The night of ancient lights held in August is a common custom on all the beaches of the Baltic Sea The word ‘meri’ (‘sea’) has been used in Estonian for ten thousand years or more. The sea separates and the sea connects – regional differences in folk culture and lifestyle have developed along the water’s edge. Coastal people have been dependent on the changing sea, which has shaped their daily...

Most of the species on the Estonian Red List are associated with semi-natural communities Heritage meadows have an exceptionally high species diversity. They are an important habitat for nearly 700 plant species. 76 plant species have been found growing on 1 m 2 of the Laelatu wooded meadow [1] – it is one of the densest plant communities in the world in terms of species richness. Alvars with dry...

The main reason for the loss of heritage communities was the abandonment of handicraft, and intensive agriculture Heritage meadows or semi-natural communities are also called heritage communities. Both names refer to a close connection with man and to the fact that we have inherited these communities from our ancestors. Semi-natural communities have emerged with the help of humans, as a result of...

The weathering of the source material and the organisms that decompose organic material play an important role in soil formation Soil is the superficial loose layer of the earth’s crust, formed as a result of the weathering of the source material and the activity of plants and microorganisms. Soil is formed over a very long period of time by the interaction of many natural factors. Soil thickness...

About a quarter of the world’s biodiversity is located in the soil Soil consists of mineral and organic parts. The organic part of the soil consists of living organisms and organic residues at different stages of decomposition. It is estimated that only 1% of soil organisms are known and described to date. About a quarter of the world’s biodiversity is located in the soil [1]. The importance of...