Natural Resources: Types and Examples

Natural Resources

• Any material that satisfies human needs or adds value is considered a natural resource
• Natural resources exist in nature and contribute to biodiversity and geodiversity within various ecosystems

Types of Natural Resources Based on Nature

• Biotic resources are derived from living organisms; examples include plants and animals
• Abiotic Resources are derived from non-living elements; examples include soil, minerals, wind, solar, geothermal, nuclear energy, water, coal, petroleum, and fossil fuels

Types of Natural Resources Based on Finiteness

• Renewable resources can be replenished naturally over time; examples include plants, animals, biomass, solar energy, wind, water, and geothermal energy
• Non-renewable resources exist in limited quantities and take millions of years to form; examples include fossil fuels, nuclear energy, minerals, and soil

Water Resources

• Water exists as both stock and flow, being groundwater, surface water, rain, rivers, and lakes
• Water serves as an environmental medium, aiding in the assimilation of pollutants
• Water production involves storage, conveyance, and distribution for various users

Water Resources in the Philippines

• The Philippines has 451 principal rivers, 59 natural lakes, and 4 major groundwater reservoirs
• These bodies of water total around 50,000 square kilometers
• Water demand exceeds supply, leading to shortages, despite these resources

Forest Resources

• Forests provide essential ecosystem goods and services, including wood, biodiversity, and climate regulation
• Tropical forests are between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, covering 35% of tropical land and nearly 50% of the world's forests, including the Amazon, Congo Basin, and Southeast Asia

Forest Products

• Wood energy is a primary energy source in cities such as Kinshasa, Niamey, and Ouagadougou
• Timber is used for construction, furniture, and flooring
• 30% of the world’s paper pulp comes from eucalyptus plantations
• Forests have leaves used as vegetables and sauces
• Bark is used to make fiber for ropes and for medicines
• Sap is used for incense, latex, and gum arabic
• Fruits like shea butter are used for nutrition and cosmetics

Forest Types in the Philippines

• Dipterocarp forests make up 2/3 of total forest cover
• Philippine mahogany species include red lauan, tanguile, almon, and mayapis
• These species are commonly located in high-rainfall areas
• Old-growth forests have been untouched by logging
• Second-growth forests have been previously logged but are regenerating
• Other forest types include mangroves, pine forests, and mossy forests

Animal Resources (Biomass)

• Animals provide food (milk, eggs, meat), clothing (leather, wool), and transportation (camels in deserts, huskies in snowy regions)

Wind Resources

• Wind was used in ancient times for irrigation (Babylonians, Chinese) and grinding grain (Middle Ages in Europe)
• Wind turbines convert kinetic energy into electricity
• Wind is an indirect form of solar energy, created by solar heating, topography, and Earth's rotation

Solar Resources

• The sun is the closest star to Earth, providing light, heat, and energy
• Used in ancient times in agriculture for crop growth and drying food, approximately 10,000 years ago
• Solar water heaters were widely used in the 1800s but declined due to cheap fossil fuels
• Current uses include solar thermal energy to heat water and power solar panels
• China, Greece, and Japan are adoption leaders in solar heating

Biomass Resources

• Includes organic materials (plant matter, waste, and animal byproducts)
• Biomass is used for biofuels and renewable energy production

Land and Soil Resources

• Land and soil are non-renewable assets that take millions of years to regenerate
• Land degradation is caused by deforestation, urbanization, and intensive agriculture
• Soil is composed of minerals, organic matter, water, and gases
• Soil supports rooted plants in ecosystems

Geothermal Resources

• Heat from Earth’s interior is continuously produced by radioactive decay
• It's used for electricity generation and heating
• It is sustainable because Earth retains massive heat stores

Mineral Resources

• Metallic minerals include gold, silver, copper, iron, and aluminum
• Non-metallic minerals include sand, gravel, gypsum, uranium, and talc

Types of Mineral Deposits

• Magmatic ore deposits form within igneous rock
• Hydrothermal ore deposits occur when hot water dissolves minerals, depositing them in rock cracks
• Sedimentary ore deposits involve chemically precipitated minerals from lakes/seas
• Placer ore deposits consist of heavy minerals that settle in riverbeds (e.g., gold, diamonds)
• Residual ore deposits result from weathering, which removes soft minerals, concentrating valuable ones (e.g., bauxite for aluminum)

Fossil Fuel Resources

• They form from ancient plants and animals over millions of years
• Types of fossil fuels include crude oil (petroleum), coal, and natural gas

Crude Oil (Petroleum)

