Summary
Analysing the influences on the biosphere, this paper emphasises the increasing impact of Man and industrialization. A range of current man-biosphere reactions are described. It is suggested that the effective control and management of the manifestations which result rest, in most instances, with socio-political, socio-economic and socio-cultural factors.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bolin B.et al. (eds.) 1979.The Global Carbon Cycle. SCOPE, Vol.13. J. Wiley.
Bolin, B. and Cook, R.B. (eds.) 1983.The Major Biogeochemical Cycles and their Interactions. SCOPE, Vol.21. J. Wiley.
Bryson, R.A. 1972. Climatic modification by air pollution. In: Polunin, N. (ed.),The Environmental Future, pp.133–173. Macmillan.
Changnon, S.A. 1969. Recent studies of urban effects on precipitation in US.Bull. Am. Meteor. Soc.,50, 411–21.
Club of Rome. 1984.Managing Global Issues (section on global forests, pp.65–113). University of Helsinki.
Detwiler, R.P. and Hall, C.A.S. 1988. Tropical forests and global carbon cycle.Science, January.
Evans, R.C.R. and Thompson, F.B. 1988.Forests, Climate and Hydrology. U.N.U.
FAO. 1982. Tropical forest resources.Forestry Paper, No.30. Rome.
FAO. 1983. Fuelwood supplies in the developing countries.Forestry Paper, No.42. Rome.
Graedel, T.E. 1978.Chemical Compounds in the Atmosphere. Academic Press, New York.
Graedel, T.E. 1989. Regional and global impacts on the biosphere.Environment 31, pp.81–3 and 36–41.
Holling, C.S. 1988. The resilience of terrestrial ecosystems: local surprise and global change, pp.292–320. In: Clark, W.C. and Munn, R.E. (eds.),Sustainable Development of the Biosphere. IIASA and Cambridge University Press.
Houghton, R.A.et al. 1987. The flux of carbon from terrestrial ecosystems to the atmosphere in 1980 due to changes in land-use: geographical distribution of globalflux.Tellus, Feb/April.
Ivanov, M.V. and Freney, J.R. 1983.The Global Biogeochemical Sulphur Cycle. SCOPE, Vol.19, J. Wiley.
Peterson, J.T. 1969.The Climate of Cities: a Survey of Recent Literature. National Air Pollution Control Administration (US) Publication, No.AP-59.
Postel, S. and Heise, L. 1988. Reforesting the earth.Worldwatch Paper, 83.
Pueschel, R.E. 1986.Man and the Atmosphere. GEMS-WMO Publication.
Repetto, R. 1988.The Forest for the Trees? Government Policies and the Misuse of Forest Resources. World Resources Institute, Washington, DC.
Repetto, R. and Gillis, M. (eds.) 1988.Public Policies and Misuse of Forest Trees. World Resources Institute and Cambridge University Press.
United Nations. 1980. Patterns of urban and rural population growth.UN Dept. Int. Econ. and Social Affairs, Population Studies, No.68, New York.
UNEP. 1981.Environmental Impacts of Production and Use of Energy. Tycooly International Publishers.
UNEP. 1982.The World Environment 1972–1982. Tycooly International Publishers.
UNEP. 1987.The Ozone Layer. UNEP/GEMS Environment Library, No.2.
Walter, H. 1979.Vegetation of the Earth. 2nd edn. Heidelberg Science Library.
WCED. 1978.Our Common Future. Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development. Oxford University Press.
WMO-UNEP-ICSU 1986. Report of the International Conference on the Assessment of the Role of Carbon Dioxide and of other Greenhouse gases in climate variations and associated impacts. Villach, Austria, OCt. 1985. WMO, No.661.
WMO. 1986.Urban Climatology and its Applications with Special Regard to Tropical Areas. WMO, No.652, Geneve.
Woodwell G.M. (ed.) 1984.The Role of Terrestrial Vegetation in the Global Carbon Cycle. SCOPE, Vol.33, J. Wiley.
WRI. 1989.World Resources 1988–1989. WRI-IIED-UNEP, Basic Books Inc., NY.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Professor M. Kassas is Emeritus Professor of Botany at the University of Cairo and an Advisory Board member toThe Environmentalist. This paper was presented to the Hanover Conference of the Club of Rome in June, 1989.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kassas, M. The biosphere and the threat of global industrialization: Limits of the biosphere. Environmentalist 9, 261–268 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02241826
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02241826