E
cosystem
servicesdelivered
Provisioning
Regulation & maintenance
Cultural
Abiotic
C
ontribution
topolicyobjectives
Water Framework Directive
Floods Directive
Birds & Habitats Directive
2020 Biodiversity Strategy
P
otential
biophysicaleffects
Runoff
Reducing pollution
Soil conservation
Habitat
Climate Change
High
Low
Medium
None
Mulching is one of the measures that can be taken on agricultural fields and areas to reduce flood risks. Under dry conditions, mulching can
slow surface runoff
and runoff
at the plot outlet, which appears to be delayed as mulching rate increases. Soil water retention increases for high mulching rates compared to bare soil, which also contributes
to reducing runoff. Reducing and slowing down runoff finally contribute to decreasing flood risk.
Tests show that sediment concentration in runoff can be 15 times lower under high mulching rate than on bare soils. The erosive response of soil under simulation quickly decreases
with time after prolonged storms (30 min) due to the exhaustion of available erodible particles. That may help to control
erosion and sediments delivery.
By increasing water infiltration in the soil, mulching contributes to increasing groundwater recharge thus improving groundwater quantitative status.
