5.3. India: a “direct attack” on fertility and its failure The results of the 1971 census, which showed that it was not possible to reduce the rate of population growth (Fig. 5.3), made a shocking impression on the Indian political elite. During the period between the two censuses, the population

Direct Expression of Feelings People's reactions to verbal expressions largely depend on the way you speak. If someone smokes a cigar in your presence and you find it unpleasant, you can report it different ways. For example, you could say: “You need

Direct expression of unpleasant emotions It is much easier to express your negative emotions directly rather than indirectly, provided we have previously become aware of these emotions and the irrational thoughts that may accompany them. Although it is not always easy, it is nevertheless better to be open

Direct address In Gestalt, one avoids talking about something (whether in the present or the past): speech is directly addressed to this “something”, which allows one to move from internalized reflection (intellectual) to relational contact (emotional).

Factors of direct impact

The characteristics of interconnectedness, complexity, fluidity and uncertainty describe both direct and indirect impact factors. The characteristics of the environment are different, but at the same time related to its factors. This relationship will become apparent when considering the key factors in the direct impact environment: suppliers, laws and government agencies, consumers and competitors.

Suppliers

From the point of view of a systems approach, an organization is a mechanism for transforming incoming elements into outgoing ones. The main types of inputs are materials, equipment, energy, capital and labor. The dependency between an organization and the network of suppliers that provide the input of specified resources is an example of the impact of the environment on the operations and success of the organization.

In some cases, all organizations in a particular region do business with one or almost the same supplier. For example, energy provision, when all organizations receive energy at prices set by the state. However, changes such as price increases will affect the organization to the extent that it consumes energy.

Materials. Some organizations depend on a continuous flow of materials. At the same time, in some regions, for example, in Japan, it is possible to use inventory limitation methods, i.e. Firms assume that the materials needed for the next stage of the production process must be delivered on time. Such a supply system requires highest degree close interaction between the manufacturer and suppliers. At the same time, in other regions it may be necessary to find alternative suppliers or maintain a significant amount of inventory. However, inventories tie up money that has to be spent on materials and storage. This relationship between money and the supply of input materials illustrates well the interconnectedness of variables.

Capital. For the functioning and development of an organization, capital is needed. Potential investors may include banks, federal loan programs, shareholders, and individuals accepting the company's notes or purchasing its bonds. The better the company is doing, the higher its ability to obtain the required amount of funds.

Labor resources. For the organization to operate effectively, to implement the tasks associated with achieving its goals, it is necessary to provide it with personnel with the necessary specialties and qualifications. The development of a number of industries is currently hampered by a lack of necessary specialists. Examples include many sectors of the computer industry. Many firms were forced to look for cheap labor in other countries.

The main concern of a modern organization is the selection and support of talented managers. In the conducted studies, when ranking a number of factors according to the degree of importance, company managers identified first of all: attracting highly qualified senior managers and training capable managers within the company. The fact that the development of managers' skills turned out to be higher in importance than profits, customer service and the payment of acceptable dividends to shareholders is a clear sign of the importance of the influx of this category of labor resources into the organization.

Laws and government bodies

Labor legislation, many other laws and government agencies influence the organization. In a predominantly private economy, the interaction between

buyers and sellers of every input and every output are subject to numerous legal restrictions. Every organization has a specific legal status, whether it is a sole proprietorship, a company, a corporation or a non-profit corporation, and this is what determines how the organization can conduct its affairs and what taxes it must pay.

The state of legislation is often characterized not only by its complexity, but also by its fluidity and sometimes even uncertainty. Codes of laws on workplace safety and health, environmental protection, consumer protection, financial protection, etc. are being developed and revised almost continuously. At the same time, the amount of work required to monitor and comply with current legislation is constantly increasing.

Government bodies. Organizations are required to comply not only with federal and local laws, but also with the requirements of government regulators. These bodies enforce laws in their respective areas of competence, and also introduce their own requirements, often having the force of law.

Legislation of local authorities. Local government regulations also complicate matters. Local governments require businesses to acquire licenses, limit the choice of where to do business, impose taxes on businesses, and, in the case of energy, telephone and insurance systems, for example, set prices. Some local laws modify federal regulations. An organization that conducts its business on the territory of dozens of federal subjects and dozens of foreign states is faced with a complex and diverse system of local regulations.

