Glossary

Expanded shale consists of crushed shale. The grains have a plate-like shape and are very light.

Mapping means the graphic representation of objects and facts of the earth’s surface on maps or in plans.

Cellulose and lignin are components of the cell walls of plants. At around 50 percent, cellulose is the main component and is therefore the most common organic compound. Lignin is deposited in the cell walls and leads to wood formation, also called “lignification”, of the cell wall.

Sealed surfaces are soils that are separated from the atmosphere by hard surface coverings with virtually impermeable materials (asphalt, concrete, etc.) or by the direct superstructure of buildings.

An adiabatic change of state is a thermodynamic process in which a system is transformed from one state to another without exchanging heat with its surroundings. It is therefore a thermally perfectly insulated system.

Soil erosion describes the removal or displacement of the soil due to external influences. The main causes of soil erosion are rain (due to runoff) and wind.

The term refers to the formation of the earth’s surface or the shape of a terrain and can be described, for example, on the basis of differences in height, slope and distance.

This chemical substance is better known by its trivial name, laughing gas. The chemical molecular formula is N2O. Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas and contributes to global warming. The gas is mainly used as an anaesthetic.

“Edaphon” refers to all of the organisms living in the soil (soil beings/creatures).

In botany, transpiration describes the evaporation of water through the leaves of plants.

“Used land” refers to areas that have been directly and permanently changed by humans for construction, transport, leisure, other purposes through construction or through mining areas and have lost their biological productivity.

Organisms that live on animal excrement, dead plants and dead animals (carrion). They break up and transport organic material in the soil. This is then broken down by secondary decomposers into inorganic substances. Important primary decomposers are earthworms, enchytraea, soil mites, fly larvae, isopods and snails.

To classify different soils, a distinction is made between soil types such as brown soil, podzol, gley, etc. The soil types are systematically classified with diagnostic features and properties. The characteristic horizons and horizon sequences play a major role for the classification.

The adjective “eutrophic” has a Greek origin and means “rich in nutrients” but also “over-fertilised”. The process of eutrophication describes the excessive growth of plants in lakes due to an increased nutrient intake. Nitrogen and phosphorus compounds in particular cause eutrophication. The degradation of the plant masses leads to a drop in the oxygen content

This approach, invented by the German chemist Michael Braungart and the American architect William McDonough, puts product cycles in a holistic context. The goal is not to dispose of the substances and materials used in products as waste, but to reuse them. That means continuing to use it after using it for another purpose.

In the thermohaline circulation, four of the five oceans are connected by ocean currents. The circulation is caused by differences in temperature and salt.

The term “emission” means the discharge of pollutants and other disruptive factors into the environment. In environmental law, this includes discharges from toxic, harmful or environmentally hazardous chemical substances. Common examples are gaseous or particulate pollutant emissions (from cars and airplanes), liquid emissions (from contaminated sites and factories), particulate emissions (from dumps), road noise, and

The term “lichen” is used to describe the symbiosis between a fungus and an alga. The fine fungal threads weave around the algae or penetrate them. This enables the exchange of substances between the two life partners. The alga uses sunlight and chlorophyll to produce starch, which is the basis of life for the fungus.

Compost is a humus and nutrient-rich fertilizer and soil conditioner that is the end product of composting organic material.

Mediterranean climate refers to the macro climate in the subtropical areas. Characteristic of this are mild winters with many hours of sunshine and hot, rainy summers. The areas characterised by a Mediterranean climate are located near the 40th degree latitude.

Wood fibres, wood chips or bark products obtained from wood waste, which are used in potting soil instead of peat. They have good properties similar to those of peat, but no bogs are destroyed in order to obtain them.

At a suitable temperature and humidity, plant seeds germinate either only in the light (e.g., basil) or only in the dark (e.g., tomatoes). In garden practice, this means that the seeds of light germinators are scattered on the soil, while those of dark germinators must be covered with soil.

The term “soil beings / creatures” (Edaphon) is used to refer to all the organisms living in the soil.

