Models for growth of bacteria inoculated into sterilized soil

The authors developed a series of simulation models of increasing complexity to describe the growth of bacteria inoculated into sterilized soil. Variables considered in the models included bacterial carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), CO sub(2) evolved, soil NH sub(4) super(+), and added glucose. An optimization procedure was used to determine the best possible fit of each model to the data. This use of optimization allowed an objective comparison of the sucess of various model formulations. The analysis suggested that early rapid growth in sterilized soil was largely at the expense of a pool of nitrogenous soluble organic mateial (organic C-N) made available by sterilization.