• Found in sedimentary rocks and tar sands

Coal

• A carbon-rich rock of different types including lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous, and anthracite
• It is extracted through underground or strip mining

Natural Gas

• Mostly composed of methane
• Conventional gas is found in permeable rock beds
• Unconventional gas is extracted using fracking

Nuclear Energy Resources

• Nuclear fission splits uranium atoms, generating clean, zero-emission energy
• Uranium is a heavy metal discovered in 1789
• Uranium is found in rocks and seawater and is mined for nuclear power production

Key Takeaways on Natural Resources

• Natural resources are vital for human survival and economic development
• They can be classified as biotic vs abiotic and renewable vs non-renewable
• Management of resources is necessary to avoid depletion and ecological damage
• Fossil fuels, minerals, land, water, and forests play major roles in global ecosystems
• Renewable energy sources like solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and nuclear are key to future sustainability

Principles in Environmental Management

• Environmental Management is a field that focuses on resource conservation and management
• It is interdisciplinary, covering physical and natural sciences like physics, chemistry, biology, and geology
• It analyzes environmental systems as a whole

Natural Resources

• Natural resources are any natural material used by humans, i.e. air, soil, minerals, water, oil, plants, and animals
• They are essential for energy, food, shelter, and manufactured products

Types of Natural Resources

• Renewable resources can be replenished at a sustainable rate (e.g., trees, water, sun, wind)
• Mismanagement can deplete them
• Non-renewable resources are depleted faster than they can regenerate (e.g., fossil fuels)
• Once used up, they are gone forever

Environmental Education

• Environmental Education is a process of developing awareness, concern, and knowledge of the environment
• It encourages sustainable use and conservation of resources for present and future generations

Biomes

• A biome is is a group of ecosystems with similar climates and organisms
• It is a large community or region with specific vegetation and wildlife adapted to a particular climate

Ecosystem

• An ecosystem is the interaction of plants, animals, and non-living components in a specific area
• Includes biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors interacting with each other

Biomes vs. Ecosystems

• A biome consists of multiple ecosystems
• Marine biome includes coral reefs, kelp forests, deep-sea regions, and open ocean

Two Main Components of an Ecosystem

• The Habitat (Abiotic Factors) is the non-living environment, including oxygen, water, light, temperature, shelter, and soil
• The Community (Biotic Factors) includes all living organisms inside a habitat
• Communities are made of Producers (plants), Consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores), and Decomposers (fungi, bacteria)

Terrestrial (Land) Biomes

• Tundra (Arctic & Alpine)
• Forests (Temperate, Boreal/Taiga, Tropical Deciduous, Tropical Rainforest)
• Grasslands (Steppe, Savanna, Prairies)
• Woodlands (Chaparral)
• Deserts

Alpine Tundra

• Found at high altitudes where trees cannot grow
• They have cold temperatures and short growing seasons (~180 days)
• Plants are consist grasses, shrubs, and heaths
• Animals are consist of sheep, elk, goats, pikas, birds, and insects

Arctic Tundra

• Treeless landscape with short vegetation
• Their Soil is permanently frozen (permafrost), leading to wet soils in summer
• Plants are consist of lichens, mosses, sedges, and dwarf shrubs
• Animals are consist of snowy owls, musk ox, reindeer, polar bears, and migratory birds

Temperate Forests

• These are found in North America, Europe, and Asia
• They have distinct seasons with consistent precipitation
• Plants: Deciduous trees (oak, maple), evergreens
• Animals: Deer, rabbits, bears, birds, insects, amphibians

Tropical Rainforest

• Located near the equator (e.g., Amazon Rainforest)
• They have warm temperatures with high rainfall, around 200 inches annually
• High biodiversity with multiple layers is very common: canopy, understory, and forest floor
• Plants: Epiphytes (plants that grow on trees), vines, ferns
• Animals: Monkeys, jaguars, parrots, frogs, insects

Tropical Deciduous Forest

• Heavy rainfall in summer and dry winters
• Trees shed leaves during dry seasons to conserve water
• Found in India, Africa, and South America.

