Global environmental problems. Environmental problems of modern Russia Environmental problems of the zone

There are steppes on all continents, only they are called differently. In Eurasia, these are vast steppe zones on the territory of Ukraine and Russia, in Africa and Australia - savannas, in South America - the pampas, in the North - prairie. But whatever you call these biological systems, the ecological problems of the steppe zone are practically the same everywhere.

What is steppe?

The plains are called steppe, overgrown with herbaceous plants. They are located in the temperate and both hemispheres. A characteristic feature of the steppes is the absence of trees. Forest belts are artificially planted here.

Climatic conditions

Steppe zones are usually located in temperate continental and sharply continental climates. Summer is hot here, sometimes even too much, as the temperature rises above +40. There is little rain. Winter can be moderately mild or harsh. Little snow falls. It does not cover the ground well, more often it moves in drifting snow.

Animals and plants

Before describing the steppe zone, it is necessary to tell what animals and plants can be found here. The flora of the steppes is represented by a variety of grass carpet. In the steppes, feather grass, chaff, fescue grass, sheep and a large number of bulbous species grow. Steppe plants are adapted to long periods of drought, therefore they grow actively in spring, using moist soil after winter.

Animals in the steppe zones are mostly nocturnal, as they have to wait out hot days. Antelopes, many rodents, jerboas, eagles, kestrels, and larks are found here. In addition, there are a large number of snakes and insects. By the way, the majority of birds fly away to other zones for the winter. Plants and animals are fully aware of the problems and, unfortunately, humans are to blame for most of these problems.

Causes of environmental problems

The steppe zones are well suited for agricultural work. The man received ready-made arable land and nourishing pastures. But the irrational use of these lands very quickly depletes their resources. steppe zones lead to the destruction of steppes and the absorption of these territories by forest-steppe and deserts. Even a special term has been introduced - "desertification". This is the process of ecosystem degradation, deterioration of its biological potential.

Since droughts and dry winds often occur in the steppe zones, people began not only to plow, but also to irrigate large areas of the steppes. Irrigation is the artificial irrigation of the soil. To supply water, irrigation systems and hydraulic structures are being built. This allows you to grow stable yields, but has threatening consequences:

degradation of landscapes begins;
salinization of soil and natural reservoirs occurs;
waste waters pose a threat to pollution of natural reservoirs;
salt lakes are formed in places where drainage systems are discharged;
occur;
soils and water bodies are contaminated with toxins and nitrates (including groundwater and groundwater).

Despite the fact that irrigation has a high economic effect in agriculture, it aggravates the ecological problems of the steppe. This means that a person needs to think over ways to minimize the problems that have arisen.

How to reduce negative human impact

protected areas and nature reserve funds are being created;
lists of endangered plants and animals are drawn up to be included in the Red Book;
measures are being taken to preserve and restore endangered species of flora and fauna;
the withdrawal of chernozem lands for unauthorized use is limited;
modernization of agricultural machinery is underway;
lands are reclaimed;
landscapes disturbed in the course of economic activity are being restored.

The steppe zones require maximum attention, since the steppes are gradually disappearing from the face of the earth.

Endless Russian steppes, North American prairies, South American pampas, African or Australian savannas or New Zealand tussians - these are all steppes. Endless and even. What could be better for human agricultural needs? Almost ready-made arable land and pastures.

But the steppe has ecological problems that lead this biological system to actual extinction, loss of its independence, individuality and absorption by the forest-steppe and desert bordering on it.

In the temperate and subtropical zones of the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, the plains overgrown with herbaceous vegetation are called steppes.

There is a steppe zone on all continents. She is also in the mountains.

The climate of the steppes, but rather, on the contrary, the steppes where the climate is continental or sharply continental. The amount of atmospheric precipitation is up to 450 mm per year. Winters with little snow with average temperatures down to -20 ° C. The maximum can reach up to -40 ° C. Strong winds and blizzards. Hot summer. The average temperature of this period of the year is up to + 28 ° C. But it can rise up to + 40 ° С. Often, in this regard, it is accompanied by drought, strong winds and dry winds.

The largest steppes are in Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine.

