NATURAL RESOURCES

Objectives

The student will be able to:

o   Explain what Natural Resources are and give some examples of Natural Resources.

o   Distinguish between renewable and Non- Renewal Natural Resources.

o   Explain the need for conserving Natural resources and identify the methods of their conservation.

o   Explain the ecosystem approach to Natural Resource Management 

  

Natural resources refer to all naturally occurring materials and components on Earth that are not man-made. They encompass everything available in nature, such as plants, animals, water, minerals, and fossil fuels.

Types of Natural Resources

Natural resources can be categorized based on their origin, abundance and availability, and renewability.

Origin

• Biotic (Organic) Resources: Derived from the biosphere, including living organisms and their by-products. Examples include plants, animals, and fossil fuels like coal and petroleum.
• Abiotic (Inorganic) Resources: Obtained from non-living, non-organic materials such as land, water, air, and metals like gold, iron, and copper.

Abundance and Availability

• Inexhaustible Resources: Resources that are abundant and not likely to be depleted by human use, such as air, clay, sand, tidal energy, and precipitation.
• Exhaustible Resources: Resources with a limited supply that can be exhausted by human activities, including coal, petroleum, and natural gas.

Renewability

• Renewable Resources: Resources that can be replenished naturally or through human intervention. These include crops, wildlife, fisheries, air, soil, and solar energy.
• Non-Renewable Resources: Resources that cannot be replenished once depleted, such as metallic minerals, rocks, and fossil fuels. They take millions of years to form.

Conservation

Conservation involves the protection, preservation, and careful management of natural resources to ensure their continuity and sustainability.

Ways of Conserving Natural Resources

• Preserving Existing Resources: Protecting current natural resources from depletion.
• Reusing or Recycling Renewable Resources: Encouraging the reuse and recycling of renewable resources whenever possible.
• Wise Management of Non-Renewable Resources: Implementing strategies to manage non-renewable resources efficiently.
• Instituting and Enforcing Conservation Laws: Establishing regulations to protect natural resources.
• Preventing Pollution: Limiting the use of pesticides and toxic chemicals, controlling wastewater and airborne pollutants, regulating petroleum drilling and transportation, and avoiding radioactive material production.

Human Activities Leading to Resource Depletion

• Poor farming practices
• Pollution
• Deforestation
• Desertification
• Population explosion
• Increased demand for fuel or mineral resources
• Indiscriminate hunting of wildlife

Problems in Conservation

• Poverty or inadequate funding
• Subsistence farming methods such as bush burning
• Use of wood for fuel
• Overgrazing and constant cropping
• Limited land for farming
• Urbanization and industrialization
• Indiscriminate game hunting
• Lack of public education or disregard for existing laws

Forest Resources

Forests are vital natural resources, especially in regions with high rainfall and altitude.

Importance of Forests

• Maintaining ecological balance
• Providing firewood
• Supplying raw materials for industries
• Offering medicinal herbs
• Providing food
• Conserving soil
• Protecting wildlife
• Supporting scientific research
• Maintaining soil fertility through nutrient recycling
• Preserving natural species

Methods of Forest Conservation

• Replanting harvested trees
• Regulating excessive forest clearing
• Avoiding bush burning
• Authorizing selective logging
• Training forest rangers and foresters to guard the forest
• Educating the public on the dangers of deforestation
• Using pesticides to control pests and diseases

Soil Resources

Soils support plant growth and form the basis of the biosphere.

Importance of Soil

• Containing mineral resources
• Providing nutrients to plants
• Serving as habitats for organisms
• Acting as a medium for agricultural production

Methods of Soil Conservation

• Using manures and fertilizers
• Practicing crop rotation
• Inoculating nitrogen-fixing organisms
• Reducing overgrazing
• Afforestation
• Terracing to prevent soil erosion
• Cover cropping
• Contour plowing

Mineral Resources

Minerals are valuable resources obtained from the Earth's crust, including hematite, pyrite, bauxite, and dolomite.

Importance of Mineral Deposits

• Producing jewelry and ornaments
• Constructing roads
• Generating revenue
• Producing weapons
• Providing energy
• Supplying raw materials for industries

Mineral Conservation Methods

• Using low-quality minerals over high-quality ones
• Encouraging the reuse and recycling of minerals

Crude Oil

Crude oil is a hydrocarbon-based natural resource used to produce various refined petroleum products like diesel and petrol.

Importance of Oil

• Producing energy
• Generating electricity
• Serving as a raw material for industries

Water Resources

Water resources include both marine and freshwater resources. Marine resources encompass plants and animals living in oceans, while freshwater resources refer to those in rivers, lakes, and ponds. Additionally, water bodies contain mineral wealth, such as common salt and shells of mollusks.

Importance of Water

• Domestic and industrial use
• Tourism
• Photosynthesis in plants
• Transportation
• Generating electricity
• Irrigation and fish farming
• Habitat for aquatic organisms
• Sporting activities and swimming

Water Conservation Methods

• Economical use of water for domestic and industrial purposes
• Preventing wastage in irrigation
• Building dams and reservoirs
• Avoiding pollution of water bodies
• Reusing polluted water after purification

Wildlife

Wildlife includes all undomesticated plants and animals. Natural disasters and human activities like hunting, deforestation, overgrazing, and pollution pollution have severely affected the habitats of many species, leading to their endangerment or extinction.

Endangered Species

Endangered species are those whose population or habitat has become so small that they face the risk of extinction if not protected. Examples include elephants, ostriches, and grey whales.

Human Activities Causing Species to Be Endangered

• Bush burning
• Deforestation and mining
• Poaching
• Water pollution (e.g., oil spills)
• Urbanization

Reasons for Conserving Wildlife

• Medicinal value
• Tourist attraction
• Preserving endangered species
• Recreational hunting and fishing
• Pest control
• Disease resistance

Methods of Wildlife Conservation

• Preventing poaching
• Preserving endangered species
• Habitat preservation
• Public education
• Setting up national parks and game reserves
• Game cropping in controlled environments

A national park is a tract of land reserved and maintained by a national government solely for the welfare of the wildlife within it. Cultivation and grazing are prohibited in these areas to protect the environment.

Conservation of natural resources is critical to ensuring the sustainability of our environment for future generations. By understanding the importance and methods of conserving various resources, we can contribute to the protection and preservation of our planet's natural wealth.

Related SHS Topics

• Elective Biology Topics for Senior High Schools (SHS 1, 2 & 3)
• CONSEQUENCE OF HUMAN INTERFERENCE IN NATURE
• Evolution for High School Students
• Genetic Variation
• BIOLOGY & FOOD INDUSTRY
• NATURAL RESOURCES
• CLASSCAL GENETICS NOTES FOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS
• REPTILES (Agama Lizard)
• AMPHIBIANS (TOADS AND FROGS)
• Structure and life Processes of Fish (Tilapia)
• Structure and Life Cycle of Mosquito
• Structure and Mode of life of Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
• TERMITES (Macrotermes bellicosus)
• Structure and the Life Cycle of Red Cotton Stainer (Cotton Bug)
• External Features and Life Cycle of Grasshopper.
• Structure, Life Cycle and Economic Importance of Weevil/ Beetle
• Structure and the Life Processes of Butterfly
• Structure Life Cycle and Other Life Processes of Cockroach
• Structure, Characteristic Features and Life Cycle of a Fern Plant
• Structure, Characteristics and Life Cycle of Moss Plant
• Structure and Life Processes of Rhizopus (Bread Mold)
• The Structure and The Life Processes of Spirogyra
• The Structure and The Life Processes of Euglena