Boreal Forest (Taiga)

• Found south of the Arctic Circle
• Their long winters have cool summers, moderate precipitation (mostly snow)
• Plants: Coniferous trees like pines, spruces, and firs
• Animals are consist of bears, moose, lynx, deer, hares, and woodpeckers

Grasslands (Steppe, Savanna, Prairie)

• Savannas are found in Africa, India, Australia, and South America
• Wet season with heavy rain, followed by drought
• Few trees that are scattered
• Temperate Grasslands (Steppe, Prairie, Veldts) have Moderate rainfall and rich soils as well as hot summers with cold winters

Deserts

• Very low rainfall is common, normally less than 10 inches per year
• Extreme temperatures or hot days and cold nights.
• Some deserts, like the Gobi Desert, have cold winters

Woodlands (Chaparral)

• Found in Southern California, Baja Mexico, and Mediterranean regions
• There are has mild winters and dry summers
• Plants: Oaks, junipers, manzanita, and chamise
• Animals: Birds, reptiles, and small mammals

Aquatic Biomes

• Freshwater (Lakes, rivers, wetlands)
• Estuaries
• Wetlands
• Coral Reefs
• Marine Zones (Intertidal, Neritic, Oceanic, Benthic, Abyssal)

Freshwater Biomes

• Contains low salt concentration
• Includes rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, and wetlands
• Hosts fish, algae, crustaceans, and waterfowl

Estuaries

• Where freshwater meets saltwater (rivers meet oceans)
• High biodiversity exists, and acts as a breeding ground for fish and crustaceans
• Examples in the Philippines: Marilao, Marikina, and Valenzuela River Estuaries (connect to Manila Bay)

Wetlands

• Areas where water covers soil for part or most of the year
• Supports both aquatic and terrestrial species

Coral Reefs

• They are highly diverse ecosystems that are built by coral polyps
• Provide habitat for 25% of ocean species
• Found in shallow, warm waters

Marine Biomes (Oceanic Zones)

• Intertidal Zone includes shoreline area affected by tides
• Organisms must adapt to changing water levels (e.g., crabs, sea stars, barnacles)

Neritic Zone

• Shallow waters near coastlines
• Most productive ocean zone due to abundant sunlight and nutrients

Epipelagic Zone (Sunlit Zone)

• Extends from surface and ends around 200m
• Supports photosynthesis and marine life
• There is Thermocline, or temperature changing, that forms at its base

Mesopelagic Zone (Twilight Zone)

• Extends to about 200m–1000m in depth and has very low light or no photosynthesis, but it is home to 90% of global fish biomass

Bathypelagic Zone (Midnight Zone)

• Extends to around 1000m–4000m in depth so it's completely dark
• bioluminescent organisms are common, examples include giant squid and sperm whale

Abyssopelagic Zone (Abyssal Zone)

• Extends from 4000m–6000m in depth with a cold and high-pressure environment
• Organisms have slow metabolism with large mouths and they also have bioluminescence

Benthic Zone (Ocean Floor)

• Covers lake, river, and ocean floors with decomposers and benthic organisms
• An ecosystem refers to a complete community of living organisms and non-living materials in their surroundings
• The surroundings include Biotic and abiotic factors as well

Abiotic components

• The abiotic factors consist of sunlight, temperature, humidity as well as carbon dioxide, water, hydrogen, oxygen, and other nutrients

Biotic components

• The biotic factors consist of green plants capable of photosynethis or self-sustaining organisms
• It may include others that rely on a combination of living organisms for energy
• The consumers may be herbivore, carnivore, or omnivore and can be decomposers

An Ecosystem performs these actions

• Regulating ecological processes and supporting life systems
• Cycling nutrients between biotic and abiotic components
• Maintaining balance among trophic levels
• Circulating minerals through the biosphere
• Use abiotic components that help synthesize organic materials adn allow energy exchange

Food Chain

• The food chain describes energy transfer from one organism to another in an ecosystem and starts with producers, the goes to herbivores, carnivores, then top predators
• A food web is a network of interconnected food chains in an ecosystem and represent multiple pathways of energy flow

Energy Flow in Ecosystems

• Energy flow is unidirectional or one-way and is lost as heat at each trophic level, then cant be reused by plants
• Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed

Ecological Pyramids

• A Pyramid of Numbers shows the count of organisms at each trophic level and are usually upright, except in detritus food chains,
• a Pyramid of biomass shows the amount of living organic matter at each trophic level and ar upright in terrestrial systems

The Pyramid of Energy

• In terms of Energy, small phytoplankton support many zooplankton but are inverted in aquatic ecosystems
• This is always upright, since energy flow is unidirectional with energy decreases at higher trophic levels due to heat loss

Environmental Awareness and Responsbility

• A focus on human actions, sustainability, and human responsibility

Environmental Education

• Its pupose is to develop awareness, concern, and knowledge about the environment
• It encourages preservation, conservation, and sustainable use of natural resources

What is sustained and what sustains

• Sustaining happens when what humans need meets their needs without eating through resources intended for future generations
• Sustainability covers economic growth alongside environmental protection and social equity,