The characteristic vegetation of this natural area is grasses, in all their species diversity. They grow so densely that it feels like a solid carpet or sea. Main types- feather grass, fescue, sheep, thin-legged and bulbous. Plants are drought tolerant.

In the steppe, vegetation dominates and dictates the conditions for life for the rest of the biosystem.

It also lies at the basis of the division of the steppes into species.: mountain, meadow or herb, true or feather grass and desert.

The vegetation cover also influenced the animal world. In summer, animals are predominantly nocturnal. They are hardy and fast at running. There are many burrowing and jumping rodent species, as well as reptiles and insects.

Causes of problems and measures to overcome them

If environmental problems arise in the steppe zone, they are primarily the result of human economic activity.

The main sources of these problems are agriculture, namely plowing, irrigation and land allocation for pastures and hayfields.

The natural flora of the steppes has adapted to natural fluctuations, where there is no recurring amount and a certain time of precipitation from year to year, dry winds are frequent. The resulting droughts are the cause of crop failures in agricultural and industrial crops.

For the stability of production, various irrigation systems are used. And they, in addition to positive, also have negative consequences. Such as: salinization of soils and water bodies, their pollution with sewage, landscape degradation, sinkholes, pollution with toxins and nitrates, reduction of water resources, including ground and underground.

The activities carried out to preserve the uniqueness of natural diversity and landscapes are as follows:

organization and creation of specially protected areas and nature reserve funds;
compilation of lists of unique and endangered species of flora and fauna for the Red Book;
limiting the withdrawal of chernozem lands for non-agricultural use;
modernization of agricultural machinery
land reclamation;
restoration of landscapes disturbed during mining, oil and gas fields, as well as construction of highways and pipelines.

Watch the video: Environmental problems, environmental pollution. Beauty of the Earth.

The modern world is a danger to all countries. Therefore, only by uniting, humanity will be able to find a solution. And this positive decision is possible with material well-being and progress in the healthy nature around us.

Environmental degradation has a negative impact on the health of the entire population. There are already a considerable number of settlements where the consequences of atmospheric pollution have left their mark on people (diseases of the respiratory tract and nervous system, cancer, etc.).

The most significant ecosystems on the entire planet are forests. Specialists identify several important functions that forests perform in the geographic world.

Forest functions

Firstly, it is, of course, the climatic function, since the forest is the main supplier of air. For example, 1 km2 of forest produces 11 tons of oxygen / day. They strengthen the climatic balance - lower temperatures, increase humidity, reduce wind speed, and the like.

Secondly, the function is hydrological. First of all, forests reduce the intensity of runoff after heavy rains, delay the ingress of water into the soil, prevent mudflows and landslides, and protect people's homes from violent streams of water.

Third, the function is soil. The substance that is accumulated by forests is directly involved in the formation of soils.

Fourth, economic. Since wood is of no small importance in the history of people.

Fifthly, the functions are public and health-improving. Forests create a unique and soothing atmosphere where people can fulfill their spiritual and physical needs.

Reasons for the decline in forest land

The main reasons for the decline in forest land are the extensive use of timber in industry, an increase in agricultural land, road construction, etc.

Let's not forget about natural disasters - volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, which are reducing the area of forest land to dangerous levels.

An incredibly large number of forests die, often during droughts, lightning, or the careless behavior of tourists or children.

In some countries, wood is still used as fuel or material for construction. For industrial purposes it has become excessive, it exceeds the natural regenerative capacity of forests and leads to a critical limit.

Deforestation in the equatorial zones of our planet will lead to significant climate change, so there is an urgent need to protect the entire forest fund of the Earth.

Russia is one of the most environmentally polluted countries in the world.

This is facilitated primarily by man-made factors, such as deforestation, pollution of water bodies, soil and atmosphere with industrial waste.

This is a misfortune not only for individual countries, but for the entire planet as a whole. Let's look at what environmental problems exist in Russia, global and basic.

In Russia, uncontrolled and illegal deforestation is being carried out. These are global environmental problems of entire regions of Russia. Most of these are observed in the Far East and north-west of the country. In addition to the fact that poachers cut down valuable tree species, of which there are fewer and fewer, there is an acute problem of the rapid deforestation of Siberian regions. Also, land is being cleared for agricultural land and for the extraction of minerals.
In addition to economic damage to the state, uncontrolled deforestation causes irreparable harm to many ecosystems that have been created and maintained for millennia.

