Comparing predictions of nitrogen and green house gas fluxes in response to changes in live stock, land cover and land management using models at a national, European and global scale

In this study we compared three relatively simple process based models, developed for the national scale (INITIATOR2), European scale (MITERRA) and global scale (IMAGE). A comparison was made of NH3 , N2O, NOx and CH4 emissions, while making a distinction between housing systems, grazing and manure/fertilizer application and N leaching to ground water and N runoff to surface water, while making a distinction between grass land and arable land. The objective of the comparison was to get experience in linking the models across scales and to evaluate scale effects, in terms of aggregating input data, and modeling approach on the model outcomes.