176
used for timbering or for agricultural production
following deforestation. However, untouched or
sustainably managed forests help the life of
humans with numerous ecological services, and
contribute to the balanced operation of the global
Earth system. Woodlands yield food (fruits,
mushrooms, spices, meat of forest animals), medicine (alkaloids, phytotoxins, venoms), handicrafts primary material, firewood without harming
the ecosystem. Forests have a very important role
in the global carbon cycle and also in reducing
climate change as they are able to store permanently the carbon content of carbon dioxide taken
from the atmosphere. Immaterial values apart
from material ones are also significant in woodlands. Especially their aesthetic value and associated touristic attractions and air cleaning functions
can be emphasised.
Naturally forests can be also utilised as raw
material resource for traditional economic
branches (timber industry, furniture industry) but
this has to be sustainable. Forests are able to regenerate until the amount and way of timbering do not
exceed the carrying capacity of the given forest.
According to the original idea an international
convention on the protection of forests was to be
accepted at the Conference on Environment and
Development of the UN in 1992. Unfortunately,
this topic brought so huge opposition of interests
among certain country groups that working out
the legal text draft was not even started. As a
compromise only principles declaring the importance of protection and sustainable (long-term)
utilisation were accepted regarding the issue of
forests (“Forest Principles”). The issue was discussed in much more details chapter 11 of the
programme entitled “Tasks for the 21st Century”
(Agenda 21). These, however, are not considered
legally binding documents. In order to continue
the international forestry political conversation
the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests was
founded in the framework of UN that has been
carrying out its activities as United Nations
Forum on Forests (UNFF) since 2000. The primary tasks of the organisation having increasingly important mandates include the elaboration
of the ways of solving the problem of sustainable
sylviculture and the continuous monitoring of
their implementation.
The title of the UNFF meeting in February
2018 reflects the efforts of foresters: “Working
Across Sectors to Halt Deforestation and Increase
Forest Area: From Aspiration to Action”. The UN
Strategic Plan for Forests 2017–2030 was elaborated with the aim of increasing the global ratio
of forests by 3%.
Although according to current knowledge less
species live in the world ocean than in terrestrial
land the extinction of marine species as a result of
anthropogenic effects also damages seriously the
biosphere. (It has to be noted that species in the
hydrosphere—especially deep seas—are known
less than terrestrial species thus species number
estimation in their case is even less accurate than
that of terrestrial ones but it is highly likely that
the number is underestimated.)
Decline of marine species largely contribute
to the sixth great (anthropogenic) extinction.
Processes leading to it are presented below.
Marine life is richest near the coasts as most
marine living beings find adequate conditions for
breeding and light is also provided in the shallower water for photosynthesising plants and protophyta. Life on coral reefs is especially rich in
species. Such reefs can be found in seas with balanced temperature in the tropical zone and
although their total extension is only 0.17% of
the world ocean, their significance is much
greater considering the number of marine species: estimates suggest that one-quarter of all
species existing in the sea live on coral reefs.
Referring to this species richness these coral
reefs are also called “tropical rainforests of
oceans”. Taking terrestrial ecosystems also into
account coral reefs are the second species richest
ecosystems following tropical rainforests.
Coral reefs also resemble rainforests in that
they react sensitively to rough changes despite
their complexity; therefore, they could be
regarded biological indicators of marine life.
The most spectacular sign of coral deterioration
is fading. Corals are animals with continuously
built calcareous skeleton forming colonies. They
defend themselves against external attacks with
tiny palps while living fixed to a place. They also
live in symbiosis with microscopic algae capable of
photosynthesising that provide corals with oxygen
and organic matter for a secure dwelling place.
4 Changes on Earth as a Result of Interaction Between the Society and Nature
used for timbering or for agricultural production
following deforestation. However, untouched or
sustainably managed forests help the life of
humans with numerous ecological services, and
contribute to the balanced operation of the global
Earth system. Woodlands yield food (fruits,
mushrooms, spices, meat of forest animals), medicine (alkaloids, phytotoxins, venoms), handicrafts primary material, firewood without harming
the ecosystem. Forests have a very important role
in the global carbon cycle and also in reducing
climate change as they are able to store permanently the carbon content of carbon dioxide taken
from the atmosphere. Immaterial values apart
from material ones are also significant in woodlands. Especially their aesthetic value and associated touristic attractions and air cleaning functions
can be emphasised.
Naturally forests can be also utilised as raw
material resource for traditional economic
branches (timber industry, furniture industry) but
this has to be sustainable. Forests are able to regenerate until the amount and way of timbering do not
exceed the carrying capacity of the given forest.
According to the original idea an international
convention on the protection of forests was to be
accepted at the Conference on Environment and
Development of the UN in 1992. Unfortunately,
this topic brought so huge opposition of interests
among certain country groups that working out
the legal text draft was not even started. As a
compromise only principles declaring the importance of protection and sustainable (long-term)
utilisation were accepted regarding the issue of
forests (“Forest Principles”). The issue was discussed in much more details chapter 11 of the
programme entitled “Tasks for the 21st Century”
(Agenda 21). These, however, are not considered
legally binding documents. In order to continue
the international forestry political conversation
the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests was
founded in the framework of UN that has been
carrying out its activities as United Nations
Forum on Forests (UNFF) since 2000. The primary tasks of the organisation having increasingly important mandates include the elaboration
of the ways of solving the problem of sustainable
sylviculture and the continuous monitoring of
their implementation.
The title of the UNFF meeting in February
2018 reflects the efforts of foresters: “Working
Across Sectors to Halt Deforestation and Increase
Forest Area: From Aspiration to Action”. The UN
Strategic Plan for Forests 2017–2030 was elaborated with the aim of increasing the global ratio
of forests by 3%.
Although according to current knowledge less
species live in the world ocean than in terrestrial
land the extinction of marine species as a result of
anthropogenic effects also damages seriously the
biosphere. (It has to be noted that species in the
hydrosphere—especially deep seas—are known
less than terrestrial species thus species number
estimation in their case is even less accurate than
that of terrestrial ones but it is highly likely that
the number is underestimated.)
Decline of marine species largely contribute
to the sixth great (anthropogenic) extinction.
Processes leading to it are presented below.
Marine life is richest near the coasts as most
marine living beings find adequate conditions for
breeding and light is also provided in the shallower water for photosynthesising plants and protophyta. Life on coral reefs is especially rich in
species. Such reefs can be found in seas with balanced temperature in the tropical zone and
although their total extension is only 0.17% of
the world ocean, their significance is much
greater considering the number of marine species: estimates suggest that one-quarter of all
species existing in the sea live on coral reefs.
Referring to this species richness these coral
reefs are also called “tropical rainforests of
oceans”. Taking terrestrial ecosystems also into
account coral reefs are the second species richest
ecosystems following tropical rainforests.
Coral reefs also resemble rainforests in that
they react sensitively to rough changes despite
their complexity; therefore, they could be
regarded biological indicators of marine life.
The most spectacular sign of coral deterioration
is fading. Corals are animals with continuously
built calcareous skeleton forming colonies. They
defend themselves against external attacks with
tiny palps while living fixed to a place. They also
live in symbiosis with microscopic algae capable of
photosynthesising that provide corals with oxygen
and organic matter for a secure dwelling place.
4 Changes on Earth as a Result of Interaction Between the Society and Nature