<p>The biophysical environment is the biotic and abiotic surrounding of an organism or population, and consequently includes the factors that have an influence in their survival, development and evolution. The biophysical environment can vary in scale from microscopic to global in extent. It can also be subdivided according to its attributes. Examples include the marine environment, the atmospheric environment and the terrestrial environment. The number of biophysical environments is countless, given that each living organism has its own environment.</p><p>The symbiosis between the physical environment and the biological life forms within the environment includes all variables that comprise the Earth’s biosphere.</p><p>The&nbsp; biophysical&nbsp; environment&nbsp; can&nbsp; be&nbsp; divided&nbsp; into&nbsp; two&nbsp; categories:&nbsp; the&nbsp; natural&nbsp; environment&nbsp; and&nbsp; the built environment with some overlap between the two. Following the industrial revolution the built environment has become an increasingly significant part of the Earth's environment.</p><p>The scope of the biophysical environment is all that contained in the biosphere, which is that part of the Earth in which all life occurs.</p><p>When narrowed down to the aquatic environment, and particularly in the context of the Water Framework Directive, these are often&nbsp; referred&nbsp; to&nbsp; as&nbsp; water&nbsp; quality,&nbsp; water&nbsp; quantity&nbsp; and&nbsp; hydromorphology.</p>

<p>A mulch is a layer of material applied to the surface of an area of soil. Its purpose is any or all of the following:</p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; to conserve moisture</p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; to improve the fertility and health of the soil</p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; to reduce weed growth</p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; to enhance the visual appeal of the area</p><p>Mulching as NWRM is using organic material (e.g. bark, wood chips, grape pulp, shell nuts, green waste, leftover crops, compost, manure, straw, dry grass, leaves etc.) to cover the surface of the soil. It may be applied to bare soil, or around existing plants. Mulches of manure or compost will be incorporated naturally into the soil by the activity of worms and other organisms. The process is used both in commercial crop production and in gardening, and when applied correctly can dramatically improve the capacity of soil to store water.</p>

<p>LID is a toolbox of site-scale practices that the site designer and developer can utilize to:</p>manage urban rainfall where it occurs for minimized stormwater concentration and runoffpotentially lower short-term and long-term development costsimprove water qualityenhance natural habitat and flood controlimprove green space aesthetics and potentially increase property valuesincrease community quality of life and livability<p>There are many practices that are used to support these benefits, including bioretention systems, rain gardens, vegetated rooftops, bioswales, rain barrels, and permeable pavements to name a few. By implementing LID principles and practices, water can be managed in a way that reduces the impact of built areas on the environment while providing numerous additional benefits. (source: LID symposium).</p><p>This concept is very similar to NWRM in the United States context. It is very connected to Green Infrastructure. See also the link to US EPA green infrastructure website.</p>

Areas that are inundated by surface or ground water with frequency sufficient to support a prevalence of vegetative or aquatic life that requires saturated or seasonally saturated soil conditions for growth or reproduction.
Wetlands provide both stormwater attenuation and treatment, comprising shallow ponds and marshy areas covered in aquatic vegetation.ﾠ Wetlands detain flows for an extended period to allow sediments to settle and to remove contaminants.ﾠ They also provide runoff attenuation and can provide significant ecological benefits.