BP17 - Absorb and/or retain CO2

Streambed (or riverbed) represents the bottom of the river, including each bank. In the past, riverbeds have been artificially modified with concrete or big boulders, altering flows and reducing habitat for wildlife and vegetation diversity. The changes were aimed at preventing flood or supporting changes of agricultural practices for example. This has led to more...

Ongoing climate change affects lake water quality through several mechanisms, including (1) changes in external and internal nutrient loads, (2) increased frequency of extreme events such as hurricanes, (3) temperature-induced changes in biota and biotic interactions, and (4) fluctuations in water levels.
Lakes function as important water retention systems, capable of storing water for flood control and providing water for multiple uses...

A floodplain is the area bordering a river that naturally provides space for the retention of flood and rainwater.  Because of regular flooding, floodplain soils are generally very fertile and they have often been dried-out to be used as agricultural land. Floodplains in many places have also been separated from the river by dikes, berms or other structures designed to control the flow of the...

According to the Convention on Wetlands (1971), a wetland is an area of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres. 

Wetlands play a crucial role in regulating the global climate and are natural biofilters for pollutant removal, nutrient...

Green cover, cover crops or catch crops refers to crops planted in late summer or autumn, usually on arable land, to protect the soil, which would otherwise lie bare during the winter, against wind and water erosion.  Green cover crops also improve the structure of the soil, diversify the cropping system, and mitigate the loss of soluble nutrients. Green cover crops are good...

The optimal sowing date is one of the most important and cost-effective field management practices that affect crop development, nutrient uptake, grain yield, technical quality, and nutritional value. Although it does not require additional inputs, adjusting the sowing date can serve as an efficient and affordable strategy to improve yields under different climatic conditions.

Early sowing refers to sowing up to six weeks before the...

Buffer strips and hedges are natural or semi-natural vegetated features integrated into agricultural and semi-urban landscapes to enhance ecological and hydrological functions.

Buffer strips are areas of natural vegetation cover (grass, bushes or trees) at the margin of fields, arable land, transport infrastructures and water courses. They can feature various combinations of vegetation, from simple grass to mixtures of grass, trees,...

More than 30% of agricultural areas in the EU – some 50 million hectares – is covered by permanent grasslands. Meadows are areas or fields whose main vegetation is grass, or other non-woody plants, used for mowing and haying.  Pastures are grassed or wooded areas, moorland or heathland, generally used for grazing. Due to their rooted soils and their permanent cover, meadows and pastures create ideal conditions for water uptake and...

Crop rotation is the practice of growing a series of dissimilar or different types, species, or families of crops in the same area in sequential seasons. Judiciously applied (i.e. selecting a suitable crop) crop rotation can improve soil structure and fertility by alternating deep-rooted and shallow-rooted plants. In turn, this enhances the soil’s sponge-like behaviour by improving structural properties, fostering root-driven...