Abstract
Ecosystem models are increasingly used to guide natural resource management policy decisions. In this study, we build on available agroecosystem policy modeling tools by testing two methodologies for applying the Denitrification-Decomposition (DNDC) model to naturally-drained, temperate grain cropping systems. We used long-term observations from the Rodale Institute Farming Systems Trial (FST) to validate the DNDC model for application to grain cropping systems on silty clay loam soils typical of mid-Atlantic farmlands. Based on modeling efficiency (EF), Theil’s Inequality (U2), and correlation coefficient (r) metrics, the DNDC model showed moderate fit between observations and simulations at annual time scales for drainage (EF = 0.34, U2 = 0.12, r = 0.74) and nitrate leaching (EF = -0.05, U2 = 0.4, r = 0.86).