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Immediate and Long-Term Research Priorities JAROMfR POSPfSlL Institute of Landscape Ecology (CSAV) The complex of environmental problems has been developing very rapidly in recent times, and the base of scientific knowledge has developed in two phases. The first phase was the recognition of the depth of ecological problems. At this level science and re- search focused mainly on the investigation of human impacts on the environment and on the search for possibilities for protection and, in some cases, improvement of the environment. These efforts were extremely important, particularly in revealing the very essence of the phenomena of concern and the undesirable trends of their develop- ment. Such research contributed substantially to the opinions being adopted by the general public on environmental issues. Emotional and alarmist views prevailed in the initial social re- action to ecological problems. Nevertheless, in the course of time more realistic problem-solving approaches connected with the appli- cation of scientific knowledge gained popular support. It has become clear that solving present ecological problems requires a special sci- ence for framing a theoretical, methodological basis to rationalize, optimize, and harmonize the interactive processes between man and the environment, and to bring together the objective needs of eco- logical laws with the principles of social organization. Key political decisions in all spheres must respect the basic laws of ecological in- teraction between society and nature. Achieving optimum harmony between social development and the state of the environment should be considered the main goal. In many European countries this process was completed in the 131
132 last few years. As principal factors affecting the further development of our living standard, environmental considerations were embodied in the plans for industrial and social development in these coun- tries. Attention was given mainly to the possibilities for stopping environmental deterioration and for creating the preconditions for environmental improvement. This area has received considerable financial support. Research efforts have also brought together various techniques to fulfill these tasks. In industry, especially in the area of scien- tific/technological development, research is aimed at controlling the harmful effects of technological processes (e.g., development of meth- ods for absorption of harmful substances generated as wastes by various technological processes, which are then either utilized or neutralized). At the same time, research efforts are currently ad- dressing the problems of utilization of solid and liquid communal wastes, and of proper disposal of non-usable wastes. Despite the fact that some measures are being taken and appropriate devices have been constructed, there are still many problems which have to be solved. It is therefore necessary to constantly revise proposed solutions and to seek new approaches in the continuing process of changing technologies which cause excessive environmental loads and replac- ing them with new ones which are less harmful or, ideally, harmless. These facts may be summed up in a single conclusion: Environmen- tal problems penetrate into all fields of technology, chemistry, and related research. In the sphere of economic sciences and technological/economic information there are many subjects related to environmental im- provement such as the improvement of production effectiveness, or- ganization, and product quality, and the conservation of raw mate- rials and energy. Such trends contribute to decreased demand for these products as well as to waste reduction. The role of agriculture in the environment is seemingly contra- dictory. Agriculture is greatly affected by environmental degradation due to deterioration of organisms which are vital to agricultural pro- duction. Therefore, it is necessary to continue investigating and monitoring the changes in the environment, including pollution by foreign substances, while studying the impacts on organisms and the possibilities for protection against these impacts. Further, the selection and cultivation of more resistant species and the pursuit of
133 further measures aimed at reducing negative effects are needed. Re- search on bacteria, fungi, and higher plants which accumulate heavy metals and other compounds is currently being conducted. Paradoxically, agriculture has also become one of the negative factors contributing to deterioration of the environment, and this negative impact intensifies with increased agricultural production. Interestingly, such an increase is not contrary to ecological laws. Maximum yields of biomass enrich the air with oxygen, draw nitro- gen from soil and prevent it from entering watercourses, and maintain the cycles of various biogenous elements such as carbon. The problem is that while in natural ecosystems this process has a regular course, the same process leads to accumulation in agricultural areas due to technological devices such as mechanization and chemical use, or to landscape changes such as soil reclamation. Ecologists therefore concentrate mainly on the fundamental resources supporting agri- cultural production such as topsoil, which is a new element in the development of the biosphere, is cultivated by human activity, and is therefore very vulnerable. In this case the process of self-renewal is out of the question. Such a situation prevails within the whole biosphere, both at the local and global level. Man has become responsible for nature, and this fact must influence the principal orientation of science, both in the natural and social sciences. Physics, chemistry, and biology can no longer be restricted to the investigation of nature merely "as it is" but rather "as it may be," i.e., the phenomena and processes that are initiated and their consequences under specific conditions. It is necessary to investigate not only the impact of human activities and the disturbances of natural conditions but also how to manage these activities to achieve harmony in the development of nature and society. Therefore, the principles for solving ecological problems will be more scientific if they are multidisciplinary, based not only on ap- plication of biological and ecological sciences but of other sciences as well. This knowledge should be not merely accumulated and classified but also utilized. Research results should yield syntheses not only drawing on all scientific disciplines (natural, technological, agricultural, forestry, medical, and social sciences) related to ecolog- ical problems but also taking into account specific projects aimed at solving these problems. Long-term research is aimed at the recognition of the structure