Deforestation has the following consequences:

Displacement of animals and birds from their original habitats.
Disruption of established ecosystems, an increase in the greenhouse effect on the planet. As a result, global warming occurs, which, to one degree or another, leads to a change in almost all ecosystems on the Earth. In particular, the water cycle is disrupted, which leads to the establishment of a drier climate on the planet.
Accelerated and their weathering. Deforestation of areas with mountainous and hilly terrain is especially dangerous, as it causes landslides and flooding.

Energy of Russia and ecology

The dependence of the ecological situation on the generation of electricity is the most direct, since there are three types of energy sources:

Organic, these include gas, oil, charcoal and wood itself.
Aquatic, that is, using the power of the water flow to convert it into heat and electricity.
Atomic, or the use of energy released during nuclear reactions.

The operation of organic energy sources is directly related to their combustion. It must be said that deforestation is carried out not only in order to use wood as a fuel, but also then to clear a place for the extraction of coal, oil and gas, which in themselves are organic sources of energy.

The ecological problem of the use of oil, gas, coal is associated not only with the finiteness of organic resources on the planet, but also with the problem of atmospheric pollution by substances that are obtained as a result of its combustion.

The large amount of carbon dioxide that enters the atmosphere and the lack of vegetation to fully absorb it these days lead to the formation and global warming of the climate.

The damming of rivers for the construction of hydroelectric power plants entails a change in well-established local ecosystems. Animals and birds are forced to move to other areas, which leads to the extinction of many species.

In addition to carbon dioxide, a lot of harmful substances enter the atmosphere that cause acid rain, thereby polluting the soil and water bodies. As you can see, the problem is already going beyond the energy sector and moving into the next category.

Ecologists regularly draw up various maps where you can clearly see the environmental problems of Russian cities. So, for example, the most comfortable places to live in terms of ecology are Pskov, Novgorod regions, Chukotka, Altai, Buryatia.

Pollution

The problem of pollution today is one of the most pressing. Let's consider in more detail the main types of pollution.

Water and water pollution

This problem is most acute in the industrial and densely populated areas of the country. Experts say that most of the diseases in residents of large settlements are associated precisely with the problem of polluted water. In regions with a high level of pollution of water bodies, an increased incidence of various types of oncological diseases, as well as pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, is noted.

Every year, thousands of tons of waste from the chemical and oil refining industries from various enterprises fall into lakes throughout Russia; in reservoirs, they destroy many species of flora and fauna. In addition, they render the water unusable even for technical use.

Human waste products also significantly affect the pollution of water bodies, since water that is used in cities for the needs of the population from the sewage system often goes directly into open water bodies, bypassing the system of treatment facilities, the quality of which, by the way, leaves much to be desired: most of them are already practically do not cope with their functions due to outdated and outdated equipment.

Thanks to satellite studies, environmental problems of the seas of Russia were identified and the most dangerous of all water areas of our country turned out to be the area of the Gulf of Finland, where the largest amount of hazardous oil products spilled from oil tankers is located.

At such a rate of pollution, a shortage of drinking water may arise soon enough, since chemical waste enters the soil, thereby poisoning the groundwater. In many springs throughout Russia, water has already become unfit for drinking due to soil contamination with chemical waste.

The decline of heavy industry in the 90s of the last century largely helped to fix the problem of air pollution in Russia, which was already taking on dangerous proportions, because during the Soviet era, air pollution was one of the highest in the world. The Soviet government did not anticipate that waste from heavy industry emitted into the atmosphere and deforestation, which reduces the absorption of carbon dioxide from the air, could pose any problem.

To increase production capacity, they did not spare any natural resources, and the thick smoke over the chimneys of the factories was considered proof of unprecedented technocratic and industrial achievements. And he caused a feeling of pride instead of the logical concern for the environment and his health in this case.