Consumers

Renowned management expert Peter F. Drucker argues that the only true purpose of business is to create customers. By this we mean that the very survival and justification of the existence of an organization depends on its ability to find a consumer for the results of its activities and satisfy their needs. The importance of consumers to business is obvious. However, non-profit and government organizations also have consumers in this sense. Thus, the government of the state and its apparatus exist only to serve the needs of citizens. The fact that citizens are consumers and deserve to be treated as such is, unfortunately, sometimes not obvious in everyday interactions with the state bureaucracy, but during election campaigns citizens are viewed as consumers who need to be “bought.”

Consumers, in deciding what goods and services they want and at what price, determine almost everything about an organization's performance. Thus, the need to satisfy customer needs influences the organization’s interactions with suppliers of materials and labor. The impact of consumers on internal structural variables can be quite significant.

Competitors

COMPETITORS are most important factor, whose influence cannot be disputed. The management of each enterprise is well aware that if it does not satisfy the needs of consumers as effectively as competitors do, then the enterprise will not last long. In many cases, it is competitors, not consumers, who determine what kind of output can be sold and what price can be charged.

It is important to understand that consumers are not the only object of competition among organizations. Organizations may also compete for labor, materials, capital, and the right to use certain technological innovations. The reaction to competition depends on such internal factors as working conditions, wages and the nature of relationships between managers and subordinates.

Factors of indirect impact

Indirect environmental factors generally do not affect the operations of organizations as noticeably as direct environmental factors. However, management must take them into account. The indirect impact environment is usually more complex than the direct impact environment. Management is often forced to make assumptions about such an environment, based on incomplete information, in attempting to predict possible consequences for the organization.

The main environmental factors of indirect influence include: technology, the state of the economy, sociocultural and political factors, as well as relationships with local management organizations.

Technology is both an internal variable and external factor of great importance. (One should take into account a very broad interpretation of the term technology, which denotes processes, methods, and techniques for carrying out any production, service, and even creative activities.) Technological innovations affect the efficiency with which products can be manufactured and sold, the rate of obsolescence of the product, the how information can be collected, stored, and distributed, and what kinds of services and new products customers expect from the organization.

The rate of technology change has increased markedly in recent decades. Among the major technological innovations that deeply affected the entire society and had a strong impact on specific organizations, we can note computer, laser, microwave, semiconductor technologies, integrated communication lines, robotics, satellite communications, nuclear energy, synthetic fuel and food production, genetic engineering etc. Renowned sociologist Daniel Bell believes that miniaturization technology will be considered the most valuable innovation in the future.

It is obvious that organizations that deal directly with high-level technology, knowledge-intensive enterprises, must be able to quickly respond to new developments and propose innovations themselves. At the same time, today all organizations, in order to remain competitive, must keep up with those developments on which the effectiveness of their activities depends.

State of the economy

Management must also be able to assess how the organization's operations will be affected by general changes in the economy. The state of the global economy affects the cost of all inputs and the ability of consumers to purchase certain goods and services. For example, if inflation is forecast, management may increase resource inventories and negotiate fixed wages with workers to contain rising costs. It may also decide to make a loan because the money will be worth less when payments come due.

The state of the economy can greatly affect an organization's ability to obtain capital, since when the economic situation worsens, banks tighten the conditions for obtaining loans and increase interest rates. Also, when taxes are reduced, there is an increase in the amount of money that people can spend on non-essential purposes and, thereby, contribute to business development.

A particular change in the state of the economy can have a positive impact on some organizations and a negative impact on others. Organizations that do business in many countries often consider the state of the economy to be a particularly challenging and important aspect to them. Thus, fluctuations in the dollar exchange rate relative to the currencies of other countries can cause instant enrichment or impoverishment of a company.

Socio-cultural factors

Every organization operates in at least one cultural environment. Therefore, sociocultural factors, and above all, life values, traditions, and attitudes, influence the organization. For example, in the value system of American society, giving a bribe to obtain a lucrative contract or political benefits, spreading rumors discrediting a competitor are considered unethical and immoral actions, even when they cannot be considered illegal. However, in some other countries this practice may be considered quite normal.

