1. Introduction.- 2. Igneous, volcanic and other geogenic gas exhalations.- 3. Mofettes.- 4. Geological-volcanological basics.- 5. Carbon dioxide - carbon dioxide - the parameter for mofettes.- 6. Mofette habitat.- 7. Bacteria and mushrooms.- 8. Animals.- 9. Mofettes and climate.- 10. The soils in mofettes.- 11. The meaning and use of mofettes.- 12. The mythical-ethological meaning of CO2 emissions.- 13. Danger through CO2 - Human tragedies - 14. Mofexotic and Mofetto pareidolia.- 15. Afterword.- 16. Literature.

This work, written in a way that is understandable even for the interested layperson, introduces the unknown world of gas volcanoes. A little-explored world that causes animals to die in the middle of Europe, changes the plant world and can provide clues for coming volcanic eruptions. But the volcanic degassings of mofettes are also used in mineral waters and fire extinguishers as well as in curing heart diseases. The book explains where such phenomena can be found and what they tell us, is the content of this biological-geological mofette guide. About the author:Univ.- Prof. Dr. Hardy Pfanz, born 1956 in Dinkelsbühl, Middle Franconia. Abitur at the Gymnasium Dinkelsbühl. Studied biology at the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg. Doctorate at the Chair of Plant Physiology with Prof. Dr. U. Heber; habilitation at the Chair of Geobotany and Ecophysiology with Prof. Dr. O. L. Lange. Assistant professor at the Institute of Forest Botany and Forest Zoology at the TUDresden/Tharandt with Prof. Dr. A. Roloff. Since 1996 Chair of Volcanic Biology and Applied Botany at the University of Duisburg-Essen.Main research interests: Volcanic biology, botanical ecophysiology and ecotoxicology, phytopathology. Stays abroad and research trips to Sweden, Greece, Turkey, Slovenia, Russia, New Zealand, Italy, the Czech Republic, Mexico, California, Arizona, Hawaii, as well as Taiwan and Japan.