When car fuel is burned, in addition to carbon dioxide, fine dust and microscopic soot particles are emitted into the atmosphere. Inhaled by humans, they cause various oncological diseases, since they are quite strong carcinogens.

Even substances harmless to humans, such as freon, entering the upper atmosphere, contribute to the destruction of the ozone layer. Consequently, more and more ozone holes appear, which allow the hard ultraviolet spectrum of solar radiation to pass through. This affects only the Earth's climate, but also all people, since such radiation is one of the main causes of skin cancer, and an increase in temperature leads to an increase in cardiovascular diseases.

Climate change due to air pollution and global warming significantly affects human life and has far more serious consequences than we can imagine. For example, it leads to a decrease in suitable land for cultivation, thereby reducing the area of agricultural land. That, in turn, threatens with a reduction in the possible amount of food and the onset of general hunger.

Nuclear pollution

They began to talk about the problem of radioactive contamination only after the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Prior to this, the question of the possible threat of such contamination, as well as the problem of disposal of radioactive waste that lead to radioactive contamination of the environment, was practically not raised.

Many of the nuclear power plants in Russia have already completed their deadlines and require more advanced equipment. Untimely replacement can lead to serious To serious environmental disasters due to accidents at nuclear power plants, as happened in Chernobyl.

The main danger of radioactive radiation lies in the fact that radioactive isotopes cause death or mutation of the cells into which they penetrate. Radioactive substances can enter the human body along with the inhaled air, water and food, as well as settling on unprotected skin areas. Many of them are deposited in the thyroid gland and bone tissue, showing their pathogenic properties not immediately, but after a while - depending on the radiation dose received by a person. In this regard, the problem of disposal of radioactive waste is extremely urgent today.

The problem of household waste in Russia

Along with the above, the problem of utilization of household waste and its pollution of the environment is no less urgent in Russia. At present, it is one of the most serious environmental problems in the country: about 400 kg of municipal solid waste is generated per one inhabitant of Russia per year. And effective methods of utilization of inorganic substances have not yet been invented.

One of the most effective methods of how to deal with some of the household waste (in particular, with paper and glass containers) is the recycling of raw materials. In cities with an established mechanism for collecting waste paper and glass containers, the problem of household waste is less acute than in the rest.
What measures need to be taken?

In order to solve the ecological problems of Russian forests and reduce their deforestation, you will need:

to establish less favorable conditions for the export of timber, especially its valuable species;
improve the working conditions of foresters;
to strengthen the control of tree felling directly in the forests.

To purify water you need:

reorganization of treatment facilities, most of which cannot cope with their functions due to outdated and largely faulty equipment;
revision of technologies for processing and disposal of industrial waste;
improvement of the processes of utilization of household inorganic waste.

To clean the air you need the following:

the use of more modern and environmentally friendly fuels, which would make it possible to significantly reduce the emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere; improvement of filters at heavy industry enterprises.
To reduce the amount of household waste:
in addition to improving the methods of disposal of household waste, it will also be necessary to resolve the issue of using more environmentally friendly materials in the manufacture of, for example, food packaging;
To reduce the pollution of forest plantations and other recreation sites, it is necessary to organize work with the population on environmental topics, as well as the introduction of severe penalties for the release of inorganic waste in the wrong place.

Solving environmental problems in Russia

It is in the interests of our country to preserve and heal our environment. At present, state supervision over its use has been significantly weakened. Of course, the relevant laws and conceptual documents are being adopted, but we often see that on the ground, in the regions, they do not work effectively enough. But despite this, there are still shifts. Comprehensive measures are being taken to stabilize and mitigate the environmental situation in the industrial regions of Siberia and the Urals, which often use innovative technologies. Energy saving programs are being introduced in the country. The supervision of hydraulic structures is being strengthened. Below is a map of Russia's environmental problems, cities and regions of comfortable living are indicated. Despite the fact that the map was made in 2000, it is still relevant today.

Continuous technological progress, the continuing enslavement of nature by man, industrialization, which has changed the surface of the Earth beyond recognition, have become the causes of the global ecological crisis. At present, the world's population is particularly acutely faced with such environmental problems as air pollution, ozone layer depletion, acid rain, greenhouse effect, soil pollution, pollution of the world's oceans and overpopulation.