Based on special studies, it was shown that the value systems of workers also change. In general, relatively younger workers want more independence and social interaction at work. Many workers and employees strive for work that requires more flexibility, has more content, does not infringe on freedom and awakens self-respect in a person. Many modern workers do not believe that they will spend their entire working life in one organization. These attitudes become especially important for managers in relation to their main function - motivating people taking into account the goals of the organization. These factors also determined the emergence of a position on social issues of the corporation.

Sociocultural factors also influence the products or services that result from a company's activities. A good example is the clothing industry. Another example is the passion over nuclear power plants, which has had a sharply negative impact on many companies associated with it.

The way organizations conduct their business also depends on sociocultural factors. For example, public opinion can put pressure on a company that has connections with organizations, groups, and possibly countries that are condemned in society. Consumer perceptions of quality service influence the everyday practices of retail stores and restaurants. The sociocultural impact on organizations has resulted in a growing emphasis on social responsibility.

According to R. Jones, former chairman of General Electric, organizations must be able to anticipate changing public expectations and serve them more effectively than competitors. This means that the corporation itself must change, consciously transforming into an organization adapted to the new environment.

Political factors

Certain aspects of the political environment are of particular importance to leaders. One of them is the position of the administration, legislative bodies and courts regarding business. This position influences such government actions as taxation of income, establishment of tax breaks or preferential trade tariffs, requirements for labor practices, consumer protection legislation, safety standards, environmental standards, price and wage controls, etc. P.

Another element of the political environment are special interest groups and lobbyists. All government regulatory agencies are subject to the attention of lobbying groups representing organizations affected by the decisions of these agencies.

The factor of political stability is of great importance for companies conducting operations or having sales markets in other countries. For a foreign investor or product exporter, political changes may result in restrictions on foreign ownership rights (or even nationalization) or the imposition of special import duties. Balance of payments or problems with servicing external debt may make it difficult for the money to be exported as profit. On the other hand, policy may change in a direction favorable to investors when the need for capital inflows from abroad arises. Establishing diplomatic relations can open the way to new markets.

Relations with the local population

For any organization, as an environmental factor of indirect influence, the attitude of the local population, the social environment in which the organization operates, is of paramount importance. Organizations must make a deliberate effort to maintain good relationships with the local community. These efforts can be expressed in the form of funding schools and public organizations, charitable activities, supporting young talents, etc.

International factors

The external environment of organizations operating internationally is highly complex. This is due to a unique set of factors that characterize each country. Economy, culture, quantity and quality of labor and material resources, laws, government institutions, political stability, and level of technological development differ in different countries. When carrying out the functions of planning, organizing, stimulating and controlling, these differences must be taken into account.

International factors should also be taken into account:

Changes in exchange rates;

Political decisions of investing countries;

Decisions made by international cartels

The normal state and functioning of the biosphere is impossible without providing a favorable habitat for all biological systems in all their diversity. The loss of biodiversity threatens not only human well-being, but also its very existence. The rate of decline in biodiversity at the genetic, species and ecosystem levels has increased dramatically over the past 30-40 years. The most significant decline and extinction in 65 million years occurs plant species and animals at a speed five thousand times higher than the natural course of evolution of the biosphere.

In total, 25-30 thousand plant species, or 10% of the world's flora, need protection worldwide. A reduction in areas covered with green vegetation or its thinning out is extremely undesirable, since, firstly, the global carbon cycle in the biosphere is disrupted and, secondly, the intensity of absorption decreases solar energy biosphere during the process of photosynthesis.

Forests are of great importance in nature and human life, which in Russia occupy more than 1.2 billion hectares, or 75% of the total area of ​​the land fund. But the distribution of forests is uneven: the largest part of them is located in Western and Eastern Siberia and on Far East, where the main areas of Scots pine, spruce, larch, fir, Siberian cedar, and aspen are concentrated. The influence of forests on the natural environment is very diverse and is manifested in the fact that forests are the main supplier of oxygen on the planet and directly influence the water regime both in the territories they occupy and in the adjacent territories and regulate the water balance. They are reducing negative impact droughts and hot winds, restrain the movement of shifting sands, soften the climate, help increase agricultural yields, absorb and transform part of the atmospheric chemical pollution, protect soils from water and wind erosion, mudflows, landslides, coastal destruction and other unfavorable geological processes, and also create normal sanitary and hygienic conditions have a beneficial effect on the human psyche and are of great recreational importance.

