ARS | Publication request: A synthesis of current parameterization approaches and needs for further improvements

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: November 15, 2011
Publication Date: December 15, 2011
Citation: Ahuja, L.R., Ma, L. 2011. A synthesis of current parameterization approaches and needs for further improvements. In: Ahuja, L.R., Ma, L., editors. Methods of Introducing System Models into Agricultural Research. Madison, WI: American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America. p.427-440.

Interpretive Summary: Agricultural system models started to take shape with the release of CREAMS (later GLEAMS) (Knisel, 1980), EPIC (Williams et al., 1983), CERES (Jones and Kiniry, 1986), SOYGRO (Wilkerson et al., 1983) and PNUTGRO (later CROPGRO) (Boote et al., 1987), WOFOST (van Diepen et al., 1989), in the 1980s and DAISY (Hansen et al., 1991), SOIL-SOILN (Bergstrom et al, 1991), RZWQM (Ahuja et al., 1993), ecosys (Grant, 1995), HERMES (Kersebaum, 1995), APSIM (McCown et al., 1996), STICS (Brisson et al., 1998), and DAYCENT (Parton et al., 1998) in the 1990s. Later, these field scale models were extended to address large scale problems by linking to GIS or adding spatial components or attributes. Each model has its own strengths and weaknesses for specific applications, as well as parameterization requirements. Selecting an appropriate model and, therefore, parameterization methods is heavily dependent upon users’ experience and example applications in the literature. The development of a systematic and hopefully a common protocol needed to help the users.

Technical Abstract: Agricultural system models started to take shape with the release of CREAMS (later GLEAMS) (Knisel, 1980), EPIC (Williams et al., 1983), CERES (Jones and Kiniry, 1986), SOYGRO (Wilkerson et al., 1983) and PNUTGRO (later CROPGRO) (Boote et al., 1987), WOFOST (van Diepen et al., 1989), in the 1980s and DAISY (Hansen et al., 1991), SOIL-SOILN (Bergstrom et al, 1991), RZWQM (Ahuja et al., 1993), ecosys (Grant, 1995), HERMES (Kersebaum, 1995), APSIM (McCown et al., 1996), STICS (Brisson et al., 1998), and DAYCENT (Parton et al., 1998) in the 1990s. Later, these field scale models were extended to address large scale problems by linking to GIS or adding spatial components or attributes. Each model has its own strengths and weaknesses for specific applications, as well as parameterization requirements. Selecting an appropriate model and, therefore, parameterization methods is heavily dependent upon users’ experience and example applications in the literature. The development of a systematic and hopefully a common protocol needed to help the users.