Carbon Assimilation,Microflora,Mycelium,Protoplasmic Carbon,New Cell Materials,Complex Cell Structure

Carbon Assimilation

	Carbon Assimilation Organic carbon decomposition serves two functions for the microflora providing energy for the growth and supplying carbon for the formation of new cell materials. Cells of microbes contain 50% carbon. The source of the element is the substrate being utilised. The process of converting substrate to protoplasmic carbon (organic carbon) is called assimilation.
During aerobic metabolism, 20-40% of substrate carbon is assimilated and the remainder is released as carbon dioxide. Fungal flora releases less carbon dioxide than other microbial groups because fungi are more efficient in their metabolism (converting substrate carbon to cell carbon since fungi have a complex cell structure). Hence in fungi 30-40% carbon metabolised is used to form new mycelium.