Conference Description:

With ever-advancing developments in computer technology and understanding of natural systems, process based simulation models are becoming commonly used tools to address issues regarding the fate and transport of phosphorus (P) in agriculturally based ecosystems. For example, the NRCS initiated Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) will rely on watershed scale P transport models in a national assessment intended to quantify the environmental benefits of conservation practices. The use of P transport models has also been a focus of legal and regulatory conflicts in the Eucha Spavinaw watershed of Arkansas and Oklahoma.

Lessons from these model applications clearly show that the demands and expectations of model end users, be they policy makers, lawyers, extension educators, or researchers, can easily supersede scientific reasoning when it comes to selecting and applying a model then taking action based on its predictions. 

To address these burgeoning issues, the SERA 17 Modeling Workgroup, with support from NRCS, USDA-ARS, and USEPA, has organized a conference to identify needs of model users, describe current approaches used to model fate and transport of P in agroecosystems, and highlight recent advances in scientific understanding of P transport. The conference will present local, national, and international experiences and research of model users, developers, and P scientists. It will thus serve to improve communication, provide an arena for feedback, and foster collaborative associations between these groups.