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SUNDIAL: A PC‐Based System for Simulating Nitrogen Dynamics in Arable Land
Author(s) -
Smith J. U.,
Bradbury N. J.,
Addiscott T. M.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1996.00021962008800010008x
Subject(s) - arable land , parameterized complexity , computer science , graphical user interface , agricultural engineering , visualization , field (mathematics) , simulation , agriculture , environmental science , algorithm , mathematics , data mining , engineering , geography , programming language , archaeology , pure mathematics
SUNDIAL (SimUlation of Nitrogen Dynamics In Arable Land) is a user‐friendly, PC‐based version of the Rothamsted Nitrogen Turnover Model. It comprises a menu‐driven system that allows agricultural advisers, even with minimal computing experience, to enter details of a particular field or farm and simulate N turnover. The processes involved are described by a set of parameterized zero and first‐order equations. The addition of a novel facility for calculating crop parameters enables instantaneous estimation of parameters for rough but immediate simulations of a new crop, graphical visualization of the expressions used in SUNDIAL, comparison of the parameterized expressions with experimental measurements, and further refinement of parameters by fitting individual expressions to measured data or by iteratively adjusting parameters to improve the fit of simulated results to soil and crop N and 15 N measurements. The facilities in SUNDIAL for displaying the various outputs in graphical form make it particularly useful for examining the impact of different management strategies on the N cycle in arable agriculture. Graphical facilities include balance sheets, graphical plots, pie charts, and flow diagrams.