The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word ECOSPHERE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
E
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S
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The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ECOSPHERE mean?
ECOSPHERE noun- The portion of the atmosphere from sea-level to about 4000 meters in which it is possible to breathe without technological assistance.
- The biosphere