Anthropogenic complexes and Eurasia’s regions

An anthropogenic natural complex is one changed or created by human economic activity: a city, village, field, garden, reservoir or canal. Eurasia has been settled since ancient times and has centres of civilisation, so human impact here is the strongest. Many ancient evergreen forests on the Mediterranean coast have been cut down. About 80 % of the black-soil and chestnut-soil steppes of the East European Plain have been developed, and fields, cities and gardens have taken their place. Anthropogenic landscapes (terraces, irrigated fields) also exist in Mesopotamia, the Great Plain of China, India, Europe and Central Asia and on mountain slopes. After the places suitable for living were taken, from the second half of the 20th century forests, deserts and mountains began to be developed too. As a result forest area shrinks, soil erodes and water and air become polluted; the drying of the Aral Sea is a major ecological disaster. To protect nature, reserves, national parks and sanctuaries have been set up: Ilmen in the Urals, the Altai Reserve, the Białowieża Forest in Europe, and in Asia Chatkal, Issyk-Kul, Barguzin and Taman Negara. The aim of reserves is to keep unique natural places, plants and animals in their natural state. Natural resources must be used wisely and economically.