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This document describes the 82 data objects loaded by load_general_data(). All objects are automatically loaded into your R environment when you call this function.

Quick Reference

library(afsetools)
load_general_data()  # Loads all 82 objects below

Nomenclatures and Classifications (35 objects)

Core Classifications

  • items_full - Complete item nomenclature with codes, names, and categories
  • items_prod_full - Production-specific item classifications
  • items_cbs - Commodity Balance Sheet item codes
  • regions_full - Country codes and names with regional aggregations
  • regions_full_uISO3 - Regional classifications with ISO3 codes

Product Categories

  • Cats - Primary product categories and groupings
  • Cats_proc - Processed product categories
  • Primary_double - Items with multiple primary products (co-products)
  • Secondary_double - Items with multiple secondary products

Processing and Trade

  • Extraction_rates - Processing extraction rates by product
  • Processing_shares - Allocation shares for processing chains
  • Trade_codes - Trade classification codes and mappings
  • Supply_util - Supply utilization categories

Additional Classifications (25+ more objects)

Including specialized nomenclatures for crops, livestock, feed, and regional aggregations.

Biomass Coefficients (17 objects)

Main Coefficients

  • Biomass_coefs - Primary coefficient table containing:
    • Dry matter content (DM)
    • Nitrogen content (N)
    • Carbon content (C)
    • Energy content (energy_MJ_kg)
    • Digestible energy for livestock
    • Metabolizable energy values

Root and Residue Parameters

  • Root_ref - Reference root biomass values by crop type
  • Residue_Shares - Management shares for crop residues (harvested vs. left in field)
  • Root_Shoot_ratios - Root to shoot biomass ratios
  • Harvest_indices - Harvest index values for different crops

Scaling and Conversion Factors

  • Weed_NPP_Scaling - Scaling factors for weed biomass relative to crops
  • Fallow_cover - Vegetation cover fractions on fallow land
  • Land_scaling - Land use intensity scaling factors
  • Protein_digestibility - Protein digestibility coefficients

Weed Biomass Constants (6 scalars)

  • Root_Shoot_ratio_W - Root to shoot ratio for weeds
  • Residue_kgDM_kgFM_W - Weed residue dry matter per fresh matter
  • Residue_kgN_kgDM_W - Nitrogen content of weed residues (kg N / kg DM)
  • Root_kgN_kgDM_W - Nitrogen content of weed roots (kg N / kg DM)
  • Residue_kgC_kgDM_W - Carbon content of weed residues (kg C / kg DM)
  • Root_kgC_kgDM_W - Carbon content of weed roots (kg C / kg DM)
  • Rhizod_kgN_kgRootN_W - Rhizodeposition nitrogen coefficient for weeds
  • Residue_kgC_kgDM_Wo - Carbon content of woody residues (kg C / kg DM)
  • Root_kgC_kgDM_Wo - Carbon content of woody roots (kg C / kg DM)

Livestock Coefficients (1 object)

From Livestock_coefs.xlsx.

  • max_intake_share - Maximum intake share by livestock category and feed item (28 rows × 3 cols): Livestock_cat, item_cbs, max_intake_share. Used by redistribute_feed() to cap feed allocation.

IPCC Crop Residue and Root Coefficients (8 objects)

Based on IPCC 2006 Guidelines, Vol. 4, Ch. 11, Table 11.2.

  • IPCC_residue_coefs - Linear model coefficients for above-ground residue biomass (31 crops): Slope_AG, Intercept_AG_MgDMha, RS_ratio_IPCC, N_AG_residue, N_BG_residue
  • IPCC_root_coefs - Root-to-shoot ratios with context-specific adjustments (31 crops): RS_default, RS_low_N, RS_high_N, RS_irrigated, RS_rainfed, BG_ref_MgDMha
  • IPCC_crop_mapping - Maps 136 FAO items (Name_biomass) to 31 IPCC crop categories and 8 broader crop groups (Wheat, Rice, Maize, Sorghum_millet, Legumes, Root_tuber, Oilseeds, Other)
  • Modern_variety_adoption - Crop-group-specific adoption shares of modern varieties by 8 world regions and 8 crop groups (1900-2020), interpolated to annual resolution at load time. Primary source: Evenson & Gollin (2003) Science 300:758-762
  • HI_crop_ranges - Crop-group-specific harvest index characteristics: traditional vs modern HI values and derived HI gap factors (8 crop groups). Sources: Austin et al. (1980), Hay (1995), Khush (2001), Lorenz et al. (2010), Unkovich et al. (2010), Sinclair (1998)
  • Crop_RS_N_response - Crop-group-specific root:shoot ratio N-response sensitivity (8 crop groups). Scales the generic N_input_RS_adj factor to reflect that legumes (0.30) respond minimally to soil N while cereals (1.00) respond fully. Sources: Poorter & Nagel (2000), Peng & Ismail (2004)
  • N_input_RS_adj - Nitrogen input adjustment factors for root:shoot ratios (5 classes from <20 to >200 kg N/ha) based on Poorter & Nagel 2000
  • Irrigation_adj - Irrigation adjustment factors for residue:product and root:shoot ratios (Irrigated, Rainfed, Mixed)

