Biological sciences/Ecology/Ecological modelling Earth and environmental sciences/Ecology/Microbial ecology Soil organic carbon Iterative Growth Model for Microbial communities Maximum microbial biomass Baseline decomposition rate Microbial carbon use efficiency Global soil organic carbon variation Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7752013","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":546977970,"identity":"035c0565-dd7d-4d2b-b593-015aee5e18f2","order_by":0,"name":"Shumiao Shu","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA8klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACPhDBw8Agx8bM2PigAsRjZm7Aq4UNqsWYj7252eAMWAsjcVoS5/Ecb5MAa2EgpIW99/CLt213GNskEtsqDlQcjuZvB2r5UbENtxaec2mWc9ueMbMBtdw4cCYtd8ZhxgbGnjO3cWuRyDEz5m07zAbScvtjm01uA1ALM2MbYS08IC0FB9skcucTocX4MVCLBBvPwTaGg0BbNhDUwnPGjHHOucMGbOyNzRIgv2wEajmIzy/87D3GH96UHa6f38z+8AMwxHLnnT988MGPCtxawG7DEDqATz0QMH8goGAUjIJRMApGOgAANr1a7vqlyCQAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Tuojiang River Basin High-Quality Development Research Center, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang 641000, China","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Shumiao","middleName":"","lastName":"Shu","suffix":""},{"id":546977971,"identity":"403bd4e9-d5ab-46b7-b659-09898c38f0d4","order_by":1,"name":"Yuelin Wang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"College of Geography and Planning, Chengdu University of Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yuelin","middleName":"","lastName":"Wang","suffix":""},{"id":546977972,"identity":"b69dc808-68fa-41f9-abe9-5390369020f8","order_by":2,"name":"Xiaoxiang Zhao","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Cent South Univ Forestry \u0026 Technol","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Xiaoxiang","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhao","suffix":""},{"id":546977973,"identity":"1e6a294d-48b0-4efa-a4ea-42155ce58861","order_by":3,"name":"Xiaodan Wang","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0545-1041","institution":"Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Xiaodan","middleName":"","lastName":"Wang","suffix":""},{"id":546977974,"identity":"4b715718-1423-4143-9643-2dd914f8fb8d","order_by":4,"name":"Wanze Zhu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Wanze","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhu","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-09-30 13:30:37","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7752013/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7752013/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":97369749,"identity":"9282f74d-ad21-4d4a-8c92-3136fcb623d0","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 16:25:40","extension":"docx","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":682101,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Soilorganiccarbon107.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/8e2e4ad8d091ee6ee7919982.docx"},{"id":97369742,"identity":"919dc522-de5e-4ea6-a9a1-78ad9e82801b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 16:25:39","extension":"json","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":6375,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"NCOMMS2582877T.json","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/dac7af3c58e8f87c9157e718.json"},{"id":97318543,"identity":"b0940857-5bdc-409b-ba85-2677f960af57","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:42","extension":"xml","order_by":2,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":84199,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"NCOMMS2582877T0enriched.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/d0b4e04752028ac46a4312f9.xml"},{"id":97318533,"identity":"0f7e81f5-1d22-46d1-b117-40b87a2d73c4","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:41","extension":"jpeg","order_by":3,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":2358984,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"floatimage1.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/e48073641048e969ac268b3d.jpeg"},{"id":97318540,"identity":"e1f49a2e-569b-4476-8351-8886971a8bbb","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:41","extension":"jpeg","order_by":4,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":474585,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"floatimage2.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/89ada6ac2c148028d918c366.jpeg"},{"id":97369635,"identity":"cc597eb7-7192-4b9e-a931-d8bb3c42d4fd","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 16:25:21","extension":"jpeg","order_by":5,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":2313372,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"floatimage3.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/44d4091a931c56604cd4ccc9.jpeg"},{"id":97318537,"identity":"ff0cbb8c-bb64-4b6f-af37-c09d5692e155","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:41","extension":"jpeg","order_by":6,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":2358984,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"floatimage4.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/32213c86551294b45af7cf0e.jpeg"},{"id":97369752,"identity":"837e2ee8-0ca3-4a7e-af63-98564c8aef72","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 16:25:40","extension":"jpeg","order_by":7,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":2345952,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"floatimage5.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/855e5a667746baa085ea7a99.jpeg"},{"id":97318534,"identity":"7438fd64-0c7d-4522-b428-a0797b0bffdf","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:41","extension":"jpeg","order_by":8,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":2358984,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"floatimage6.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/112a82c89cd2cf7866be6c6d.jpeg"},{"id":97370107,"identity":"f5928280-38ce-4761-998d-614c5607c65b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 16:26:45","extension":"jpeg","order_by":9,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":2313372,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"floatimage7.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/9981a17b5a122a0fbd9541e5.jpeg"},{"id":97370039,"identity":"b7861b65-f264-4f45-98fa-8cffe3904ae5","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 16:26:35","extension":"jpeg","order_by":10,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":2356812,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"floatimage8.