Modelling the environmental impacts of agriculture, focusing on oil palm

Publication date: 19/03/2018
Extent: 50 pages

Contributions by: Paul N. Nelson, James Cook University, Australia; Neil Huth, CSIRO, Australia; Marcus Sheaves, James Cook University, Australia; Cécile Bessou, CIRAD, France; Lénaïc Pardon, CIRAD, France; Han She Lim, James Cook University, Australia; and Rai S. Kookana, CSIRO, Australia

Chapter synopsis: Cultivation of crops affects the environment via flows of energy and materials. Impacts are felt in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, surrounding terrestrial ecosystems and the field itself. Models are useful tools for improving our understanding of the processes and predicting how they might be affected by changes in management. Current models range from simple indicators of risk or impact, based on empirical relationships, to dynamic process-based models. Increasingly complex and comprehensive models with increasing spatial and temporal resolution and extent are being developed, mostly by coupling diverse sub-models. This chapter reviews the range of models developed for oil palm systems, and discusses how other existing models might be adapted for oil palm.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2017.0018.24