According to their significance, location and functions, all forests are divided into three groups:

• forests that perform protective ecological functions (water protection, field protection, sanitary and hygienic, recreational); they are strictly protected, especially forest parks, urban forests, especially valuable forest areas, National parks;
• forests with protective and limited operational value, and a strict forest management regime;
• exploitation forests, which are the main supplier of wood, but wood harvesting must be carried out without changing natural biotopes and disturbing the natural ecological balance.

Human impact on forests and the entire vegetable world can be direct or indirect. Direct impacts include clear cutting of forests, Forest fires and burning of vegetation, destruction of forests and vegetation during the creation of domestic and economic infrastructure - cities, quarries, industrial complexes, the increasing pressure of tourism. Indirect impact is a change in the living conditions of vegetation as a result of anthropogenic pollution of air, water, the use of pesticides and mineral fertilizers. The penetration of alien plant species (introduced species) into plant communities is also of certain importance.

DIRECT AND INDIRECT HUMAN IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

ABSTRACT

Completed by: Postnikova V.S.
Checked:

Kemerovo 2011
Table of contents:
Introduction………………………………………………………………………...3
1. Human impact on nature: intentional, unintentional, direct and indirect……………………………………………………………… ……….4
2. Impact of mining………………………………………………………5
3.Impact on the hydrosphere……………………………………………………………….7
4. Impact on animal world……………………………………… …………9
5. Impact on the earth’s crust…………………………………………… ……….10
6. Impact on climate………………………………………………………..12
7. Impact on marine ecosystems……………………… ………………...13
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………….15
References………………………………………………………………………………16