Global environmental problem # 1: Air pollution

Every day, the average person inhales about 20,000 liters of air, which contains, in addition to vital oxygen, a whole list of harmful suspended particles and gases. Air pollutants are conventionally divided into 2 types: natural and anthropogenic. The latter prevail.

The chemical industry is not doing well. Factories emit harmful substances such as dust, oil ash, various chemical compounds, nitrogen oxides and much more. Air measurements showed the catastrophic position of the atmospheric layer, polluted air is the cause of many chronic diseases.

Air pollution is an environmental problem that is familiar to residents of absolutely all corners of the earth. It is especially acutely felt by representatives of cities in which enterprises of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, energy, chemical, petrochemical, construction and pulp and paper industries operate. In some cities, the atmosphere is also severely poisoned by vehicles and boiler houses. These are all examples of anthropogenic air pollution.

As for the natural sources of chemical elements that pollute the atmosphere, they include forest fires, volcanic eruptions, wind erosion (dispersal of soil and rock particles), the spread of pollen, evaporation of organic compounds and natural radiation.

Consequences of air pollution

Atmospheric air pollution adversely affects human health, contributing to the development of heart and lung diseases (in particular, bronchitis). In addition, atmospheric pollutants such as ozone, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide destroy natural ecosystems, destroying plants and causing the death of living things (in particular, river fish).

The global environmental problem of air pollution, according to scientists and government officials, can be solved in the following ways:

limiting population growth;
reduction in energy use;
improving energy efficiency;
reduction of waste;
transition to environmentally friendly renewable energy sources;
air purification in especially polluted areas.

Global Environmental Issue # 2: Ozone Depletion

The ozone layer is a thin strip of the stratosphere that protects all life on Earth from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the Sun.

Causes of the environmental problem

Back in the 1970s. ecologists have discovered that the ozone layer is destroyed by the action of chlorofluorocarbons. These chemicals are found in coolants in refrigerators and air conditioners, as well as solvents, aerosols / sprays, and fire extinguishers. To a lesser extent, the thinning of the ozone layer is also facilitated by other anthropogenic influences: the launch of space rockets, flights of jet aircraft in the high layers of the atmosphere, testing of nuclear weapons, and the reduction of the planet's forest lands. There is also a theory that global warming contributes to the depletion of the ozone layer.

Effects of ozone depletion

As a result of the destruction of the ozone layer, ultraviolet radiation passes unhindered through the atmosphere and reaches the earth's surface. Exposure to direct UV rays is detrimental to human health by weakening the immune system and causing diseases such as skin cancer and cataracts.

Global Environmental Issue # 3: Global Warming

Like the glass walls of a greenhouse, carbon dioxide, methane, nitric oxide and water vapor allow the sun to heat our planet and at the same time prevent infrared radiation reflected from the earth's surface from escaping into space. All of these gases are responsible for maintaining temperatures acceptable for life on earth. However, an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxide and water vapor in the atmosphere is another global environmental problem called global warming (or the greenhouse effect).

Causes of global warming

During the 20th century, the average temperature on earth rose by 0.5 - 1 ° C. The main cause of global warming is considered to be an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere due to an increase in the volume of fossil fuels (coal, oil and their derivatives) burned by humans. However, according to the statement Alexey Kokorin, Head of Climate Programs World Wildlife Fund(WWF) Russia, "The largest amount of greenhouse gases is generated by power plants and methane emissions during the extraction and delivery of energy resources, while road transport or the flaring of associated petroleum gas cause relatively little harm to the environment.".

Overpopulation, deforestation, ozone depletion and littering are other prerequisites for global warming. However, not all ecologists blame anthropogenic activities for the increase in average annual temperatures. Some believe that the natural increase in the abundance of oceanic plankton contributes to global warming, leading to an increase in the concentration of all the same carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Consequences of the greenhouse effect

If the temperature during the 21st century increases by another 1 ° C - 3.5 ° C, as scientists predict, the consequences will be very sad:

the level of the world ocean will rise (due to the melting of polar ice), the number of droughts will increase and the process of land desertification will intensify,
many species of plants and animals, adapted to exist in a narrow range of temperatures and humidity, will disappear,
hurricanes will become more frequent.