134 and function of landscape systems and their utilization toward op- timum management of a region. This calls for study of the social, technological, and natural processes affecting mutual relations of hu- man populations and nature. At the same time, it is necessary to concentrate on the problems of the devastated areas of the land- scape. Recognizing the potential for regeneration and reclamation is helpful in determining the possibilities for renewal of natural condi- tions in regions with disturbed ecological conditions, and also in the prevention of negative impacts in regional systems with heavy tech- nological loads. Therefore, interactions between the environment and human populations and the role of man during the develop- ment of socio-ecological landscape systems should be considered in preventing anthropogenic ecological crises in the landscape. A thorough knowledge of natureâfrom the simplest organisms to species, populations, communities, and ecosystemsâas well as knowledge of natural processes, developments, and disturbances are fundamental to ecological studies. Investigations of foreign, espe- cially toxic, substances and their transport, accumulation, and im- pacts have become more and more important. Application of biotech- nology offers numerous new possibilities. Near- and long-distance transfer studies play an important role, especially those related to air pollution which involve detection and monitoring of these sub- stances. Above all, it is necessary to study the effect of low levels of environmental pollutants, since their dangerous effects may remain hidden for a long time and manifest themselves only after accumulat- ing to a significant extent when it is usually too late to apply effective countermeasures. In this regard, biodiagnostics and biomonitoring can be very reliable, especially since the responses of sensitive organ- isms to pollution are relatively rapid. It is possible to affect organisms or even populations and communities whose reactions to pollutants are either selective and specific, or general and non-specific but still apparent. Many of these methods such as monitoring of mutagens are so complicated that they will probably always remain at the level of basic research. The increase and management of biomass production in an an- thropic, artificially altered landscape, or in a landscape under an- thropogenic pressure, is another very important research problem. It is not just the part of the landscape used by man but also the relatively unimpacted natural landscape which is of concern. No landscape, not even the nature reserves, can be left to completely spontaneous development. The influence of man is so strong that it
135 should be viewed as global; therefore even areas of unaffected nature, if any still exist, must be actively protected. Research on self-purification processes in specific biosphere com- ponents such as soil and water will yield valuable knowledge helpful to the initiation and support of this process. Until now, biotech- nologies have seldom moved beyond production for use by man, and their use for nature protection has been sporadic (e.g., fermentation bacteria injections at crude oil leaks). These technologies have been used even less frequently to form new ecosystems in localities where original relationships were disturbed so severely that the natural ecosystems decayed. There are obviously many tasks for research in this field. Every new or developing scientific field is based on new method- ologies, and ecology is no exception. Remote sensing systems using airborne and spacecraft devices have proved to be very promising in this regard. This technique provides extensive information on a given area and its environmental situation, including phenomena which cannot be detected by terrestrial observations. Thus, it pro- vides a better classification of phenomena and facilitates the systems approach. Despite the fact that we are still far from able to elaborate a comprehensive cybernetic model of the environment, it is possible to produce models which solve particular questions, although their applicability is limited. These methodological approaches are closely connected with in- formation systems not only in terms of information accumulation and classification within particular data bases, but also in terms of the use of such information. The primary issue is defining environmental data which can be quantified and embodied into technical-economic information systems, and which are of principal importance from the viewpoint of short- and long-term plans of development. As to land use, agriculture prevails over forestry but loses out to industry and residential agglomerations. There are only a few possibilities left for the preservation of original, unaffected parts of nature. Even in nature only partially disturbed by anthropic impacts, it is possible to observe a relatively rapid change in the blood count of a man having previously lived in the unfavorable environment of an industrial agglomeration. In addition, nature provides the resources necessary for the ecological stability of the landscape. These resources are used by man either unconsciously or with a special intent, even for creating artificial systems and biological production technologies.
136 Finality, we must mention the aesthetic and cultural aspects. The protected areas network has developed randomly, mostly in areas with conflicting interactions of forestry, agriculture, industry, and residential agglomerations. Nevertheless, such a state cannot be considered as ideal. It is necessary to apply the results of landscape planning, and thus achieve the inclusion of important landscape elements in regional plans. All these questions require a global perspective which can yield corrections of local approaches. The shift toward global level ob- servations will mean above all the application of interdisciplinary approaches to ecological problems, from astronomy to social sci- ences. Generally, it will mean more intensive international scientific cooperation. We should mention several international scientific programs, such as the Man and Biosphere (MAB) program as well as programs of other governmental or non-governmental international organiza- tions. The important topic of the SCOPE International Geosphere- Biosphere Program (IGBP) could serve as a model of a broad, in- terdisciplinary approach. This interdisciplinary approach, especially between the social and natural sciences, is used even in the MAB pro- gram. It would be extremely useful to evaluate all of these programs and on this basis determine the fundamental principles of interna- tional scientific cooperation in the field of environmental protection.
