NATURAL RESOURCES DEFINITION AND TYPES.pdf

This content provides a broad definition of resources in general and natural resources in particular. It also offers a bird's eye view of the different types of natural resources and their importance in modern civilisation. It also explains the threats to natural resources along with its management strategies. It also highlights the conservation measures for natural resources for the sake of sustainability.

1. Presented By:
Dr. N. Sannigrahi, Associate Professor,
Department of Botany,
Nistarini College, Purulia (W.B)
INDIA-723101

2. EncyclopediaofSocialSciences-Resourceisthatparticularfactorofthe
environmentthatmeetorthelptomeettheneedsofmanand/orhuman
society.
“Resourceisacommoditythatcanbeusedtosatisfyhumanneeds”-
Hutchinson.
AccordingtoZimmerman,theword‘resource’doesnotrefertoathingora
substancebuttoafunctionwhichathingorsubstancemayperformorto
anoperationinwhichitmaytakepart,namely,thefunctionoroperation
attainingagivenendsuchas,satisfyingawant.
Allmaterialandnon-materialattributescomeunderthreecategories-
Resource,ResistanceandNeutralstaff.
Oppositeofresourceisresistance-everythingrequiredfortheproper
maintenanceofecosystemwillberesourceandanythingwhichdisruptthe
systemwillbeconsideredasresistance

3. Naturalresourcesareresourcesthataredrawnfromnatureandusedwith
fewmodifications.Thisincludesthesourcesofvaluedcharacteristicssuch
ascommercialandindustrialuse,aestheticvalue,scientificinterest,and
culturalvalue.
Naturalresourcesrefertoproductsofbiological,ecological,orgeological
processesthatsatisfyhumanwants,includinggamespecies,soils,mineral
ores,timber,andwater.Theyalsoencompassecosystemservicesessential
foreconomicproductionandthemaintenanceoflife,suchascarbon
sequestrationandfloodattenuation.

4. Resourceisdifferentfromwealth.Wealthhasexchange-valuewhereas
resourcehasuse-value.Resourceisfunctionalandgotusability.
ResourceisbothtangibleandintangiblePetroleum,goldiftangiblethan
Health,Knowledge,Friendshipareintangible.
Resourcemaybenatural,cultural,manmadeetc.
Theconceptofresourceisdynamicsinceitincludesfunctionality.Itis
dynamicconcept.
Resourceandresistancegohandinhand.Manisaresource,butexplosion
ofpopulationisaresistance.
Destructibility-
Unevendistribution
Versatility-

5. Resources are three types-Natural, Human and Cultural
NATURAL RESOURCES
1. Inexhaustible natural resources
i.Atmosphere,
ii.Water in cycle
II. Replaceable and maintainable natural resources
i.Water in place,
ii.Soil,
iii.Land in spatial sense,
iv.Forests,
v.Forge and other cover plants,
vi.Wild animal life,
vii.Human Resources

6. IrreplaceableNaturalResources
i.Minerals,
ii.Metals,
iii.Mineralfuelandlubricants,
iv.Miscellaneousnon-fuelandnon-metallic,
v.Landinnaturalcondition
CLASSIFICATIONONTHEBASISOFRENEWABILITY
i.RenewableResources-donotgetexhaustedonaccountoftheir
utilizationandcanberegeneratedandrenewedlikeforestresource.
ii.Non-renewableresources-begeneratedandrenewedandonce,theyare
exhausted,getexhaustedforeverlikefossilfuels.
iii.Cyclicresources-canbeutilizedrepeatedlylikewaterthatcanbe
renewedtimeandagain.

7. CLASSIFICATION ONTHEBASISOFORIGIN
i.AbioticorInorganicresources-Foundintheearthintheformofsolids,
liquidsandgaseslikewater,minerals.
ii.OrganicorBioticresources-Alllivingcomponentsandtheirorganic
productsconstitutethisgroupofresourceslikeflora,faunaetc.
ONTHEBASISOFUTILITY
ItmaybedifferenttypeonthebasisofutilitieslikePowerresources,
Mineralresources,Timberresources,Animalresources,Plantresources
etc.
HUMANRESOURCES-Productivepowerofhumansconsistsofphysical
abilityandintelligence,skill,creativeabilities,talents,attitudes.
CULTURALRESOURCES-Innovative,organizational,technicaland
otherconstructiveabilitiesofhumanbeings,efficientutilizationof
resourcesnecessitatestheculturalattributes.

8. i.Duringthepresentageofthespreadofindustrializationthroughoutthe
world,utilizationoftheresourcesareinescapable.
ii.Thequalityoflifeisequatedwiththestandardoflivingthatcanbe
summarizebythefollowingequation:
L=R*E*I/P
L=Theaveragestandardoflivingasmeasuredbytheusefulconsumption
ofgoodsandservices,
R=Theusefulconsumptionofresourcessuchasmetals,non-metals,soil,
wateretc.
E=Theusefulconsumptionofenergy,
I=Theusefulconsumptionofallingenuityincludingtechnical,socialand
political.
P=Thetotalnumberofpeopleinvolvedinthesystem.
(V.E.Mckelvey,1973)

9. BothEandRrepresentnon-renewablemineralresources.
Ifpopulationgrowthcontinues,thesupplyofmineralresourcesmayfall
shorttoaddressthedemandinthedistantfuture.
Thestandardoflivingisbetterforeconomicsmakingmoreefficientuseof
energy,othermineralsandskillorinnovateideas.
Theincreaseofpopulationgrowthrateisanexpressionofimproved
standardlivingasmeasuredbytheaboverelationarebecoming
increasinglydisproportionate.
Thegenerationofwasteisalsoincreasingtogetherwithreductioninforest
coverandvegetation.
Sincemineralscontainseveralelementsinassociationwiththeextracted
metalsorminerals,pollutionofwaterresources,increasedloadof
sedimentationetc,havesignificanteffects,atleastlocally.

10. Naturalresourcesinterpretedtomeanallland,minerals,waters,vegetation
andwildlifeusefultomankind,
Chiefconservationproblemsincludecontrolandmanagementoflandand
itsproducts,
Conservationislargelyappliedecology,plansformanagementofsoil,
waterandbiotafailineffectivenessunlessbasedupontheprinciplesof
ecology.
Foundationofsolidecologicalstudiesisrequiredforconservation,
Mineralresourcesarenotproperlyutilized,wehavetofacethegrave
dangersinfuture.
 THANK YOU