Natural Resources: Types and Uses

Natural Resources

• Any material that satisfies human needs or adds value.
• Exist in nature and contribute to biodiversity and geodiversity across ecosystems.

Types Based on Nature

• Biotic: Derived from living organisms, such as plants and animals.
• Abiotic: Derived from non-living elements; examples include soil, minerals, water, and fossil fuels.

Types Based on Finiteness

• Renewable: Can be replenished naturally over time; examples include plants, water, and solar energy.
• Non-Renewable: Exist in limited quantities and take millions of years to form; examples include fossil fuels and minerals.

Water Resources

• Exist as both stock (groundwater) and flow (surface water).
• Environmental medium, helping to assimilate pollutants.
• Production involves storage, conveyance, and distribution.

Water Resources in the Philippines

• The Philippines has 451 principal rivers and 59 natural lakes.
• It also has 4 major groundwater reservoirs, totaling about 50,000 square kilometers.
• Water demand exceeds supply, leading to shortages.

Forest Resources

• Provide essential ecosystem goods and services, including wood, biodiversity, and climate regulation.
• Tropical forests lie between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.
• These forests cover 35% of tropical land and nearly 50% of the world's forests.

Forest Products

• Wood Energy: Primary energy source in cities like Kinshasa.
• Timber: Used for construction and furniture.
• Paper Pulp: 30% of the world's pulp comes from eucalyptus plantations.
• Edible and Medicinal Uses:
  • Leaves (vegetables, sauces)
  • Bark (ropes, medicines)
  • Sap (incense, latex)
  • Fruits (e.g., shea butter).

Forest Types in the Philippines

• Dipterocarp forests make up 2/3 of total forest cover, containing Philippine mahogany species.
• Old-growth forests are untouched by logging, while second-growth forests are regenerating.
• Also includes mangroves, pine forests, and mossy forests.

Animal Resources (Biomass)

• Animals provide food, clothing, and transportation.

Wind Resources

• Ancient Uses; Used for irrigation and grinding grain.
• Modern Uses; Convert kinetic energy into electricity using wind turbines.
• Indirect form of solar energy.

Solar Resources

• The Sun provides light, heat, and energy for life.
• Agriculture used sunlight for crop growth and drying food 10,000 years ago.
• Solar thermal energy heats water and powers solar panels.

Biomass Resources

• Organic materials (plant matter, waste, and animal byproducts).
• Used for biofuels and renewable energy production.

Land and Soil Resources

• Non-renewable assets that take millions of years to regenerate.
• Land degradation is caused by deforestation and urbanization.
• Soil components: minerals, organic matter, water, and gases.

Geothermal Resources

• Heat from Earth's interior, produced by radioactive decay.
• Used for electricity generation and heating.
• Considered sustainable due to Earth's vast heat stores.

Mineral Resources

• Metallic Minerals include gold and silver.
• Non-Metallic Minerals include sand and gravel.

Types of Mineral Deposits

• Magmatic Ore Deposits: Minerals form within igneous rock.
• Hydrothermal Ore Deposits: Minerals deposited from hot water in rock cracks.
• Sedimentary Ore Deposits: Chemically precipitated minerals from lakes/seas.
• Placer Ore Deposits: Heavy minerals settle in riverbeds (e.g., gold).
• Residual Ore Deposits: Weathering concentrates valuable minerals (e.g., bauxite).

Fossil Fuel Resources

• Formed from ancient plants and animals over millions of years.
  • Crude Oil (Petroleum) is found in sedimentary rocks.
  • Coal is a carbon-rich rock, extracted through mining.
  • Natural Gas is composed mostly of methane.

Nuclear Energy Resources

• Nuclear fission splits uranium atoms, generating clean, zero-emission energy.
• Uranium is found in rocks and seawater, mined for nuclear power.