Carbon monoxide is a chemical compound made up of carbon and oxygen. The molecular formula is CO. Carbon monoxide is odourless and colourless and very toxic. It is formed during the incomplete combustion of carbon-containing substances.

A microclimate denotes local atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the surrounding areas. Often it differs only slightly, but sometimes there is a significant difference. The term can refer to areas as small as a few square meters (e.g., a garden bed or a den) or many square kilometres.

Volatile organic compounds – VOCs for short – are organic substances with a low boiling point. They are found in many solvents, woods, paints and sealants.

The stem of a plant not only grows in length, but also in girth. This increases the stability of the plant on the one hand and improves the transport capacity on the other.

Synthetic fertilisers or mineral fertilisers are inorganic plant fertilisers that can be used in conventional agriculture. The most common ingredients are nitrogen and phosphate compounds.

Manure is a faecal mixture of faeces and urine.

Greenhouse gases reflect sunlight bouncing off the Earth, acting like greenhouse glass. Air pollutants that affect the climate include carbon dioxide (CO2), which is produced when fossil fuels are used, methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and fluorinated gases (F-gases).

Sphagnum mosses feed their water balance solely from rainwater and are built up almost exclusively from peat-forming mosses. Due to the high-water level (lack of oxygen and increased acidity), organic residues hardly decompose, and peat build-up takes place very slowly (approx. 1 mm per year). Peat bogs develop on impermeable mineral soils or on fens.

Meteorology is the study of the physical and chemical processes in the atmosphere. The people who work in this field are called meteorologists. They deal, for example, with weather forecasts and climatology.

Humic acids are mainly found in nutrient-rich, slightly acidic to neutral soils. They belong to the humic substances. Humic substances are formed from fragments and residues that are difficult to convert, such as spruce needles. They form organic-mineral complexes that contribute to structural stability and are very rich in nutrients. However, the nutrients are only

Humidity indicates the proportion of water vapour in a gas mixture. Since gases cannot absorb an unlimited amount of water, the relative humidity, on the other hand, describes the actual water content in relation to the physical maximum of a gas mixture.  

Based on the cadastral plan (on which all properties in a municipality are marked), all areas are assigned a dedication in the zoning plan.

A plant species is referred to as a “pioneer plant” in that it can adapt well to the colonisation of new areas that are still bare of vegetation.

The adjective anthropogenic denotes changes in the environment caused by humans.

The habitat and the organisms living in it are called ecosystems. The plants, animals, microorganisms and the non-living environment all interact.

The adjective “biogenic” means “created by (the activity of) living beings, formed from dead beings”.

Nutrients and energy are passed on in cycles in almost all ecosystems. Producers are the organisms that produce biomass. These are mainly plants and bacteria. Consumers consume this biomass and are dependent energy-wise on the producers. Consumers are mainly humans and animals. Decomposers are the creatures in the producer-consumer-decomposer cycle that are responsible for breaking

Herbicides are chemical weed killers used primarily in agriculture to damage or kill plants that compete with crops.

Soil conditioners are soil-improving soil additives that can increase soil fertility and soil life. Due to their low nutrient content, soil additives are not considered fertilizers.

Biomass-based fuels (e.g., from grain, corn, sugar cane), which can be used for engines and are sometimes mixed with fossil fuels in Austria.

The atmosphere is the gaseous layer surrounding a celestial body.

The term describes the grouping of particles of a certain grain size. There is no internationally valid definition. In German-speaking countries, for example, there are the fraction groups fine soil, fine skeleton and coarse skeleton, which in turn are subdivided into main fractions (e.g., clay, silt, sand, gravel).

“Mulching” means covering the soil with organic material. This ensures that the soil is protected from physical effects such as drying out, erosion, excessive overheating, silting up, etc. Mulch covers have a temperature-regulating effect and serve as a nutrient depot. In many cases, mulching replaces deep soil cultivation.