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/099d79e400eda41aacbd1bbd.jpeg"},{"id":97369435,"identity":"ed56b431-0f3a-40ab-bd01-3480875b9eb5","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 16:24:54","extension":"wmf","order_by":11,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":800,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"image1.wmf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/45f7a122ea4ec9c3f5edf4ad.wmf"},{"id":97318542,"identity":"0024ead6-4468-4658-a4e8-da38aeb8b032","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:41","extension":"wmf","order_by":12,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":608,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"image2.wmf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/86931ffef80fa2edfc347928.wmf"},{"id":97318546,"identity":"4d8f28bf-8afe-40b9-b982-d06270ef23fe","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:42","extension":"wmf","order_by":13,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":634,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"image3.wmf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/43ec6eeb96d99399b216c32e.wmf"},{"id":97318561,"identity":"5f7a1068-7603-4028-9ad7-2ca83fe3ff9a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:42","extension":"wmf","order_by":14,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":918,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"image4.wmf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/2b48a3ecfcc45b9c0e8606b4.wmf"},{"id":97318544,"identity":"800c7ec0-df5e-4db3-93c4-2650fcbd3042","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:42","extension":"wmf","order_by":15,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":940,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"image5.wmf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/d1cce6d2d39697e5a4a4912b.wmf"},{"id":97318556,"identity":"1f5eef1e-1183-4172-9e94-9e2251652bfb","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:42","extension":"wmf","order_by":16,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":1158,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"image6.wmf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/c72fcc86a588579ccea0a29d.wmf"},{"id":97318557,"identity":"ad5450c5-a069-4126-a684-e7ce20c2228a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:42","extension":"wmf","order_by":17,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":1326,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"image7.wmf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/23e8d4c8defc75f4fed7c93b.wmf"},{"id":97318570,"identity":"cc4a36f9-7138-4241-8fcb-d0e4d4890ea1","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:43","extension":"wmf","order_by":18,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":884,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"image9.wmf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/9ea7dc957dddf5e32a118dca.wmf"},{"id":97370143,"identity":"7e2d70b5-b57c-4335-9693-c2d4309a0b74","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 16:26:48","extension":"png","order_by":19,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":36683,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/64c57a29c2aaa1def8a42c67.png"},{"id":97318558,"identity":"43dd1ea5-770b-42bb-861d-84999417560e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:42","extension":"png","order_by":20,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":97963,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/12079625dab2861387d49806.png"},{"id":97369212,"identity":"2cb5adbd-4a78-46aa-aa08-eeea762e01db","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 16:23:52","extension":"png","order_by":21,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":40036,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/38bb7f303b1bf5498dda1fd4.png"},{"id":97369526,"identity":"146c112e-bfb0-4f8d-b515-a5213d2428c0","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 16:25:05","extension":"png","order_by":22,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":10750,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/0d975e5c4ad13b8f4405d94f.png"},{"id":97370199,"identity":"6eec58a7-3b48-430c-bda4-36d67576a753","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 16:26:52","extension":"png","order_by":23,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":12305,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/acbe42e7a8b448dd0e248376.png"},{"id":97318550,"identity":"2a156c8e-449d-48b0-a3e0-f0247c6a5b1e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:42","extension":"png","order_by":24,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":13539,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/ee92836f2282777dc67d864e.png"},{"id":97369293,"identity":"7d21305c-6e13-4bab-85b8-f6b54ad1ce68","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 16:24:11","extension":"png","order_by":25,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":10271,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/1013020572012b743e51532a.png"},{"id":97318553,"identity":"4e43b2a3-2d4a-4bab-b9b8-2bfe05da6534","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:42","extension":"png","order_by":26,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":8907,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage8.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/99022ee715d903f70355531f.png"},{"id":97318552,"identity":"3b840846-b3fe-47ad-9764-0c2542fccd65","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:42","extension":"png","order_by":27,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":823,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlineimage1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/280654319b43b5c30f5efd19.png"},{"id":97369566,"identity":"e0a45230-b893-49aa-9cbb-c0da1f6c4da0","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 16:25:09","extension":"png","order_by":28,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":564,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlineimage2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/073254a975f95ddd3560de76.png"},{"id":97318562,"identity":"49b61d8e-8b83-4ecd-b2f4-a23bd3127d8c","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:42","extension":"png","order_by":29,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":561,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlineimage3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/36137775ce175a170dba419a.png"},{"id":97318554,"identity":"8203529c-581d-464a-9c31-f23b19b9d532","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:42","extension":"png","order_by":30,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":966,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlineimage4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/f7d95a1e8852f5cbbf80a8fb.png"},{"id":97318555,"identity":"a0ba03e4-55a5-4fb6-9fe2-b323f1c9a886","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:42","extension":"png","order_by":31,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":1293,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlineimage5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/a202f328a8c4d42b346a71c7.png"},{"id":97369750,"identity":"8acdabf9-1aec-4fc9-b111-e7c5427a765f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 