Introduction
Each of us, each of those who consider themselves a part of global humanity, is obliged to know what impact human activity has on the world around us and to feel a share of responsibility for certain actions. It is man who is the cause of his own fears about nature, as a home that provides food, warmth and other conditions for his normal life. Human activity is a very aggressive and actively destructive (transforming) force on our planet. From the very beginning of his development, man felt himself to be the master of everything that surrounds him. But, as the proverb says: “Don’t cut the branch you’re sitting on.” One wrong decision and it may take tens, or even hundreds of years to correct the fatal mistake. The natural balance is very fragile. If you don’t seriously think about your activities, then this very activity will certainly begin to strangle humanity itself. This suffocation has already begun to some extent and if it is not stopped, it will immediately begin to develop at an incredibly fast speed.
However, the first steps towards nature are already being taken, nature is being respected, cared for and basic order is maintained in it. Although more and more pollution is coming, a huge number are being eliminated, but this is not enough. Pollution should not be eliminated, but prevented.
We need global unification, long-term, coordinated and purposeful activity of the driving and producing forces of the planet.
But, initially, in order to fight against human influence on the surrounding nature, it is necessary to find out the influence of human activity on individual sections of nature. This knowledge allows humanity to study the problem more deeply, to find out what reasons led to the disruption of the natural balance and the deterioration of the ecological state. Also, a deep study of sections of nature allows us to develop optimal plans for correcting the situation on the globe in a shorter time.
The solution to the problem of the environment - if we take into account the costs of research, the creation of new technologies, the re-equipment of production and the restoration, at least partially, of destroyed natural systems - grows into perhaps the largest, most ambitious and expensive program.
1. Human impact on nature: intentional, unintentional, direct and indirect.
Impact– direct impact of human economic activity on the natural environment. All types of impact can be combined into type 4: intentional, unintentional, direct and indirect (mediated).
Intentional influence occurs in the process of material production in order to satisfy certain needs of society. These include: mining, construction of hydraulic structures (reservoirs, irrigation canals, hydroelectric power stations), deforestation to expand agricultural areas and to obtain timber, etc.
Unintentional impact occurs as a side effect of the first type of impact, in particular, open-pit mining leads to a decrease in the level of groundwater, to air pollution, to the formation of man-made landforms (quarries, waste heaps, tailings dumps). The construction of hydroelectric power stations is associated with the formation of artificial reservoirs, which affect the environment: they cause an increase in groundwater levels, change the hydrological regime of rivers, etc. When obtaining energy from traditional sources (coal, oil, gas), pollution of the atmosphere, surface watercourses, groundwater etc.
Both intentional and unintentional impacts can be direct and indirect.
Direct impacts occur in the case of direct influence of human economic activity on the environment, in particular, irrigation directly affects the soil and changes all processes associated with it.
Indirect impacts occur indirectly – through chains of interconnected influences. Thus, intentional indirect impacts are the use of fertilizers and the direct impact on crop yields, and unintentional ones are the effect of aerosols on the amount of solar radiation (especially in cities), etc.
2. Impact of mining.
Impact of mining on the environment - manifests itself in a variety of ways in direct and indirect impacts on natural landscapes. The greatest disturbances to the earth's surface occur during open-pit mining, which accounts for more than 75% of mining production in our country.
Currently, the total area of ​​land disturbed by mining (coal, iron and manganese ores, nonmetallic raw materials, peat, etc.), as well as occupied by mining waste, has exceeded 2 million hectares, of which 65% is in the European part of the country . In Kuzbass alone, more than 30 thousand hectares of land are now occupied by coal quarries; in the region of the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly (KMA) there are no more than 25 thousand hectares of fertile land.
It is estimated that when mining 1 million tons of iron ore, up to 640 hectares of land are disturbed, manganese - up to 600 hectares, coal - up to 100 hectares. Mining contributes to the destruction of vegetation, the emergence of man-made landforms (quarries, dumps, tailings, etc.), deformation of areas earth's crust(especially with underground mining methods).
Indirect impacts are manifested in changes in the groundwater regime, in pollution of the air basin, surface watercourses and groundwater, and also contribute to flooding and waterlogging, which ultimately leads to an increase in the level of morbidity of the local population. Among the air pollutants, the most prominent are dust and gas contamination. It is estimated that about 200 thousand tons of dust are released annually from underground mines and mines; coal production of 2 billion tons per year from approximately 4,000 mines in various countries world is accompanied by the release into the atmosphere of 27 billion m 3 of methane and 17 billion m 3 carbon dioxide. In our country, when developing coal deposits using the underground method, significant amounts of methane and CO 2 are also recorded entering the air basin: annually in the Donbass (364 mines) and in the Kuzbass (78 mines), 3870 and 680 million m 3 of methane and carbon dioxide are released, respectively. 1200 and 970 million m3.
Mining has a negative impact on surface watercourses and groundwater, which are heavily polluted by mechanical impurities and mineral salts. Every year, about 2.5 billion m3 of contaminated mine water is pumped from coal mines to the surface. During open-pit mining, high-quality reserves are the first to be depleted. fresh water. In the quarries of the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly, infiltration from tailings impedes the decrease in the level of the upper aquifer of the horizon by 50 m, which leads to a rise in the groundwater level and swamping of the adjacent territory.
