Land modelling framework

The JRC land modelling framework is based on the ecosystem model DayCent. This model is running at 1 km2 grid on a daily time step (with E-OBS gridded meteorological data from 1980. Simulation outputs include: a) Soil organic carbon stock: g C m-2 in 0-30 cm b) N2O emissions: direct soil emissions in g N m-2 c) NPP: g C m-2
Resource Type: 
Datasets
Soil Functions Data
Registration is requested: 
Yes
Year: 
2026
Themes: 
Soil Organic Carbon Content
Keywords: 
SOC

Title: Land modelling framework based on DayCent 
Description:. The JRC land modelling framework is based on the ecosystem model DayCent. This model is running at 1 km2 grid on a daily time step (with E-OBS gridded meteorological data from 1980). The biogeochemical modelling platform simulates carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) flows within soil and between soil, the atmosphere and vegetation for agricultural soils. It also includes plant growth (major crops, grassland, vineyard and olive orchard) and physical (water flow, soil temperature etc.) sub-models, providing CO2, NO2 and CH4 fluxes. The modelling framework is implemented with state-of-art European spatial datasets (e.g. Corine Land Cover, LUCAS soil derived map, etc.) and Eurostat statistics (N consumption, crop share, etc.) to a detailed characterization of environmental and farming conditions at the EU level.

Spatial coverage: EU27+ UK
Pixel size: 1000mx1000m 
Data Format: Geotiff
Projection: ETRS 1989 LAEA (EPSG: 3035)

Simulation inputs

  • Mineral N: g m-2
  • Organic N: g m-2
  • Corine Land Cover interpolated at 1 km:
    band 1: CLC 1980-1991
    band 2: CLC 1992-2003
    band 3: CLC 2004-2011
    band 4: CLC 2012-2015
    band 5: CLC 2016-2024
  • Good agricultural practices:
    band 1: 2004-2011
    band 2: 2012-2019
    band 3: 2020-2024

Simulation outputs

  • Soil organic carbon stock: g C m-2 in 0-30 cm
  • N2O emissions: direct soil emissions in g N m-2
  • NPP: g C m-2

Please access the JRC Land Modelling Dashboard to view those datasets


References: 

  • Muntwyler, A., E. Lugato, P. Panagos, L. Scherer, A. Muller, and S. Pfister. 2026. “Modeling Organic Agriculture Expansion in the EU: Assessing Productivity and Environmental Trade-Offs.” Global Change Biology 32, no. 7: e70973. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.70973.
  • Michailidis, V., E. Lugato, P. Panagos, F. Freund, and D. Abalos. 2025. “Impact of Healthy Diet Shifts on Soil Greenhouse Gas Emissions Across Europe.” Global Change Biology 31, no. 11: e70624. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.70624.
  • Pacifico, F., G. Ronchetti, F. Dentener, M. Van Der Velde, M. Van Den Berg, and E. Lugato. 2024. “Quantifying the Impact of an Abrupt Reduction in Mineral Nitrogen Fertilization on Crop Yield in the European Union.” Science of the Total Environment 954: 176692.
  • Muntwyler, A., P. Panagos, S. Pfister, and E. Lugato. 2024. “Assessing the Phosphorus Cycle in European Agricultural Soils: Looking Beyond Current National Phosphorus Budgets.” Science of the Total Environment 906: 167143.
  • Lugato, E., A. Cescatti, A. Jones, G. Ceccherini, and G. Duveiller. 2020. “Maximising Climate Mitigation Potential by Carbon and Radiative Agricultural Land Management With Cover Crops Maximising Climate Mitigation Potential by Carbon and Radiative Agricultural Land Management With Cover Crops”.
  • Lugato, E., P. Smith, P. Borrelli, P. Panagos, and C. Ballabio. 2018. “Soil Erosion is Unlikely to Drive a Future Carbon Sink in Europe.” Science Advances 4: eaau3523. http://advances.sciencemag.org/.
  • Lugato, E., A. Leip, and A. Jones. 2018. “Mitigation Potential of Soil Carbon Management Overestimated by Neglecting N2O Emissions.” Nature Climate Change 8: 219–223.
  • Lugato, E., L. Paniagua, A. Jones, W. De Vries, and A. Leip. 2017. “Complementing the Topsoil Information of the Land Use/Land Cover Area Frame Survey (LUCAS) With Modelled N2O Emissions.” PLoS One 12: e0176111.
  • Lugato, E., K. Paustian, P. Panagos, A. Jones, and P. Borrelli. 2016. “Quantifying the Erosion Effect on Current Carbon Budget of European Agricultural Soils at High Spatial Resolution.” Global Change Biology 22: 1976–1984.
  • Lugato, E., F. Bampa, P. Panagos, L. Montanarella, and A. Jones. 2015. “Potential Carbon Sequestration of European Arable Soils Estimated by Modelling a Comprehensive Set of Management Practices.” Global Change Biology 20: 3557–3567.
  • Lugato, E., P. Panagos, F. Bampa, A. Jones, and L. Montanarella. 2014. “A New Baseline of Organic Carbon Stock in European Agricultural Soils Using a Modelling Approach.” Global Change Biology 20: 313–326.

