Icbm: The Introductory Carbon Balance Model for Exploration of Soil Carbon Balances

A two-component model was devised, comprising young and old soil C, two decay constants, and parameters for litter input, “humification,” and external influences. Due to the model’s simplicity, the differential equations were solved analytically, and parameter optimizations can be made using generally available nonlinear regression programs. The calibration parameter values were derived from a 35-yr experiment with arable crops on a clay soil in central Sweden. We show how the model can be used for medium-term (30 yr) predictions of the effects of changed inputs, climate, initial pools, litter quality, etc., on soil carbon pools. Equations are provided for calculating steady-state pool sizes as well as model parameters from litter bag or 14C-labeled litter decomposition data. Strategies for model parameterization to different inputs, climatic regions, and soils, as well as the model’s relations to other model families, are briefly discussed.