All wildlife surrounding us is a complex, multi-level system of biological resources interconnected. A person can also be considered as an integral part of this system.
Biological resources - wealth given
human planet
Bioresources are the "life of the Earth." Everything living, from unicellular marine organisms to multi-ton mammals, is the biological resources of the world. These include:
- Flora of the planet (phytomass) - plant world.
- The fauna of the planet (zoomass) is the totality of all animals.
Living organisms that cannot be classified as either flora or fauna, such as marine protozoa, are also part of the planet’s bio-resources and may collectively be called biomass.
They perform many functions at the same time and are of great importance to humanity. Let's look at all the constituent parts, combined into the concept of "biological resources".
Animal world
Animals are an integral component of the Earth’s ecosystem. They play an important role both for humans and for the functioning of the remaining elements of the biosphere.
Ensuring soil fertility, pollination of plants, water purification in natural conditions, transformation of organic substances in the ecosystem are just a few of their functions.
Plant resources of the world
This group includes primarily forest biological resources. They are renewable but exhaustible. The sizes of these biological resources are calculated by the area or volumes of wood that can be used by humans. Forests occupy about 30% of the planet, which equals 40 million square meters. km If we consider the stocks of wood as raw materials, then its volumes are approximately 350 billion cubic meters. m
But the forest is not only material for production and fuel, but also the habitat of many species of animals. This example shows the close relationship between all components of the biological resources of the planet.
Biological resources of the ocean and fresh water
The oceans occupy 70% of our planet. Mineral reserves in the bowels of the ocean shelves do not belong to biological resources. Biological resources are all living organisms located in the depths of the expanses of water that a person can use for his own good. The total mass of such living organisms is estimated at 35 billion tons. The highest productivity in terms of fishing is the Pacific Ocean, as well as the Bering, Norwegian and Japanese Seas.
Ocean biological resources are also renewable.
How a person uses the planet’s biological resources
The volume of biological resources is difficult to determine, and even more difficult to know their value in monetary terms. For example, forest land can simultaneously perform many functions: to be a building material, fuel, and a resting place (recreational resource). Also, the plant world is an invaluable source of oxygen.
In the case of agriculture, it is difficult to distinguish between bioresources and agricultural resources. All cultivated farmland used by man appeared due to the reduction of untouched natural areas previously attributed to biological resources.
Aquatic biological resources are used by man constantly. Sea animals are a source of food, as well as raw materials for other industries (medicine, agriculture).
Terrestrial animals are also biological resources. The animal world, if we consider exclusively wild animals, loses its former meaning for humans. This is due to the development of livestock. Although in some regions hunting is still a strategically important business.
The state of biological resources of the planet
As you can see, man has always boldly used what the planet gave him. And bioresources were no exception. But human intervention did not go unnoticed.
Biological resources of the world year after year lose their original appearance under the influence of human deeds. We do not always think that one action can cause irreversible disturbances in the functioning of the planet’s ecosystem. For example, deforestation causes the extinction of many species of animals.
Over the past 30 years, the area of green spaces has significantly decreased. The felling scale is so large that it is even visible in images taken from space. And in all, during the existence of civilization, 35% of forests have been destroyed by our hands. Work to restore green spaces, unfortunately, does not bring the proper result. Now the rate of contraction is 18 times that of their regeneration.
The indelible consequences from human activities are felt on themselves and aquatic biological resources. First of all, damage to aquatic biological resources is manifested in large-scale catches of fish and other seafood, pollution of water bodies, and destruction of spawning grounds.
Animals are a source of raw materials for many production processes. However, the extent of the use of wild terrestrial fauna is insignificant when compared with the volume of agricultural livestock.
The protection of biological resources is the task of each of us
The fact that the biological resources of the world are disproportionate to the life of mankind does not need any arguments. It is even impossible to imagine how people can exist without access to these riches of the planet.
The world's biological resources have no borders, so the question of their protection should be addressed at the international level. In total, there are now more than thirty organizations that regulate active actions aimed at protecting bioresources in each individual state. The initiative of UNESCO was the creation of the "International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources." More than 90 countries participate in the Human and Biosphere research led by the same organization.
Another socially active association "Friends of the Earth" conducts regular campaigns in defense of flora and fauna. “Earth Action” is the youth division of this organization.
The protection of biological resources is the main task of the Greenpeace international association. This organization operates at the local, national and international levels and has the support of the masses.
The main methods of conservation of biological resources
As you can see, organizations that position themselves as environmentalists are enough, but what specific measures does humanity take to ensure that the biological resources of the world are subject to as little influence as possible?
- Rational attitude to biological benefits. Implementation of technologies for non-waste production and reuse of raw materials.
- Pollution protection - targeted measures, the task of which is to eliminate the negative impact of human life (installation of treatment facilities at enterprises, waste management).
- Arrangement of territories where biological resources are protected. The fauna and vegetation can be observed here intact. Nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, natural monuments, national parks are places where it is possible to restore populations of rare species of animals and plants.
And finally ...
Each of us consciously or unconsciously uses available bio-resources every day. In this regard, our task is to use them as efficiently as possible, protect, restore, in order to enable our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to see and appreciate all the riches of the Earth.