Integrated models of nutrient dynamics in lake and reservoir watersheds: A systematic review and integrated modelling decision pathway

Abstract

Eutrophication of inland water bodies is a serious environmental threat. This review explores current integrated models for lake and reservoir ecosystems that focus on nutrient dynamics at a catchment scale. Many studies applied either watershed or lake/reservoir models, however, 49 studies were finally selected that combined both. We derived a list of 21 watershed models, 23 lake/reservoir models, and 6 hybrid models in different sets of combinations, with a range of objectives (e.g. understanding the natural processes, predicting, and analysing climate change and land-use scenarios, or evaluating the different management options). Some integrated models had multiple applications whereas others were only applied once, with an uneven global geographical distribution.

To aid model selection by future users, we present a support tool discriminating the models by their features and application fields. This study encourages the development of open-source tools aiding interdisciplinary collaborations and further research in the field of integrated modelling.