title: Evaluating and reducing a model of radiocaesium soil-plant uptake.
abstract: An existing model of radiocaesium transfer to grasses was extended to include wheat and barley and parameterised using data from a wide range of soils and contact times. The model structure was revised and evaluated using a subset of the available data which was not used for model parameterisation. The resulting model was then used as a basis for systematic model reduction to test the utility of the model components. This analysis suggested that the use of 4 model variables (relating to radiocaesium adsorption on organic matter and the pH sensitivity of soil solution potassium concentration) and 1 model input (pH) are not required. The results of this analysis were used to develop a reduced model which was further evaluated in terms of comparisons to observations. The reduced model had an improved empirical performance and fewer adjustable parameters and soil characteristic inputs.
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG72RD, UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tarsitano
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: N M J
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Crout
mesh_terms: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D012987:Soil; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive