Soil sealing is the covering or sealing of soil by means of pervious (e.g. water-bound coverings, lawn grid stones) or impervious materials (e.g. concrete, asphalt) whether through building construction, the laying down of traffic surfaces or some forms of landscaping. The full or partial sealing of soil limits or prevents exchange processes between the atmosphere and the earth to varying degrees.
Depending on the intensity and extent, the results can be transformation or partial destruction of the soil as well as the natural habitats for flora and fauna; the meso- and micro-climate and the water balance can also be affected.
[Source: Arlt, G. et al. (2001): Auswirkungen städtischer Nutzungsstrukturen auf Bodenversiegelung und Bodenpreis. IÖR-Schriften 34, Dresden]