16:25:40","extension":"png","order_by":32,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":2053,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlineimage6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/8a97b5373871457e1f50b385.png"},{"id":97318566,"identity":"d99bea91-e42d-4c45-aa08-6b545abd4b33","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:42","extension":"png","order_by":33,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":2441,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlineimage7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/8d74610e96f7dc0f8d1c26fc.png"},{"id":97318564,"identity":"9860d642-822e-492f-8956-16d199031a86","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:42","extension":"png","order_by":34,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":1490,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlineimage9.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/d4533520f0cc43e9330c0f19.png"},{"id":97318560,"identity":"e9f40162-ed84-4c70-904f-3e6cb654f11c","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:42","extension":"xml","order_by":35,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":82846,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"NCOMMS2582877T0structuring.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/f178c138050403953559223d.xml"},{"id":97318559,"identity":"84b470a8-0792-4610-925e-f023cfb89c5d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 07:17:42","extension":"html","order_by":36,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":94660,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"earlyproof.html","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1/b62d8962921bbc5a62058aa3.html"},{"id":107484626,"identity":"4ebc736c-8670-45d4-8105-7c7a1817c919","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-22 02:32:33","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":4505586,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Soilorganiccarbon107.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7752013/v1_covered_3227011b-f7ec-48d3-84d1-f2de718f6017.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"There is \u003cb\u003eNO\u003c/b\u003e Competing Interest.","formattedTitle":"Resolving the Relationship Between Microbial Growth and Soil SOC via a Principle of Energy Conservation and Maintenance Priority","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"nature-portfolio","isNatureJournal":true,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Nature Portfolio","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":false,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Soil organic carbon, Iterative Growth Model for Microbial communities, Maximum microbial biomass, Baseline decomposition rate, Microbial carbon use efficiency, Global soil organic carbon variation","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7752013/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7752013/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eMicrobial carbon use efficiency (CUE) is often regarded as a key determinant of soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation, yet this view faces a paradox: SOC continues to accumulate even as rising microbial biomass and associated respiration reduce CUE. We propose a new model (IGMM), grounded in microbial metabolic growth principles, which reveals a power-law relationship between SOC and the ratio of maximum microbial biomass (\u003cem\u003eMIC\u003c/em\u003e\u003csub\u003emax\u003c/sub\u003e) to baseline decomposition rate (BDR). This single ratio explains most global SOC variation (R\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.82). Notably, \u003cem\u003eMIC\u003c/em\u003e\u003csub\u003emax\u003c/sub\u003e and BDR show a \"triangular boundary pattern\": BDR rises with \u003cem\u003eMIC\u003c/em\u003e\u003csub\u003emax\u003c/sub\u003e initially, declines when \u003cem\u003eMIC\u003c/em\u003e\u003csub\u003emax\u003c/sub\u003e hits\u0026thinsp;~\u0026thinsp;0.4 g C/kg, and SOC then accumulates stably. Unlike the CUE-centric view, which is indirect, \u003cem\u003eMIC\u003c/em\u003e\u003csub\u003emax\u003c/sub\u003e provides an explicit and quantitative basis for SOC dynamics. By establishing \u003cem\u003eMIC\u003c/em\u003e\u003csub\u003emax\u003c/sub\u003e as a unified mechanistic axis, the IGMM opens up a holistic theoretical analysis pathway rooted in the metabolic growth mechanism for understanding soil carbon stabilization processes.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Resolving the Relationship Between Microbial Growth and Soil SOC via a Principle of Energy Conservation and Maintenance Priority","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-12-03 07:17:37","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7752013/v1","editorialEvents":[],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"nature-communications","isNatureJournal":true,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"NCOMMS","sideBox":"Learn more about [Nature Communications](http://www.nature.com/ncomms/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://mts-ncomms.nature.com/","title":"Nature Communications","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"Nature Communications","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"fcf88d54-a820-469e-ab5f-f2d79d1ab021","owner":[],"postedDate":"December 3rd, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[{"id":58191163,"name":"Biological sciences/Ecology/Ecological modelling"},{"id":58191164,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Ecology/Microbial ecology"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-13T13:05:17+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-12-03 07:17:37","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7752013","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7752013","identity":"rs-7752013","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}