Mining also has a negative impact on the bowels of the Earth, since industrial waste, radioactive waste (in the USA - 246 underground disposal sites), etc. are buried in them. In Sweden, Norway, England, Finland, oil and gas storage facilities, drinking water storage facilities are installed in mine workings. water, underground refrigerators, etc.
3. Impact on the hydrosphere.
Impact on the hydrosphere– man began to have a significant impact on the hydrosphere and water balance of the planet. Anthropogenic transformations of the continents' waters have already reached a global scale, disrupting the natural regime of even the largest lakes and rivers on the globe. This was facilitated by: the construction of hydraulic structures (reservoirs, irrigation canals and water transfer systems), an increase in the area of ​​irrigated land, watering of arid areas, urbanization, and pollution of fresh water by industrial and municipal wastewater. Currently, there are about 30 thousand reservoirs in the world and under construction, the volume of water of which has exceeded 6000 km 3. But 95% of this volume comes from large reservoirs. There are 2,442 large reservoirs in the world, with the largest number in North America– 887 and Asia – 647. 237 large reservoirs were built on the territory of the former USSR.
In general, while the area of ​​reservoirs in the world is only 0.3% of land, they increase river flow by 27%. However, large reservoirs have a negative impact on environment: they change the groundwater regime, their water areas occupy large areas of fertile land, leading to secondary soil salinization.
There are direct and indirect impacts of reservoirs on the environment. The direct impact is manifested primarily in permanent and temporary flooding and submergence of land. Most of these lands are highly productive agricultural and forest lands. Thus, the share of agricultural lands flooded by the reservoirs of the Volga-Kama cascade of hydroelectric power stations is 48% of the entire flooded territory, and some of them are located in the floodplain zone, characterized by high fertility. About 38% of the flooded lands were forests and shrubs. In desert and semi-desert zones, three quarters of all flooded lands are pastures.
The indirect impacts of reservoirs on the environment have not been studied as fully as the direct ones, but some forms of their manifestation are obvious even now. This is the case, for example, with climate change, which manifests itself in the zone of influence of the reservoir in an increase in air humidity and the formation of fairly frequent fogs, a decrease in cloudiness in the daytime over the water area and a decrease in the average annual precipitation there, a change in the direction and speed of wind, a decrease in the amplitude of air temperature fluctuations throughout the day and year.
The experience of operating domestic reservoirs also shows that the amount of precipitation in the coastal zone increases noticeably, and the average annual air temperature in the area of ​​large southern reservoirs decreases slightly. Changes in other meteorological indicators are also observed. Climate change, together with flooding and reshaping of banks, sometimes leads to a deterioration in the condition of coastal woody vegetation and even its death.
The indirect impacts of reservoirs should also include the appearance of territories that become less suitable for use for economic purposes (for example, islands in the upper reaches, dry floodplains in the lower reaches, etc.). It is also impossible not to note the impact of the creation of reservoirs on fisheries. Two circumstances should be noted here. On the one hand, the construction of a hydroelectric dam prevents the passage of fish to spawning grounds, and on the other, the requirements of the fishery for the flow regime completely contradict the tasks of regulating the flow, i.e. the purpose for which the reservoir is created.
In Russia, large reservoirs (90% of 237 in the former USSR), with a surface area of ​​15 million hectares, occupy about 1% of its territory, but of this value, 60–70% are flooded lands. Hydraulic structures lead to the degradation of river ecosystems. IN last years In our country, schemes have been drawn up for improving the natural and technical condition and improvement of some large reservoirs and canals. This will reduce the degree of their adverse impact on the environment.
4. Impact on the animal world.
Impact on wildlife– animals, together with plants, play an exceptional role in the migration of chemical elements, which underlies the relationships existing in nature; they are also important for human existence as a source of food and various resources. However, human economic activity has greatly influenced the animal world of the planet. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 94 species of birds and 63 species of mammals have become extinct on Earth since 1600. Animals such as the tarpan, aurochs, marsupial wolf, European ibis, etc. have disappeared. The fauna of the ocean islands has especially suffered. As a result of anthropogenic impact on the continents, the number of endangered and rare animal species (bison, vicuna, condor, etc.) has increased. In Asia, the number of animals such as rhinoceros, tiger, cheetah, etc. has decreased alarmingly.
In Russia, by the beginning of this century, certain species of animals (bison, river beaver, sable, muskrat, kulan) became rare, so reserves were organized for their protection and reproduction. This made it possible to restore the bison population and increase the number of Amur tigers and polar bears.
However, in recent years, the animal world has been negatively affected by the excessive use of mineral fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture, pollution of the World Ocean and other anthropogenic factors, all of which are indirect factors affecting the environment. Thus, in Sweden, the use of pesticides led to the death primarily of birds of prey (peregrine falcon, kestrel, white-tailed eagle, eagle owl, long-eared owl), larks, rooks, pheasants, partridges, etc. die. A similar picture is observed in many Western European countries. Therefore, with increasing anthropogenic pressure, many animal species need further protection and reproduction.
etc.................

