Virtual soil-root systems
Example of a simulation result from DuMuX.
Nutrient concentrations in the soil and within the roots.
In Work Package 3, a subsoil-sensitive virtual soil-root system was developed in Phase I to explain observed water and nutrient uptake. Root growth, water flux, and solute transport in the soil were coupled at the single plant scale in a way that accounts for effects of root activities on the soil, as well as effects of soil properties on root system development. In Phase II, the existing model was extended to include chemical and biological reactions in the rhizosphere. Nutrient uptake was parameterized and validated using isotope data from microcosm and field experiments. Finally, the extended model will be coupled to SIMPLACE to inform modeling at the field scale.
