INTRODUCTION TO NATURAL RESOURCES

1
(No Transcript)
2
INTRODUCTION TO NATURAL RESOURCES

• Introduction to Environmental and Agricultural
  Science

3
Our Natural Resources

• NATURAL RESOURCES are resources found in nature.
• People cannot make more natural resources, but
  many can be renewed.
• Natural Resources essential for living
• Oxygen
• Water

4
Kinds of Natural Resources

• Natural Resources can be classified into Eight
  Groups
• Wildlife
• Air
• Wind
• Soil
• Water
• Minerals
• Fossil Fuels
• Sunlight

5
Wildlife

• WILDLIFE is a plant, animal, and any other thing
  that lives in the wild.
• It has NOT been domesticated.
• Includes all species that exist in nature,
  including fungi, wild flowers, trees, insects,
  fish, snakes, etc.
• DOMESTICATION is bringing plants and animals
  under the control of humans.
• Domesticated Animals Cattle, Horses, Pigs,
  Chickens, Sheep, etc.
• Domesticated Plants Rice, Corn, Potatoes,
  Cotton, Tomatoes, Grapes, etc.

6
Air

• AIR is the mixture of gases that surrounds the
  earth.
• Important Natural Resource
• All living things must have air to survive.
• Oxygen is the most important component of the
  air.
• Polluted air contains substances that may be
  harmful to people and other resources..

7
Wind

• WIND is large-scale air movement across the
  surface of the earth.
• Weather fronts and surface features influence
  wind.
• Wind power is harnessing wind movement.
• Windmills and Turbines collect the power and use
  it to pump water, generate electricity, etc.
• Problems Wind direction and speed varies

8
Soil

• SOIL is the outer layer of the earths surface
  that supports plant life.
• Naturally occurring resource
• All living things rely on soil in one way or
  another.
• Basis for all living things
• Plants need soil to grow
• Animals eat plants
• Remains decay and become soil again
• Damaged and lost by erosion

9
Water

• WATER is a tasteless and colorless liquid natural
  resource.
• All living things must have water to survive.
• Only natural resource found in 3 forms
• Solid (ice)
• Liquid (water)
• Gas (vapor)
• Amount of water on the earth is constant, however
  its form and condition changes in the water
  cycle.
• Flowing water can be used as a power source.

10
Minerals

• MINERAL is a natural inorganic substance on or in
  the earth.
• INORGANIC SUBSTANCE does not have the structure
  of living things, does not contain carbon.
• Examples
• Iron
• Precious Metals (Copper, Gold, Silver, Nickel)
• Granite, Sand, Gravel

11
Fossil Fuels

• FOSSIL FUELS are materials used to provide
  energy.
• Created by the decomposition of plants and
  animals
• Three main groups
• Petroleum (gas, oil, plastics)
• Natural Gas
• Coal
• Problem Major source of pollution

12
Sunlight

• SUNLIGHT is the light and warmth of the sun.
• Light produces solar energy.
• Energy is used by plants in photosynthesis.
• Life on earth depends on sunlight.

13
Renewability

• RENEWABILITY is whether or not a resource can be
  restored after it has been used.
• Basis for classifying natural resources
• Renewable
• Nonrenewable

14
Renewable Resources

• RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES can be replaced when
  used.
• Resource may renew itself and be used again, but
  renewing may take a long time
• Examples
• Air
• Soil
• Wildlife
• Plants
• Water

15
Nonrenewable Resources

• NONREWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES can not be replaced
  when used.
• With careful management, some can be reused.
• Examples
• Minerals (Gold, Silver)
• Fossil Fuels (Oil and Coal)

16
Exhaustibility

• EXHAUSTIBILITY is whether or not the supply of a
  resource is replenished as it is used.
• Some resources can be replenished others cannot
  be replenished.

17
Inexhaustible Resources

• INEXHAUSTIBLE NATURAL RESOURCES are resources
  that are continually being replenished.
• Examples
• Sunlight
• Air Wind
• Water

18
Exhaustible Resources

• EXHAUSTIBLE NATURAL RESOURCES are resources that
  are available in limited quantity that can be
  used up.
• Examples
• Minerals
• Fossil Fuels
• Soil (replaced so slowly)

19
Conservation

• CONSERVATION is using resources wisely.
• Resources are not abused, wasted nor destroyed.
• Wise is using a resource in ways that do not
  diminish its value and assure that supplies will
  be available for future generations.
• SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE USE is using resources so
  they last a long time.

20
Preservation

• PRESERVATION is maintaining a natural resource
  without using it up.
• Resource is protected.
• Set aside for future use.
• People can view the resource, but cannot harvest,
  mine or otherwise take it.
• Examples
• Wildlife Preserves and Refuges
• Old Growth Forests protected from cutting