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Review of the Annual Phosphorus Loss Estimator (APLE) tool: a new model for estimating phosphorus losses at the field-scale

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Published
<mark>Journal publication date</mark>09/2014
<mark>Journal</mark>Soil Use and Management
Issue number3
Volume30
Number of pages5
Pages (from-to)337-341
Publication StatusPublished
Early online date19/06/14
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

Models that estimate P-loss from agricultural land to surface waters are important tools used by soil scientists, catchment scientists and land managers, to help identify high-risk areas and determine measures which can reduce such losses. A widely used method for predicting P-loss from agricultural land is the ‘Phosphorus Index’ (PI) tool, developed by Lemunyon & Gilbert (1993), which requires relatively basic input data, and provides a qualitative estimate of the risk of P-loss from agricultural fields. The PI delivers a single numerical score, typically expressed as a risk factor ranging from ‘low’ to ‘very high’. Across the USA, state-wide adaptations to the original PI resulted in widely differing indices. In an attempt to reduce these inter-state discrepancies, the US Department for Agriculture developed the Annual Phosphorus Loss Estimator (APLE; Vadas et al., 2009) tool in order to provide a more transparent and quantitative (rather than qualitative) output for both particulate and dissolved P-fractions. This short review compares the latest incarnation of the PI in the APLE tool with other P management indices and explores the various features and opportunities included in the model’s inbuilt equations.