Sensitivity analysis of the rice model WARM in Europe: Exploring the effects of different locations, climates and methods of analysis on model sensitivity to crop parameters

  • Authors:

  • Roberto Confalonieri;Gianni Bellocchi;Stefano Tarantola;Marco Acutis;Marcello Donatelli;Giampiero Genovese

  • Affiliations:

  • European Commission Joint Research Centre, Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen, Agriculture Unit, AGRI4CAST Action, via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra (VA), Italy;Agriculture Research Council, via di Corticella 133, 40128 Bologna, Italy;European Commission Joint Research Centre, Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen, Technological and Economic Risk Management Unit, STAT-IND Action, via Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra ( ...;University of Milan, Department of Plant Production, via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy;Agriculture Research Council, via di Corticella 133, 40128 Bologna, Italy;European Commission Joint Research Centre, Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen, Agriculture Unit, AGRI4CAST Action, via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra (VA), Italy

  • Venue:
  • Environmental Modelling & Software
  • Year:
  • 2010

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Abstract

Sensitivity analysis studies how the variation in model outputs can be due to different sources of variation. This issue is addressed, in this study, as an application of sensitivity analysis techniques to a crop model in the Mediterranean region. In particular, an application of Morris and Sobol' sensitivity analysis methods to the rice model WARM is presented. The output considered is aboveground biomass at maturity, simulated at five rice districts of different countries (France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain) for years characterized by low, intermediate, and high continentality. The total effect index of Sobol' (that accounts for the total contribution to the output variation due a given parameter) and two Morris indices (mean @m and standard deviation @s of the ratios output changes/parameter variations) were used as sensitivity metrics. Radiation use efficiency (RUE), optimum temperature (T"o"p"t), and leaf area index at emergence (LAI"i"n"i) ranked in most of the combinations sitexyear as first, second and third most relevant parameters. Exceptions were observed, depending on the sensitivity method (e.g. LAI"i"n"i resulted not relevant by the Morris method), or site-continentality pattern (e.g. with intermediate continentality in Spain, LAI"i"n"i and T"o"p"t were second and third ranked; with low continentality in Portugal, RUE was outranked by T"o"p"t). Low @s values associated with the most relevant parameters indicated limited parameter interactions. The importance of sensitivity analyses by exploring sitexclimate combinations is discussed as pre-requisite to evaluate either novel crop-modelling approaches or the application of known modelling solutions to conditions not explored previously. The need of developing tools for sensitivity analysis within the modelling environment is also emphasized.