This project, along with PICCC’s whole farm systems analysis study, was part of a series of modelling projects conducted as part of the federal Filling the Research Gap (FtRG) program, under which research activities were spread across different models and land uses. The large number of projects in the program posed the risk that new model equations and new ways of carrying out modelling analyses would not be communicated in a timely fashion, slowing the rate of scientific progress at the program level.
This facilitation project was set up to ensure that models were developed and applied consistently across FtRG projects, and that they embodied the best scientific understanding of methane, nitrous oxide and soil carbon fluxes.
The project team led a series of workshops and comparative studies linking process- and system-oriented modelling projects to encourage faster and more consistent uptake of new process equations. New models and techniques were disseminated across the FtRG program to encourage knowledge exchange and collaboration, as well as increased research and modelling capacity.
Project activities contributed to closing a number of research gaps, including improving understanding of the interactions between carbon and nitrogen and their influence on productivity and greenhouse gas emissions. The improvements in greenhouse gas flux estimates enabled more accurate evaluation of the net mitigation benefit of a range of technologies and practices.