NPP Model Coefficients (1 object)

  • NPP_model_coefs - All numeric coefficients for potential NPP models (23 parameters across 6 model variants):
    • Miami (Lieth 1975): Temperature and precipitation logistic curves
    • NCEAS tree TNPP/ANPP (Del Grosso et al. 2008, Table 1): Coupled temperature-precipitation models for tree-dominated systems
    • NCEAS non-tree TNPP/ANPP (Del Grosso et al. 2008, Table 2): Precipitation-only saturating models for grasslands
    • Rosenzweig (1968): AET-based log-linear model

Global Warming Potentials (8 objects)

  • GWP - Complete GWP table with multiple time horizons
  • GWP_C - Carbon molecular weight ratio
  • GWP_CO2 - CO2 global warming potential (= 1)
  • GWP_CH4 - CH4 100-year global warming potential
  • GWP_CH4_fossil - CH4 fossil 100-year GWP (higher than biogenic)
  • GWP_N2O - N2O 100-year global warming potential
  • GWP_N2ON - N2O-N to N2O conversion factor times GWP

Biological Nitrogen Fixation (3 objects)

  • BNF - BNF parameters (17 rows) including:
    • Name_BNF - BNF parameter category name
    • Ndfa - Proportion of N derived from atmosphere (0-1; NA for rice/sugarcane)
    • NHI - Nitrogen harvest index (NA for fallow/weeds)
    • BGN - Below-ground nitrogen factor (NA for fallow/weeds)
    • kgNha - Non-symbiotic BNF base rate (kg N/ha/yr; only rice=33, sugarcane=25)
    • Leguminous_share - Fraction of leguminous species (0-1)
    • Source - Literature reference for parameter values
  • Names_BNF - Crop name mapping (38 rows): maps Name_biomass to Name_BNF categories; also includes CB_Item for commodity balance linking
  • Pure_legs - Pure legume classification (10 rows): categorises BNF categories as Grain or Fodder_pure legumes

Constants and Scalars (6 objects)

  • toe - Tonnes of oil equivalent conversion factor
  • IOM - Inert organic matter parameter
  • SOM_C - Soil organic matter carbon content
  • Soil_depth_carbon - Reference soil depth for carbon accounting
  • Protein_N - Protein to nitrogen conversion factor
  • Kcal_MJ - Kilocalorie to megajoule conversion factor

Color Palettes and Vectors (8+ objects)

Impact-Specific Colors

  • Total_color - Color for total/overall impact categories
  • SOM_color - Soil organic matter impact colors
  • GHG_color - Greenhouse gas impact colors
  • N_color - Nitrogen-related impact colors
  • P_color - Phosphorus-related impact colors
  • Land_color - Land use impact colors
  • Water_color - Water use impact colors
  • Energy_color - Energy use impact colors

Utility Vectors

  • Month_names - Month name vectors for plotting
  • Month_numbers - Month number sequences

Data Sources

All coefficients and classifications are derived from harmonized datasets including:

  • FAO Statistics - Production, trade, and commodity balance data
  • IPCC 2006 Guidelines - Crop residue/root coefficients (Vol.4, Ch.11, Table 11.2), emission factors, and GWP values
  • Del Grosso et al. (2008) - NCEAS NPP model coefficients (Ecology 89:2117-2126)
  • Lieth (1975) - Miami NPP model coefficients
  • Rosenzweig (1968) - AET-based NPP model (Am Nat 102:67-74)
  • Evenson & Gollin (2003) - Green Revolution variety adoption data (Science 300:758)
  • Poorter & Nagel (2000) - Root:shoot ratio response to N (New Phytologist 147:135)
  • Scientific Literature - Biomass coefficients and BNF parameters
  • LUH2 Dataset - Land use harmonization data
  • Nutrient Databases - Food composition and nutritional data
  • Scientific Literature - Biomass coefficients and BNF parameters
  • LUH2 Dataset - Land use harmonization data
  • Nutrient Databases - Food composition and nutritional data

Usage Examples

# Load all data
load_general_data()

# Explore nomenclatures
head(items_full)
head(regions_full)

# Check available coefficients
head(Biomass_coefs)
head(GWP)

# Use in calculations
my_data %>%
  left_join(Biomass_coefs, by = "item") %>%
  left_join(GWP, by = "gas_type")

# Access constants
carbon_content <- Residue_kgC_kgDM_W
colors_for_plot <- GHG_color

Object Relationships

Many objects are designed to work together:

  • Items nomenclatures link production data to coefficients
  • Biomass_coefs provides conversion factors for NPP functions
  • GWP values work with emission calculation functions
  • BNF parameters integrate with nitrogen cycling functions
  • Color palettes match the impact categories in results

For function documentation, use R’s help system: ?function_name or help(package = "afsetools").