Key Takeaways on Natural Resources

• Vital for human survival and economic development.
• Classified as biotic/abiotic and renewable/non-renewable.
• Require sustainable management to prevent depletion.
• Fossil fuels, minerals, land, water, and forests are key global resources.
• Renewable energy sources are key to future sustainability.

Principles in Environmental Management

• A field under Ecology that focuses on resource conservation and management.
• Interdisciplinary; Includes analysis of systems as a whole.

Natural Resources

• Any natural material used by humans.
• Essential for energy, food, shelter, and products.

Types of Natural Resources

• Renewable Resources can be replenished, mismanagement can lead to depletion. -Non-Renewable Resources are depleted faster than they regenerate such as fossil fuels.

Environmental Education

• Defined by the Asian Development Bank as developing environmental awareness.
• Encourages sustainable resource use.

Biomes and Ecosystems

• A biome is a group of ecosystems and organisms with similar climates.
• An ecosystem is the interaction of plants, animals, and non-living components.

Biomes vs. Ecosystems

• A biome consists of multiple ecosystems.

Two Main Components of an Ecosystem

• Habitat (Abiotic Factors): -The non-living environment where organisms live, includes oxygen, water, light, and temperature.
• Community (Biotic Factors): -All living organisms in a habitat. -Producers, consumers, and decomposers.

Types of Biomes

• Tundra (Arctic & Alpine) -Forests (Temperate, Boreal/Taiga, Tropical)
• Grasslands (Steppe, Savanna, Prairies)
• Woodlands (Chaparral)
• Deserts
• Alpine Tundra -High altitudes with cold temperatures and short growing seasons. -Grasses and shrubs.
• Arctic Tundra -Treeless landscape with short vegetation and permafrost. -Lichens, mosses, and dwarf shrubs.
• Temperate Forests -Found in North America, Europe, and Asia, with distinct seasons. -Deciduous trees and consistent precipitation.
• Tropical Rainforest -Near the equator. -High rainfall, warm temperatures, with high biodiversity.
• Tropical Deciduous Forest -Heavy rainfall in summer, dry winters. -Trees that shed leaves during dry seasons.
• Boreal Forest (Taiga) -South of the Arctic Circle. -Long winters, cool summers, moderate precipitation.
• Grasslands -Africa, India, Australia, South America. -Heavy rain followed by drought.
• Deserts -Very low rainfall (less than 10 inches per year). -Extreme temperatures.
• Woodlands (Chaparral) -Mild winters, dry summers. -Oaks, junipers, manzanita.

Aquatic Biomes

• Freshwater (Lakes, rivers, wetlands)
• Estuaries
• Wetlands
• Coral Reefs
• Marine Zones zones (Intertidal, Neritic, Oceanic, Benthic, Abyssal) -Freshwater Biomes -Contain low salt concentration. -Includes rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
• Estuaries -Where freshwater meets saltwater -Acts as a breeding ground for fish and crustaceans.
• Wetlands -Areas where water covers soil for most of the year. -Supports both aquatic and terrestrial species. -Coral Reefs -Diverse ecosystems with 25% ocean species, located in warm waters. -Built by coral polyps.
• Marine Biomes (Oceanic Zones) -Intertidal Zone -Shoreline area affected by tides. -Organisms adapt to changing water levels.
• Neritic Zone -Shallow waters near coastlines. -Most productive ocean zone. -Epipelagic Zone (Sunlit Zone) -Supports photosynthesis, extends 200m -Thermocline(rapid temp change) forms at base.
• Mesopelagic Zone (Twilight Zone) -200m-1000m depth. -Low light, photosynthesisi does not occur -Home to 90% of global fish biomass
• Bathypelagic Zone (Midnight Zone) -Completely dark, 1000m-4000m -Bioluminescent organisms
• Abyssopelagic Zone (Abyssal Zone) -High pressure, 4000m-6000m -Slow metabolism
• Benthic Zone (Ocean Floor) Covers lake, river, and ocean floors. -Supports decomposers, benthic organisms.

