Conclusions

Abstract

This book is aimed at a systematic description of the knowledge accumulated on the physical oceanography, marine chemistry and pollution, marine biology and geology, and hydrometeorological conditions of the Black Sea. It presents the principal particular features of the environmental conditions of the sea and their changes in the second half of the 20th century. At present, the principal problems of the Black Sea are related to the estimation of the intensity of the chemical pollution of the sea and its impact upon the biota. Special attention is paid to the socioeconomic, legal, and political issues in the Black Sea region. The book is based on numerous observational data collected by the authors of the various chapters during sea expeditions, on the archive data of several Russian and Ukrainian oceanographic institutions, as well as on a wide scientific literature, mainly published in Russian editions.