 

 

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  • The data provided has been prepared for use by internal research activities of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) . 
  • The data are the result of JRC research activities and are primarily made available for further research. The JRC does not accept any liability whatsoever for any error, missing data or omission in the data, or for any loss or damage arising from its use. The JRC agrees to provide the data free of charge but is not bound to justify the content and values contained in the databases.
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Reference of source (Citations) :

  • Muntwyler, A., E. Lugato, P. Panagos, L. Scherer, A. Muller, and S. Pfister. 2026. “Modeling Organic Agriculture Expansion in the EU: Assessing Productivity and Environmental Trade-Offs.” Global Change Biology 32, no. 7: e70973. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.70973.
  • Michailidis, V., E. Lugato, P. Panagos, F. Freund, and D. Abalos. 2025. “Impact of Healthy Diet Shifts on Soil Greenhouse Gas Emissions Across Europe.” Global Change Biology 31, no. 11: e70624. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.70624.
  • Pacifico, F., G. Ronchetti, F. Dentener, M. Van Der Velde, M. Van Den Berg, and E. Lugato. 2024. “Quantifying the Impact of an Abrupt Reduction in Mineral Nitrogen Fertilization on Crop Yield in the European Union.” Science of the Total Environment 954: 176692.
  • Muntwyler, A., P. Panagos, S. Pfister, and E. Lugato. 2024. “Assessing the Phosphorus Cycle in European Agricultural Soils: Looking Beyond Current National Phosphorus Budgets.” Science of the Total Environment 906: 167143.
  • Lugato, E., A. Cescatti, A. Jones, G. Ceccherini, and G. Duveiller. 2020. “Maximising Climate Mitigation Potential by Carbon and Radiative Agricultural Land Management With Cover Crops Maximising Climate Mitigation Potential by Carbon and Radiative Agricultural Land Management With Cover Crops”.
  • Lugato, E., P. Smith, P. Borrelli, P. Panagos, and C. Ballabio. 2018. “Soil Erosion is Unlikely to Drive a Future Carbon Sink in Europe.” Science Advances 4: eaau3523. http://advances.sciencemag.org/.
  • Lugato, E., A. Leip, and A. Jones. 2018. “Mitigation Potential of Soil Carbon Management Overestimated by Neglecting N2O Emissions.” Nature Climate Change 8: 219–223.
  • Lugato, E., L. Paniagua, A. Jones, W. De Vries, and A. Leip. 2017. “Complementing the Topsoil Information of the Land Use/Land Cover Area Frame Survey (LUCAS) With Modelled N2O Emissions.” PLoS One 12: e0176111.
  • Lugato, E., K. Paustian, P. Panagos, A. Jones, and P. Borrelli. 2016. “Quantifying the Erosion Effect on Current Carbon Budget of European Agricultural Soils at High Spatial Resolution.” Global Change Biology 22: 1976–1984.
  • Lugato, E., F. Bampa, P. Panagos, L. Montanarella, and A. Jones. 2015. “Potential Carbon Sequestration of European Arable Soils Estimated by Modelling a Comprehensive Set of Management Practices.” Global Change Biology 20: 3557–3567.
  • Lugato, E., P. Panagos, F. Bampa, A. Jones, and L. Montanarella. 2014. “A New Baseline of Organic Carbon Stock in European Agricultural Soils Using a Modelling Approach.” Global Change Biology 20: 313–326.

 

 

When making reference to the ESDAC

  • Panagos, P., Van Liedekerke, M., Borrelli, P., Köninger, J., Ballabio, C., Orgiazzi, A., Lugato, E., Liakos, L., Hervas, J., Jones, A.  Montanarella, L. 2022. European Soil Data Centre 2.0: Soil data and knowledge in support of the EU policies. European Journal of Soil Science, 73(6), e13315. DOI: 10.1111/ejss.13315
  • Panagos P., Van Liedekerke M., Jones A., Montanarella L., “European Soil Data Centre: Response to European policy support and public data requirements”; (2012) Land Use Policy, 29 (2), pp. 329-338. doi:10.1016/j.landusepol.2011.07.003
  • European Soil Data Centre (ESDAC), esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu, European Commission, Joint Research Centre