Category
Environmental models
Capabilities
OPRAS is a dynamic process model that predicts the formation and loss of soil organic matter, pores and water-holding capacity in soils across the mineral - organomineral - peat continuum. It integrates soil biogeochemistry and hydrology processes to predict changes in soil carbon and porosity on the basis of the fundamental mechanisms that protect soil organic matter (SOM): Sorption, Occlusion and Hypoxia. OPRAS links to TopModel to predict the effects of land-management on catchment-scale streamflow. For the NERC-AHRC project "PARAGUAS" (PÁRamos para AGUA y Sociedád), OPRAS was linked to a physically based catchment hydrology model (TopModel) to predict the effects of land-management on catchment-scale streamflow. TopModel is a well-established and openly available model:
https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/topmodel/index.html. Note that OPRAS is not part of the UKCEH N14CP family of models; it is based on different principles.
Lifecycle
OPRAS was first developed under the the NERC Macronutrient Cycling programme and published as an equilibrium version in 2019. A dynamic version was developed in 2020-22 for catchment-scale applications. OPRAS now links to TopModel to predict the effects of land-management on catchment-scale streamflow. Investment to date approx 1 person-year.
Uniqueness
OPRAS is a highly innovative model of soil carbon and nutrient biogeochemistry, with novel capabilities compared to other models: (1) OPRAS integrates soil biogeochemistry and hydrology is based on actual physicochemical protection mechanisms for soil organic matter; (2) OPRAS predicts transitions among major soil groups (mineral <-> organomineral <-> peat); (3) the linked OPRAS-TopModel considers soil thickness and hydraulic properties to be dynamic rather than static (allowing pore volume to vary with compaction, etc) whilst maintaining a simple budget for soil stocks of mineral and organic matter.
Partners
OPRAS was developed by UKCEH. Imperial College London (Wouter Buytaert) is a partner for implementing linked OPRAS-TopModel.
Access
OPRAS is open access: available to use at no cost by request to the model owner.
Funding sources
Development of OPRAS was funded by UKRI strategic research programmes: NERC Macronutrient Cycles; NERC-AHRC Colombia-Bio.
Users
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OPRAS is used by UKCEH and other researchers.
Last updated
11 November 2022 16:29