A development plan defines the way land can be developed and the use of the areas to be kept free from development. It also contains regulations on the permissible construction methods, construction heights and construction lines as well as the course and width of traffic areas. Development plans are based on a zoning plan and

The soil’s buffering function describes its ability to neutralise acids in order to keep the pH constant.

This distinction is a subdivision according to the nutrient requirements of plants. This distinction is important when creating crop rotation beds. Heavy feeders (e.g., brassicas) need an extraordinary amount of nutrients for good growth. Therefore, they are the first to be grown in a crop rotation. Average feeders (e.g., carrots) require significantly fewer nutrients. Weak

Acids are substances that cause a pH value of less than 7 in an aqueous solution. The pH of bases is between 7 and 14. Acids and bases usually react with one another in what is known as an acid-base reaction and can neutralise one another.

Bogs are wet habitats overgrown with low vegetation. They consist of 95 percent water and are therefore large water reservoirs. Bogs are habitats in which more organic matter forms than is decomposed. In addition, peatlands are important carbon reservoirs. Almost half of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is bound in bogs.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are the gaseous oxides of nitrogen. Nitrogen oxides irritate and damage the respiratory system and are responsible for the formation of acid rain.

The troposphere is the layer of the earth’s atmosphere closest to the ground. Most of the weather occurs in this layer.

In the context of landscape planning, the term “zoning” refers to the administrative act by which something is released for public use and subject to public law.

Recycling means the treatment and reuse of waste for new products.

Cradle-to-Grave describes the path taken by a substance from manufacture to disposal.

Oxidation is a chemical reaction in which a substance emits electrons. Another substance absorbs the electrons and is reduced in the process. Oxidation is thus a partial reaction of a redox reaction (a chemical reaction in which one reactant transfers electrons to the other).

Red lists provide information about the endangerment status, the endangerment factors and the measures to protect the species in certain regions.

Plants that have leaves all year round and don’t shed their foliage in winter are called evergreens. Among the most common evergreens are many conifers.

In steep terrain in mountains, landslides can occur in the case of poorly consolidated materials such as soil material, boulders and rubble due to the influence of precipitation events. The material “flows” down the valley at high speed. This process is called a mudslide.

Dioxin is a collective term for chemically similar, chlorine-containing and persistent organic substances, which are highly toxic even in small quantities. They are found everywhere in the environment and are ingested through food. Because of their high fat solubility, they accumulate in humans, animals and the environment.

Soil formation is very different depending on the location. As a result, soils do not have a uniform structure, but are divided into layers that are more or less parallel to the surface. These layers, which differ in their properties, are called “soil horizons”. In general, the rock layer is at the very bottom, the

A volcanic eruption describes the partially explosive emergence of magma from a volcano.

This is a species-rich family belonging to the annelid worms. Around 650 species are known worldwide. The best-known representative is the earthworm. Enchytraea are important decomposers in the soil.

The southern hemisphere is the part of the earth located south of the equator.

Expanded clay is ground clay that is fired in a kiln at 1,200 degrees Celsius. During combustion, the material expands spherically to four to five times its original volume.

The water and air-filled cavities in the soil are called “soil pores”. The pore space represents the entirety of all soil pores. Pore spaces and pore size distributions can be very different depending on the grain size distribution, the soil structure, the content of organic matter and the humus form.

Microorganisms, also called microbes, are microscopic creatures that cannot be seen with the naked eye. These include, for example, bacteria, microalgae and many fungi.

Various materials are suitable for mulching. For beds and vegetable gardens green manure, straw, leaves and compost are best. Bark mulch, cocoa shells or inorganic materials such as lava or sand can be applied in shrub beds. Bark mulch, wood chips, leaves, etc. are a good choice for mulching trees and groves.

See P – producer-consumer-decomposer cycle

Upcycling is a form of recycling in which waste and seemingly useless materials are creatively transformed into something new.

At the earth’s surface, the soil material is not present as a continuum, but in the form of soil particles. These particles are granular and consist of inorganic material. Soil particles are classified according to grain size into sand, silt and clay. The size of the soil particles determines the pore volume and thus the

“Land grabbing” is a term for the (often illegal) appropriation of land, mostly by governments or corporations.

