agriculture

The sponge functions of a landscape refer to its ability to soak up, store and slowly release water.

It is possible to distinguish 3 sponge functions:

1. Intercept rainfall where it falls and stimulate infiltration into the soil;

2. Slow down the runoff that has formed on the surface, is drained from groundwater, or is accumulated in streams;

3. Temporarily store excess water in the soil, groundwater or surface water bodies.

Sponge functions of a territory play the role of regulator of water. They lie at the heart of a complex system of interconnected physical processes, binding all actors and sectors together (see illustration scheme). The parameters within these sponge loops are numerous. We have become champions at monitoring them separately in every sector, while clearly seeing that they are intrinsically linked. If we organize ourselves to positively activate sponge loops, we unlock a chain reaction of benefits in favour of water availability, quality, safety, food production and biodiversity, all at once. 

Sponge functions are context-specific and must be evaluated for a myriad of different hydrometeorological events, ranging from annual floods and droughts to more extreme events. The greater the sponge functions in the landscape, the more rainwater can be stored and/or used by vegetation, and surface runoff slowed, thus reducing or avoiding flooding downstream. However, it is important to note that sponge functions are not unlimited. Once full, a sponge can no longer store water to reduce the impact of floods, and once empty, it can no longer provide water in the event of a drought, yet for more frequently occurring events, this approach will contribute to the reduction of impacts both in space and time. 

<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>

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.

Water retention covers a wide set of mechanisms (see synthesis document n°1) the effect of which are to increase the capture of water by aquifers, soil, and aquatic and water dependent ecosystems.
More precisely it refers to capabilities of catchments (including wetlands, rivers and floodplains but also other land areas) to hold or retain as much water as possible during periods of abundant or even excessive precipitation, so that water is available for use during dry periods and runoff peaks are minimized.

Meadows are areas or fields whose main vegetation is grass, or other non-woody plants, used for mowing and haying.ﾠ 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 provide good conditions for the uptake and storage of water during temporary floods. They also protect water quality by trapping sediments and assimilating nutrients.
- Based on Stella definitions, adapted by NWRM project experts and validated by the European Commission

Phosphates from agriculture are an important contributor to phosphorus loading on water bodies. Phosphorus is considered to be a limiting factor in the process of eutrophication that can generally be regarded as the enrichment of surface waters by nutrients which causes overgrowth of algae and weeds. The result is deoxygenation of waters that can kill fish and other aquatic life. Algae growth can also be a hazard to human health.

The management of land to minimise soil erosion to maintain soil and water resources, and provide sustainable benefits in the long term.

Reduced stocking density will limit soil compaction, thereby facilitating more rapid infiltration during precipitation events and potentially reducing peak flows and sediment runoff.
- Elaborated by NWRM project experts and validated by the European Commission