Solving an environmental problem

According to ecologists, the following measures will help to slow down the process of global warming:

higher prices for fossil fuels,
replacing fossil fuels with environmentally friendly ones (solar energy, wind and sea currents),
development of energy-saving and waste-free technologies,
taxation of emissions into the environment,
minimization of methane losses during its extraction, transportation through pipelines, distribution in cities and villages and use at heat supply and power plants,
introduction of technologies for absorption and binding of carbon dioxide,
tree planting,
decrease in the size of families,
environmental education,
the use of phytomelioration in agriculture.

Global Environmental Issue # 4: Acid Rain

Acid rain containing combustion products also poses a threat to the environment, human health and even the integrity of architectural monuments.

The effects of acid rain

The solutions of sulfuric and nitric acids, aluminum and cobalt compounds contained in polluted sediments and fog pollute the soil and water bodies, have a detrimental effect on vegetation, causing the dry tops of deciduous trees and oppressing conifers. Due to acid rain, crop yields are falling, people are drinking water enriched with toxic metals (mercury, cadmium, lead), marble architectural monuments turn into gypsum and erode.

Solving an environmental problem

In the name of saving nature and architecture from acid rain, it is necessary to minimize emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere.

Global environmental problem # 5: Soil pollution

Every year people pollute the environment with 85 billion tons of waste. Among them are solid and liquid waste from industrial enterprises and transport, agricultural waste (including pesticides), household waste and atmospheric deposition of harmful substances.

The main role in soil pollution is played by such components of industrial waste as heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, thallium, bismuth, tin, vanadium, antimony), pesticides and oil products. From the soil, they penetrate into plants and water, even spring water. Along the chain, toxic metals enter the human body and are not always quickly and completely removed from it. Some of them tend to accumulate over the years, provoking the development of serious diseases.

Global Environmental Issue # 6: Water Pollution

Pollution of the world's oceans, groundwater and surface waters of the land is a global environmental problem, the responsibility for which lies entirely with humans.

Causes of the environmental problem

The main pollutants of the hydrosphere today are oil and oil products. These substances penetrate into the waters of the world's oceans as a result of the wreck of tankers and regular discharges of wastewater by industrial enterprises.

In addition to anthropogenic oil products, industrial and domestic facilities pollute the hydrosphere with heavy metals and complex organic compounds. Agriculture and the food industry are recognized as leaders in the poisoning of the world's oceans with minerals and biogenic elements.

The hydrosphere is also involved in such a global environmental problem as radioactive pollution. The precondition for its formation was the burial of radioactive waste in the waters of the world's oceans. Many powers with a developed nuclear industry and a nuclear fleet, from 49 to 70 years of the XX century, purposefully stored harmful radioactive substances in the seas and oceans. In places where radioactive containers are buried, the level of cesium is often off scale even today. But "underwater test sites" are not the only radioactive source of pollution of the hydrosphere. The waters of the seas and oceans are also enriched with radiation as a result of underwater and surface nuclear explosions.

Consequences of radioactive contamination of water

Oil pollution of the hydrosphere leads to the destruction of the natural habitat of hundreds of representatives of oceanic flora and fauna, the death of plankton, seabirds and mammals. Poisoning of the world's oceans also poses a serious danger to human health: fish and other seafood "contaminated" with radiation can easily get on the table.

Asel 17.05.2019 12:14
http://www.kstu.kz/

Yang 31.05.2018 10:56
To avoid all this, it is all necessary to decide not for the state budget but for free!
And besides, you need to add environmental protection laws to your country's constitution
namely, strict laws that should make at least 3% of environmental pollution not
only their homeland but also all countries of the world!

24werwe 21.09.2017 14:50
Cause of air pollution water soil crypto-Jews. On the street, degenerates with signs of Jews. Greenpeace and ecologists vile cryptoreyskie TV-ri. They are engaged in eternal criticism according to the Catechism of the Jew in the USSR (according to the Talmud). Dosed poisoning is being promoted. They do not name the reason - the deliberate destruction of all the living by the Jews hiding under the labels of "peoples."