Environmental modelling and measures
Environmental modeling aims to represent processes that occur in the real world in space and time. Herein we focus on the processes in agricultural catchments, both within soil and water, including forest and peat areas as well as semi-urban solutions. In addition, models are an integral part of any restoration and/or mitigation and climate change adaptation plans. Therefore, we specifically look for optimal and robust ways to include the effects of mitigation measures, especially nature-based solutions (NBS) into our modeling work. Environmental modeling is widely used within NIBIO to support research and advisory activities.
Contacts
Environmental Modelling Group (EMG):
Models are used to:
- Improve understanding of complex systems – simulate and simplify complex reality
- Provide spatio-temporal extension of the knowledge gained from experimental/monitoring data – predict the unknown in space and time;
- Test the reaction of these systems to changing conditions – testing hypotheses and scenarios;
- Support optimization, planning and decision-making
We divide environmental models into two groups:
- Management models, as their name implies, are used either in elucidating better management practices or in aiding management decisions and planning. Several of the models are described under "Guide to environmental measures in agriculture"
- Research models are used to organize and guide research of a particular system. Models designed for management can certainly utilize concepts from research models but must avoid the complication of them. Research models, however, can be useful for calibrating simpler “top-down” models as recently demonstrated by Raulier et al. (2000).
Our models
Projects
Division of Environment and Natural Resources
OPTAIN: Optimal strategies to retain and re-use water and nutrients in small agricultural catchments
OPTAIN proposes a social and scientific journey toward the increasing and better understanding of the multiple benefits of Natural/Small Water Retention Measures (NSWRM). The Norwegian case study area, Kråkstadelva catchment, is located within the Hobølelva watershed 30 km S-SE of Oslo.
Division of Environment and Natural Resources
DrenKlim: Drainage systems in clay soils inTrøndelag - adaptation to changing climate
With changing hydrological conditions there is need to evaluate the functioning of drainage systems under future circumstances and to highlight possible needs to redesign them.
Division of Environment and Natural Resources
BIOWATER - Integrating land and water management for a sustainable Nordic bioeconomy