Ecosystems

-Is complete community of living and non-living components with: -Biotic (living) Components: Plants, animals, microorganisms. -Abiotic (non-living) Components: Soil, rocks, minerals, water, atmosphere.

###Structure of an Ecosystem

• Abiotic Components: -Physical Factors (sunlight and temperature) -Chemical Factors (carbon dioxide)
• Biotic Components: -Producers are photosynthesis plants. Consumus rely on other organisms. Decomposers break down dead matter.

Function of an Ecosystem

Regulates essential life process, Cycle Nutrients, Maintains Balance, and Circulates Minerals, Abiotic components allow the synthesis organic materials.

Food Chain & Food Web

-Food chain is a process of energy transfer from organism to another, from produces all the way to predators.
-Food Web is a ecosystem of inter connected chains, represents multiple pathways of energy flow.

Energy flow Ecosystems

Is One directional, Energy lost.

Ecological Pyramids

• Represent organisms, biomass, and energy at each level.

Environmental Awareness & Education

-Understanding environmental issues

• Human actions impact enviroment. Human responsibility to the earth

Sustainable Development

Ensures meeting today s needs without compromising resources.

Environmental Management & Conservation

Impact organization, policies,laws, actions to protect.

Environmental Degradation

Harmful changes in the environment (pollution)

Resource Conservation

Use of valuable resources, aims to maintain balance.

Interdependence/Interrelatedness

Living things need them self's and that environment. Bitoic and Abitoic very Important.

Diversity and Stability

Diversity an ecosystem more stable. Homogeneous stable

Change constantly

• Natural change equilibrium Human induced changes.

Balance of Nature (Ecological Balance):

• Ecosystems self-regulate
• Disturbing one system entire system, compontments in Ecological balanced

Finiteness of Resources

Limited, Used wisely can not go over population

Pollution

Accumulation, environmental problems.

Stewardship

Humans responsible

Sussainbiltiy Meeting resources from generatons

Ecological Succession Is a predictable change, where Communities replace the other. Communities replaces one another. Pioneer species to communities replace Diversity increase time.

Pioneer Species

Disturbing new earth: examples are lighthen and algies. Sere: entire sequence replace Climx Communites

• dry earth

Nitrogen Cycle Cycles Process converting Nitrogen and Nitrogen 78% atmosphere

Four Main Process of Nitrgoen

• Nitrogen Fixation: Convert atmosphere to plains
• Ammonification: Converts organic Nitrgoen -Nitrificaiton: converts aminon to plants -Denitifation: Converts atmosphere

Combation Impact

Fossil fuels of nirtogen, municiapl.

Carbon Cycles

Are key Photosynthesis,

• Consumption.
• Decomposition.
• Fossil Fuels Formation.
• Human Activities

Agroecosystem

Communities interaticting in earth modified products.

Key Component of Agroecology

-Integrate to approach desighn sustainable agriculture

Components of Agroecosystems

• Biotic (Living) Components Parasitic and herbivorous pests Competition among crops and weeds Symbiotic relationships (e.g., pollinators and belowground organisms) Farmers and farm operators

• Abiotic (Non-Living) Components
  Temperature Soil Water Humidity Light Wind

Properties of Agroecosystems

Productivity to acre Stablity

• Degree of Producity economy fluctuate.
• Equitability

Agroecosystem types

• Seasonally Cropped Systems : Crops complete their lifecycle in a single season,reduce soil

• Permanently Cropped Systems.

• systems are perennial crops-crops grown large.

• Forestry Systems made to graxing,forests

• Aquaculture Systems made to wters bodies Integrated diverse farm

• agro combine agriculture

• Agro vs natural Systems Agro prevent intervention

Good sv ecosystem

Good soil

AESA Analysis

• A method for studying agricultural systems good.

Sustaiinable Agroey

Diverse farm key sustain

Key take away

• Ago human activity