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Models

What questions should be answered? What data are available? Is the area of concern a small scale (part of a field), national or something in-between? Different models fit different applications and thus we are working with many different models.

A field of wheat. Photo.

Model overview

The models now included in SLU's toolkit for modelling of nutrients in catchment areas can roughly be divided into two types - models for calculating the leaching of nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural land, and models for the calculation of water balances, transport and turnover of nutrients in rivers and lakes. The former category include the models SOILNDB and ICECREAMDB and the latter FyrisNP and FyrisQ. These models have been fully or partially developed at SLU in various research projects and applied in the context of environmental monitoring and assessment.

SOILNDB and ICECREAMDB are included in a system for calculating the leaching of nutrients from arable land called NLeCCS. The calculation system is used for applications at the national and regional level. One application is ANLeC which calculates the potential for measures against nutrient leaching. Another is calculationo of nutrient reduction in constructed wetlands.

Apart from the models already described do we also use and/or develop the models INCA, PERSiST, SWAT and USPED.

A fence that leads from grassland down into the sea in the archipelago. Photo.

Examples of applications

  • Calculation of the load of nitrogen and phosphorus from Sweden to the sea for reporting to HELCOM within the SMED consortium on behalf of Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SwAM).
  • Follow up of the Swedish environmental goal "Zero eutrophication" on behalf of SwAM. Analysis of the load of nutrients from land to the sea during different years.
  • Calculation of the nutrient leaching from Swedish agricultural land and evaluation of the causes to the changes.
  • Follow up of the effects of CAP (Common Agriculture Policy) and measures programs for nutrient reduction on behalf of Swedish Board of Agriculture.
  • Source apportionment of nitrogen and phosphorus in different catchments and scenarios of different nutrient reduction measures.
  • Calculation of risks for erosion loss and surface runoff.
  • Calculation of nutrient reduction potential in constructed wetlands.
  • Calculation of climate effects on leaching, retention and transport of nutrients from land to sea. 
  • Knowledge exchange with other countries, e.g. around the Baltic.

Our models

Published: 08 August 2023 - Page editor: elin.widen@slu.se
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