Abstract
A network model for soil pore volume is presented and applied to the analysis of biological invasion of
microorganisms. The pore geometry of two soils with a relatively high or low bulk density were quantified
with the use of X-ray tomography and networks were constructed to present the pore space by channels
connecting intersecting points. This network was subsequently quantified by the measurement of biologically
relevant parameters, such as the distribution of lengths of the links between two nodes, the coordination
number of the nodes, and the distribution of the sizes of the links between two nodes. Spread of
microorganisms was subsequently considered as a function of these characteristics and embedded into a
simple epidemiological model for spread that can be mapped onto percolation theory. We found that the
networks display critical behaviour for biological invasions with a greater resilience to invasion for the more
densely packed soil. We also found that inherent heterogeneity of soil systems further contributes to
resilience to invasion.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of the 19th World Congress of Soil Science |
| Subtitle of host publication | Soil Solutions for a Changing World, Brisbane, Australia 1-6 August 2010 |
| Editors | Robert Gilkes, Nattaporn Prakongkep |
| Place of Publication | Brisbane |
| Publisher | International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) |
| Pages | 68-71 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780646537832, 9781618391025 |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2010 |
| Event | 19th World Congress of Soil Science 2010: Soil Solutions for a Changing World - Brisbane, Australia Duration: 1 Aug 2010 → 6 Aug 2010 Conference number: 19 |
Other
| Other | 19th World Congress of Soil Science 2010 |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Australia |
| City | Brisbane |
| Period | 1/08/10 → 6/08/10 |
Keywords
- X-ray tomography
- Percolation
- Micro-organisms
- Epidemiological models
- Soil structure
- Modelling