With new plantings, the soil material is usually loosely stored around the roots and there is plenty of air in the soil material. In order to completely cover the fine roots with soil and to largely displace the air, the plant is watered sufficiently. This process is referred to as “slurrying in”.

A person’s ecological footprint is a measure of the space required to support their lifestyle. This includes food, clothing, mobility and various resources. If one divides the biologically productive usable area of the earth (2010: 11.9 billion ha) among the earth’s population, about 1.7 ha are allotted to each person. The average footprint of Austrians

Sod tiles are pieces of grass separated from the ground with a thin layer of soil in which the roots are located.

The top 20 to 30 centimetres of soil form the topsoil.

Botany is a branch of biology and deals with the science of plants.

Drains are specially designed drainage pipes that collect and drain groundwater or rainwater through slots or holes in the pipes. In this way, wet areas are made available for agricultural use or building.

This term describes chemical agents for the destruction of plant and animal pests of all kinds.

Aggregates are admixtures to potting soil (e.g., sand, loam, clay, crushed bricks, lime, algae lime, primary rock powder).

Due to the filter function of the soil, even very small dirt or pollutant particles can be bound in seeping water. This prevents contamination of the groundwater.

Fossils are the remains of living things or traces of living things that are more than 10,000 years old. The formation of fossils is called “fossilisation”. Fossils are formed when dead living beings are sealed off from oxygen in sediment and no more change processes take place in the earth’s crust.

See S – Soil Pore

Reduction is a chemical reaction in which a substance gains electrons. In return, another substance gives up the electrons and is oxidised in the process. The reduction is therefore a partial reaction of a redox reaction.

Soil crumbs consists of clay and humus particles, pores filled with water, and sand. They are held together by electrostatic forces.

“Living construction” describes the process of “cementing” soil particles through the life processes of soil animals. Clay and humus particles are connected to each other. On the one hand, crumbs are formed with the help of mucus and excrement, on the other hand, tube systems are created that create favourable conditions for the air and

The goal of green manure is to improve the soil. Certain plants are left in the field or planted for this purpose and then incorporated into the surface of the soil or used for mulching. This improves soil life, builds up humus, protects the soil from erosion, improves the supply of nitrogen to the following

In soil science, “siltation” refers to the displacement of soil particles through the influence of rain. The consequences are the closure of soil pores, which reduces water drainage and the filter effect, levelling, erosion and crust formation after drying. This hinders plant growth.

“Vegetation cover” means the plant layer covering the ground.

Methane (CH₄) is a flammable, colourless and odourless gas. The main component of natural gas is methane. It has a high greenhouse potential and thus makes a significant contribution to global warming.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a liquid compound of hydrogen and oxygen. It is irritating to eyes, skin and mucous membranes.

The fauna – also called “animal world” – includes all animals and their habitat.

The buffering capacity describes the amount of acid that can be absorbed by the soil’s buffering function without causing a significant change in pH.

The term describes the rummaging and mixing (turbation) of soil or sediments by living beings.

Lawn sods are small square pieces of grass, which are mainly used for greening sports fields and gardens.

The flora – also called “plant world” – includes all plants and their habitat.

Physical influences such as wind, water, heat and cold, or chemical processes such as chalk leaching from limestone mountains cause cracks in the rock. When it rains on limestone, carbonic acid (H2CO3) is formed from H2O and CO2 and dissolves limescale. Soil organisms can also alter the soil chemically and roots can mechanically reshape the

All atmospheric circulation systems are summarized under the term “planetary circulation” (also called general, planetary or global circulation). The weather dynamics in the earth’s atmosphere are determined by their interaction.

The granulation describes the classification of grains and particles according to their grain size. The grain sizes are divided into the following groups (from large to small): stones, gravel, sand, silt and clay. The science of determining, describing and interpreting the grain size is called granulometry.