The animal world of our planet has about 2 million species of animals. As a result of human impact, the numbers of many species have decreased significantly, and some of them have completely disappeared.

Modern man has existed on Earth for about 40 thousand years. He began to engage in cattle breeding and agriculture only 10 thousand years ago. Therefore, for 30 thousand years, hunting was an almost exclusive source of food and clothing. The improvement of hunting tools and methods was accompanied by the death of a number of animal species.

Weapon development and Vehicle allowed man to penetrate into the most remote corners of the globe. And everywhere the development of new lands was accompanied by the merciless extermination of animals and the death of a number of species. The tarpan, the European steppe horse, was completely destroyed by hunting. The victims of the hunt were aurochs, spectacled cormorant, Labrador eider, Bengal hoopoe and many other animals. As a result of unregulated hunting, dozens of species of animals and birds are on the verge of extinction.

The number of animals is decreasing not only as a result of direct extermination, but also due to the deterioration of environmental conditions in territories and habitats. Anthropogenic changes in landscapes adversely affect the living conditions of most animal species. Clearing forests, plowing steppes and prairies, draining swamps, regulating runoff, polluting the waters of rivers, lakes and seas - all this taken together interferes with the normal life of wild animals and leads to a decrease in their numbers even with a ban on hunting.

Intensive timber harvesting in many countries has led to changes in forests. Coniferous forests are increasingly being replaced by small-leaved forests. At the same time, the composition of their fauna also changes. Not all animals and birds living in coniferous forests can find enough food and shelter in secondary birch and aspen forests. For example, squirrels and martens and many species of birds cannot live in them.

The transformation and change in the nature of many rivers and lakes radically changes the living conditions of most river and lake fish and leads to a decrease in their numbers. Pollution of water bodies causes enormous damage to fish stocks. At the same time, the oxygen content in the water sharply decreases, which leads to massive fish kills.

Huge impact on ecological state reservoirs are provided by dams on rivers. They block the way for migratory fish to spawn, worsen the condition of spawning grounds, and sharply reduce the influx nutrients in river deltas and coastal parts of seas and lakes. To prevent negative influence dams on the ecosystems of aquatic complexes, a number of engineering and biotechnical measures are taken (fish passages and fish lifts are built to ensure the movement of fish to spawn). Most effective way reproduction of the fish stock consists in the construction of fish hatcheries and fish hatcheries.

Human activity greatly influences the animal world, causing an increase in the number of some species, a decrease in others, and the death of others. This impact can be direct and indirect.

Direct impacts are experienced by commercial animals that are hunted for fur (muskrat, chinchilla, foxes, mink), meat (African donkey), fat (whales, pigs), etc. As a result, their numbers decrease individual species disappear.

To combat agricultural pests, a number of species move from one area to another. At the same time, there are often cases when migrants themselves become pests. For example, the mongoose, brought to the Antilles to control rodents, began to harm ground-nesting birds and spread rabies among animals.

Also, the direct effects of humans on animals include their death from pesticides and poisoning by emissions industrial enterprises. The most striking example of this impact on animals is whaling (the creation of a harpoon cannon and floating bases for whale processing) at the beginning of the century, which led to the disappearance of individual whale populations and a sharp drop in their total numbers.

The indirect influence of humans on animals is manifested due to changes in the habitat during deforestation (black stork), plowing of steppes (steppe eagle, bustard and little bustard), drainage of swamps (Far Eastern stork), construction of dams (fish), construction of cities, use of pesticides ( red-legged stork), etc.

Under the influence of economic activity, anthropogenic landscapes with their characteristic fauna arose. Only in populated areas in the subarctic and temperate zones of the northern hemisphere are house sparrows, city swallows, jackdaws, and house mice found.

The plowing of steppes and prairies and the reduction of island forests in the forest-steppe are accompanied by the almost complete disappearance of many steppe animals and birds. In steppe agrocenoses, saigas, bustards, little bustards, gray partridges, quails, etc. have almost completely disappeared.

The negative impact of humans on animals is increasing, and for many species it is becoming threatening. Every year one species (or subspecies) of vertebrate animals dies; More than 600 species of birds (bustard, bar-headed goose, mandarin duck) and 120 species of mammals (Amur tiger) are in danger of extinction. For such animals, special conservation measures are required.