Bioengineering

Thi article highlights the practice and research needs in soil and water bioengineering for reconciling natural hazard control and ecological restoration. Firstly, authors review the definition and development of bioengineering technology, while stressing issues concerning the design, implementation, and monitoring of bioengineering actions. Secondly, they highlight the need to reconcile natural hazard control and ecological restoration by posing novel practice and research questions.

This article aims to introduce new arguments for bioengineering along riverbanks by applying the ecosystem service approach. We focus on major regulating services usually provided by floodplains. Denitrification and phosphorous retention were estimated by applying proxy-based models. Carbon sequestration within vegetation was calculated using biomass equations. The study clearly indicates an increase of ecosystem services by bioengineering measures compared to conventionally fixed riverbanks.

This illustrated Construction Type Manual in 5 European languages compiles 170 construction methods describing techniques which use plants as building materials. This includes preparations necessary before they can be planted and become effective. This is followed by work which allows the plants alone to take over technical, ecological and aesthetic functions. Chapter 7, which is the largest one, contains methods of stabili-zing structures by combining living with non-living materials.