Evaluation of three prevalent global riverine nutrient transport models

Global riverine nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) transport models offer important insights into basin nutrient cycling. However, appropriate model selection for a given research objective remains ambiguous. This study conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the performance and applicability of three prevalent global riverine nutrient transport models: Global NEWS, IMAGE-GNM, and WorldQual. According to performance criteria (satisfactory: R² > 0.50 and NSE > 0.50), the Global NEWS model performs satisfactorily in simulating dissolved organic nitrogen (DON; n = 101, R² = 0.58, NSE = 0.57) and dissolved organic phosphorus loads (DOP; n = 80, R² = 0.59, NSE = 0.59). The model falls short in simulating dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN; n = 644, R² = 0.56, NSE = - 0.80) and dissolved inorganic phosphorus loads (DIP; n = 450, R² = 0.33, NSE = - 0.12). The IMAGE-GNM model shows satisfactory accuracies in simulating riverine total nitrogen (TN; n = 831, R² = 0.56, NSE = 0.53) and total phosphorus (TP; n = 902, R² = 0.59, NSE = 0.48) concentrations, particularly in European basins. The WorldQual model presented unsatisfactory performance in simulating riverine TN (n = 11, R² = 0.76, NSE = 0.34) and TP (n = 13, R² = 0.71, NSE = - 0.25) concentrations. Using a two-segment linear model, we recommend the Global NEWS model for basins larger than 2.2 × 10⁴ km² for DIN and 3.2 × 10⁴ km² for DIP. The IMAGE-GNM model is best suited for basins with long-term datasets and high latitudes (TN > 21 years and > 53.8 °N; TP > 22 years and > 54.5 °N). For model improvements, both the Global NEWS and WorldQual models could benefit from enhanced in-stream nutrient retention/release modules. The Global NEWS model could be further improved with a better chemical weathering module. For the IMAGE-GNM model, refining the soil erosion module is warranted to enhance model performance. Addressing legacy nutrient effects is crucial for all three models. This study provides valuable guidance for selecting and improving nutrient transport models based on specific research needs.