Soil organic carbon balance using CENTURY model.

Mathematical modelling has widely been used during the last 20 years to estimate and predict soil organic carbon (SOC) balance and nutrients dynamic on the landscape scale. The model simulations are applied and developed to assess the long-term effects of climate and management practices on SOC in the different land use. However, there are characteristics of the models, such as simplifications, complex nonlinear interactions etc., which limit their use and imply wide evolution to improve the models performance. The present work illustrates the differences among the main SOC models developed for forest, agricultural and grassland land-use, and their limits and prospects. Particularly the CENTURY model and an application of this model in a Mediterranean agroecosystems, characterized by organic and conventional managements, are described.