The diversion or orderly removal of excess water from the surface of the land by means of improved natural or constructed channels, supplemented when necessary by the shaping and grading of land surfaces to such channels. (Nijland, H.J., F.W. Croon and H.P. Ritzema, 2005. Subsurface Drainage Practices: Guidelines for the implementation, operation and maintenance of subsurface pipe drainage systems. Wageningen, Alterra, ILRI Publication no. 60, pp. 608. https://edepot.wur.nl/264729)
Drainage using a buried pipe - regardless of material, size, or shape - which collects and conveys drainage water from a piece of land to a collector or to a main drain. (Nijland, H.J., F.W. Croon and H.P. Ritzema, 2005. Subsurface Drainage Practices: Guidelines for the implementation, operation and maintenance of subsurface pipe drainage systems. Wageningen, Alterra, ILRI Publication no. 60, pp. 608. https://edepot.wur.nl/264729)
Tile drainage is a form of agricultural drainage system that removes excess sub-surface water from fields to allow sufficient air space within the soil, proper cultivation, and access by heavy machinery to tend and harvest crops. The phrase "tile drainage" derives from its original composition from ceramic tiles of fired clay, which were similar to terracotta pipes yet not always shaped as pipes. (Wikipedia, 2024. Tile drainage https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tile_drainage)
A system of cisternae in the cytoplasm of many cells. In places the endoplasmic reticulum is continuous with the plasma membrane (cell membrane) or outer membrane of the nuclear envelope. (MeSH. 2024. Endoplasmic Reticulum. https://meshb-prev.nlm.nih.gov/record/ui?ui=D004721)
A ditch that collects water from the field drainage system and carries it to the main drain for disposal. (Adapted from Nijland, H.J., F.W. Croon and H.P. Ritzema, 2005. Subsurface Drainage Practices: Guidelines for the implementation, operation and maintenance of subsurface pipe drainage systems. Wageningen, Alterra, ILRI Publication no. 60, pp. 608. https://edepot.wur.nl/264729)
Science and practice of measuring the components of the hydrological cycle, including rainfall, water level, flow and sediment transport of surface waters, and groundwater characteristics. (ISO/DIS 772 - Hydrometry — Vocabulary and symbols.)
Organism, species or community whose characteristics show the presence of specific environmental conditions. Other terms used are indicator organism, indicator plant and indicator species. (United Nations. 1997.)
A component of the cell wall of gram-negative bacteria that elicits, in mammals, an inflammatory response and fever. (FAO Glossary of Biotechnology for Food and Agriculture, 2001)
A measurement of the biological homeostasis of energy in living systems. In physics, the relationship between incoming solar radiation, outgoing radiation of all types, and global temperature change.. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_balance)
Energy conservation is the effort made to reduce the consumption of energy by using less of an energy service. This can be achieved either by using energy more efficiently or by reducing the amount of service used. (FAOLEX. 2025. Glossary https://www.fao.org/faolex/)
