Natural Resourses (Environmental Science)

Environmental science Module 1 Topic. This PPT is not a work of mine and was provided by our college professor during our graduation, so I am not sure about the original author. The credit goes to the Original author.

1. Natural Resources The natural resources of the earth are air, water, soil, minerals, vegetation/forest and animal wealth. All natural resources are responsible for the buildup of the sustainable economy of a country. Due to over explosion of human population, natural resources are getting either depleted or degraded qualitatively and quantitatively. It is the form of energy or matter which is essential for functioning organism population and ecosystem

2. Natural Resources The ecological variables like energy, matter, space, time and diversity combiningly are referred as natural resources. Some resources are essential for the survival of all living organisms like air, water, soil, plants , animals etc. Natural resources can be classified as According to origin Renewability Distribution

3. Natural Resources According to origin Biotic resources : When a resource is living organisms or originated from living organisms is known as biotic resources. Ex. Forest,animal,plants Abiotic resources: When a resource is not originated from living organisms is known as abiotic resources. Ex. Land, water,air According to renewability Renewable resources: The resources which can be renewed along with their uses. Ex. Forest, air, water, solar energy Non renewable resources: The resources which are present in finite quantities and can not be renewed along with their uses. They are also called as exhaustible resource. Ex. Minerals, fossil fuels, coal etc. According to distribution Ubiquitous resource: Those natural resource which occur almost everywhere. Ex. Sunlight, oxygen Localized resource: Those natural resource are concentrated at specific places. Ex. Minerals, fossils etc.

4. Problems : exploitation of natural resources Over exploitation of natural resources such as forests, wildlife leads to ecological imbalance Over exploitation of forests leads to desertification/deforestation Leads to soil erosion, pollution Leads to hazards such as land slides, floods Over exploitation of non-renewable resources leads to shortage or scarcity

5. Forest Resource Forest is a community of trees and associated organisms covering a considerable area, utilizing air, water and minerals to attain maturity and to reproduce itself. Types of forests in the World Tropical forests or ever green forest. Temperate forests Conferous forests Types of Forests in India Evergreen forests. Mansoon deciduous forest Mountain or Hill forests Dry or Arid forests Tidal, coastal or Mangroove forests.

6. Types of forests Temparate Forest Tropical Forest conferrous Forest

7. Types of forests Mountain Forest Tropical Forest Deciduous Forest

8. Importance of forest Water shed protection Reduce the rate of runoff of water Prevent flash floods and soil erosion Atmospheric regulation Absorption of solar heat during evapo transpiration. Maintaining CO2 levels for plant growth. Maintaining the local climatic conditions. Erosion Control Holding soil Land banks Maintenance of soil Nutrients and structure Local use : Food , Fodder, Fuel wood and charcoal , medicinal plants, Fiber , Timber

9. Causes for Over exploitation and depletion of forests Most of the forest lands have been converted to agricultural land, urbanization , industrialization and human settlement Mining activities in forests are also responsible for depletion of forests Forest fires and over grazing leads to depletion of forests

10. Effects of Over exploitation and depletion of forests Increased soil erosion, floods Contribute to high temperature Loss of biodiversity and in soil productivity Imbalance in ecosystem Extinction of plant species and wild life. Essential forest products will not be available

11. Conservation of forests Regulated and planned cutting of trees. Control over forest fires Reforestation: it is the process of growing new trees in areas in which trees have been removed Afforestation : It means growing of trees on new areas under forests. Protection of existing forests Social forestry: It means the development of forests on public and common lands especially in rural areas Agroforestry : It is a practice in which agricultural land is used for agriculture, forestry and animal husbandary

12. Deforestation Deforestation means cutting of trees by man for commercial and other purposes

13. Causes of deforestation Expansion of agriculture into forest lands. Population growth resulting in falling of trees for human settlement. Large scale falling of trees for industrialization. Construction of roads and railway lines across the forests. Mining in forest areas Shifting cultivation Fire wood collection by tribal purpose Forest fires

14. Consequences or effects of deforestation Results in desertification Soil degradation Loss of vegetation cover Destruction of plant species and animal life. Environmental pollution Damage forest eco system Reduction of moisture in soil Changes in climatic conditions .