Environmental Management

• Can organize human activities to reduce negative affect on the environment or Involves policies, laws, and actions to protect biodiversity and ecosystems

Environmental Degradation

• Happens when Harmful changes strike the environment due to human activities, for example with deforestation, pollution, and climate change

Resource Conservation

• Should be ethical in use and protection of valuable resources and aims to maintain ecological balance while ensuring resource availability for future generations

Ecosystem

• This consists of dynamic systems that support life through interactions of biotic and abiotic factors
• Food chains and food webs affect illustrate energy flow and nutrient transfer
• Sustainabilility comes when we preserve the environment

Interdependence on earth

• What lives on the earth all depend on each other to survive

Biome stability

• An increase in species or diversity promotes environmental stabiliity; with a more regulated population that avoids a total imbalance

Change on earth

• It's a constant that natural changes promotes ecological balance, while human activities (ie. pollution) tends to causes total environemntal crises

Ecoligal Balance

• This occurs whenever ecosystmes self-regulate through mechanisms like predation, that maintains population density and ensures three different aspects of ecosystem balance

3 main balancers

• Natrual succession leads to climax communitys or Ecological
• Species result in ongoing evolution; Evolutionary
• Balancing the carry capasiti population and accounting for biotic potential and enviromental resistance

Limited resouces on earth

• Must be used wisely, or what is abundant may become threatened

Pollution on earth

• Accumulation of harmful substances in environements lead to health risk and economic disasters

Ecosystem Stewardship

• There should be balance and awareness as it relates to humans and the earth

A reminder about Sustainability

• We use resources to meet our present needs but we must not compromise the needs and rights to the future so we can preserve the environemnt, ensure our helath, and support economic stability

Ecological Succession

• A consistent process of alteration of species in an ecological community that happens with one community repalcing the predecessor as a matter of human error over time or natural event. There is a standard for plant species biodiversity

Pioneer Species

• Pioneer species are the first organisms to colonzie a new or disrupted environemnt and are typicall fast growing, but short lived such as algae, mosses, and grasses
• sere refers to te interims of these changes before any community can reach max maturity. Seral Stage refers to the stages of succession before a community is at climax

Climate Community

• A climate community is the stage where the ecosystem reaches its greatest potential and the end as it realtes ot pollution etc
• Xerosere refers to Sucession where moisture is reduced in the envionment but Hydrosere refers to increased environmental moisture

Primary succession

• Comes to areas where there were no prior community/habitat existing and can be caused by a natural even like lova retreating or rock being left for glaciers. Pioneer species (algae) will over years and time help break down rocks

Secondary Succession

• This occurs with soil after natural event that disturbs environment; This is fast given the previous environmental conditions; The initial species make conditions for larger plants

Cyclic succession

• This is what happens wiht season changes, but is not intended to be a permanent climax
• Autongenic sucession focuses on a plan changing the condition of hte environment

Stages of Ecological Succession

• nudation, or the formation of a lifeless area from things like volcarion actions

Impact from Ecological Succession

• Creates an increase in species, so new species will make an envionment theirs and they modify, leading to new ecology

Increased productivity

• When an ecosyste,s is more efficient in producting things

Nutient Cycling

• Aides greatly in maintaing ecosystem health

Species interact

• This drives change and evolution of the ecosystem
• Coral reefs are an example and tropical forests also follow this

Keys for Eco success

• Start with bare land and then disturb that land, cycles are all natural. If done this way human acts will not threaten ecosystems

Nitrogen

• The air's building blocks for nitrogen

Nitrogen Cycle

• NItrogen Cycle is when converted to usable compounds and it is important because ti is a essential part of DND, RNA, protien to build up blocks in the area
• 4 steps to nitrogen cycle

4 nitrogen cycle

• Nitrogen flixation (atmospheric nitrogen into usable gas)
• ammonificaiton that converts nitrogren from dead plants into ammonia
• nitrification; amonia to nitrates

Nitrogen Fix

• Fix through conversion wit lighting or industrial processes
• Denitrifcation converts to atmospheric nitrogen

Human impact on Nitrogen

• Fossil fuels introduce excess nitrogren that upsets the cycle with too much fertilizer leading to runoff and poytential polution

The Key for Nitrogeb

• We must maintain health and avoid the harmful by products that come from fuel burning

Carbon Cycle

• Essential for life and the planet's atmosphere

How?

• Enters with decay of natural events, volcaoes, human acts like gfuel burning. Plant life then uses photosynethesis while we breath and bodies decays. Oceans sink into the sea flood and release and weather patterns change the envionment

Carbon?

• The essential element on Earth