Glossary

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.