ABSTRACT
This introductory chapter provides an overview of man-made environmental problems such as overuse and contamination and helps understand the complex management of the deteriorated environment. The deterioration of the environment endangers ecosystems and humans impacting environmental and human health, as well as economic well-being of people. The management concepts and methods require a holistic approach at global, regional, and local scales which must be supported by as much information and knowledge as possible. In this chapter, we introduce the main characteristics of the ecosystems, their tendentious deterioration, and the extent and consequences of the deterioration.
