Glossary

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.

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

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.

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

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

“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

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).

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

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.

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