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D. Peptenatu et al.
dioxide capture and storage function [10]. Also, the reduction of biodiversity and
the occurrence of hydrological hazards (erosion enhancement, floods, landslides),
represent other negative effects that can be mitigated by protecting and conserving
the forest areas [11–18]. Thus, the growth of the deforested areas produces a negative
impact on all climatic parameters, monitoring the forested areas is an action that has
become very important, because any intervention can have negative consequences for
both, the forest ecosystem and the territorial systems that are based on their existence
and exploitation.
One way to positively influence climate change is to reduce the deforested areas
[19–25], of this action resulting a number of significant benefits such as: reducing
carbon emissions, protecting river basins, conserving biodiversity and soil quality
[25–30].
The multiple benefits provided by the forest fund in economic, social and environmental terms make the forest multifunctional, where the production of wood can
be supplemented by the ecological and recreational protection [31–33]. Multifunctionality gives it a very important global role in the fight against more topical issues
in the social and environmental spheres: poverty, pollution and environmental protection. This role is recognized by a large number of official documents, both at
regional level [34], and globally [35–37], an example is the Kyoto Protocol where
the beneficial role played by the forest in regulating the concentration of carbon
dioxide (CO 2 ) in the atmosphere [38]. According to these documents, the growth of
deforested areas has become a matter of general interest over time, which has led to
the need for vigorous action to mitigate the negative effects. Thus, the relationship
between forested and deforested areas is a continuous concern at the global level,
with sustained efforts being made to increase or at least to keep relatively constant
the forested area [39–41].
Relevant, with regard to the benefits of the existence of forest areas, is also the
crucial role played by the sustainability of water supply as well as in the alluvial transit
of rivers [42]. Recent findings have provided correlations between forest relief and
floods [12]. The study concluded that a 10% drop in natural forest area led to an
increase in the flood frequency from 4 to 28%. In addition, the same 10% reduction
in forests in the interviewed countries, led to an increase of 4–8% in total long-term
floods. It is thus obvious that the forest has the natural capacity to absorb water when
it rains and to release it gradually, later, in the rivers. Thus, deforestation in the area
of major river basins is the cause of strong floods, as the water flow rate increases,
causing erosion to the slopes. The hydrographical basin is a complex system where
its morphometric and morphological elements generate, under the influence of water
and energy inputs, the particularities of the hydrological regime. The river basin
includes several areas, some closer to the natural state (forests, pastures, rocks),
which similarly retain some precipitation, instead, other anthropogenic areas exhibit
completely different manifestations. This is particularly the case for agricultural
crops, which, depending on the type of crops, retain different amounts of water,
of waterproofed land (access ways, platforms, civil and industrial buildings) which
generally retain small amounts of water in the soil and have a high and rapid leakage
[43, 44].
D. Peptenatu et al.
dioxide capture and storage function [10]. Also, the reduction of biodiversity and
the occurrence of hydrological hazards (erosion enhancement, floods, landslides),
represent other negative effects that can be mitigated by protecting and conserving
the forest areas [11–18]. Thus, the growth of the deforested areas produces a negative
impact on all climatic parameters, monitoring the forested areas is an action that has
become very important, because any intervention can have negative consequences for
both, the forest ecosystem and the territorial systems that are based on their existence
and exploitation.
One way to positively influence climate change is to reduce the deforested areas
[19–25], of this action resulting a number of significant benefits such as: reducing
carbon emissions, protecting river basins, conserving biodiversity and soil quality
[25–30].
The multiple benefits provided by the forest fund in economic, social and environmental terms make the forest multifunctional, where the production of wood can
be supplemented by the ecological and recreational protection [31–33]. Multifunctionality gives it a very important global role in the fight against more topical issues
in the social and environmental spheres: poverty, pollution and environmental protection. This role is recognized by a large number of official documents, both at
regional level [34], and globally [35–37], an example is the Kyoto Protocol where
the beneficial role played by the forest in regulating the concentration of carbon
dioxide (CO 2 ) in the atmosphere [38]. According to these documents, the growth of
deforested areas has become a matter of general interest over time, which has led to
the need for vigorous action to mitigate the negative effects. Thus, the relationship
between forested and deforested areas is a continuous concern at the global level,
with sustained efforts being made to increase or at least to keep relatively constant
the forested area [39–41].
Relevant, with regard to the benefits of the existence of forest areas, is also the
crucial role played by the sustainability of water supply as well as in the alluvial transit
of rivers [42]. Recent findings have provided correlations between forest relief and
floods [12]. The study concluded that a 10% drop in natural forest area led to an
increase in the flood frequency from 4 to 28%. In addition, the same 10% reduction
in forests in the interviewed countries, led to an increase of 4–8% in total long-term
floods. It is thus obvious that the forest has the natural capacity to absorb water when
it rains and to release it gradually, later, in the rivers. Thus, deforestation in the area
of major river basins is the cause of strong floods, as the water flow rate increases,
causing erosion to the slopes. The hydrographical basin is a complex system where
its morphometric and morphological elements generate, under the influence of water
and energy inputs, the particularities of the hydrological regime. The river basin
includes several areas, some closer to the natural state (forests, pastures, rocks),
which similarly retain some precipitation, instead, other anthropogenic areas exhibit
completely different manifestations. This is particularly the case for agricultural
crops, which, depending on the type of crops, retain different amounts of water,
of waterproofed land (access ways, platforms, civil and industrial buildings) which
generally retain small amounts of water in the soil and have a high and rapid leakage
[43, 44].