Unit II

NATURAL RESOUECES
 Natural resources are the resources available in a nature like air,
water, sunlight, soil, minerals, forests, wild life etc.

Natural resources are of two main types. They are renewable and
non-renewable natural resources.

I) Renewable Natural Resources :-

Those resources which can be replenished in a short period of time
like air, water, sunlight, forests etc.

ii) Non-renewable Natural Resources :-

Those resources which cannot be replenished in a short period of
time like minerals (coal, petroleum, natural gas, metals etc.) because
they take millions of years to be formed.
Human activities produce a lot of waste materials which are
thrown away into the environment. These wastes cause pollution of
natural resources like air, water and soil.
 Forests
A forest is any area with a lot of trees.
There are forests all over the world. The
type of forest varies depending on the
location of the forest: for example, there
are tropical rain forests, coniferous
forests, and deciduous forests.
 Forests

Forests occur naturally, but

they can be affected
positively and negatively
by human behavior. If a
forest is carefully replanted
and allowed to grow, it can
exist in balance. If the
forest is cut down faster
than it can grow back, then
it will be used up quickly.

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 Importance of forests
• i) Forests help to preserve biodiversity.
• ii) Forests are natural habitats of plants and animals.
•iii) Forests provide timber, wood, fuel, medicines, fodder,
etc.
•iv) Forests help to maintain ecological balance.
• v) Forests help to control climate and rainfall.
•vi) Forests help to prevent soil erosion and controls floods.
•vii) Forests help to maintain the oxygen–carbon dioxide
balance in nature.
Use and Over Exploitation:
A forest is a biotic community predominantly of trees, shrubs
and other woody vegetation, usually with a closed canopy. This
invaluable renewable natural resource is beneficial to man in
many ways.
Due to wood cutting & large scale logging for raw
material
Deforestation due to road construction
Forest clearing to convert it to Agricultural Land to meet
food demands
Encroachment of Forests
Heavy grazing
Mining activities
Hydropower projects
Deforestation:
Deforestation is the permanent destruction of
indigenous forests and woodlands. The term does
not include the removal of industrial forests such as
plantations of gums or pines. Deforestation has
resulted in the reduction of indigenous for­ests to
four-fifths of their pre-agricultural area.
Causes of Deforestation:
(1) Population Explosion:
Population explosion poses a grave threat to the environment. Vast areas
of forest land are cleared of trees to reclaim land for human settlements
(factories, agriculture, housing, roads, railway tracks etc.) growth of
population increases the demand for forest products like timber,
firewood, paper and other valuable products of industrial importance, all
necessitating felling of trees.
(2) Forest Fires:
Fires in the forests may be due to natural calamities or human
activities:
(a) Smoldering of the humus and organic matter forming a thick cover
over the forest floor (i.e. ground fires).
(b) Dried twigs and leaves may catch fire (i.e. surface fires).
(c) In densely populated forests, tree tops may catch fire by heat
produced by constant rubbing against each other (i.e. crown fires).
(d) Human activities like clearing forest for habitation, agriculture,
firewood, construction of roads, railway tracks and carelessness
(throwing burning cigarette stubbs on dried foliage).
(3) Grazing Animals:
Trampling of the forest soil in the course of overgrazing by livestock has
four reaching effects such as loss of porosity of soil, soil erosion and
desertification of the previously fertile forest area.
(4) Pest Attack:
Forest pests like insects etc. destroy trees by eating up the leaves, boring
into shoots and by spreading diseases.
(5) Natural Forces:
Floods, storms, snow, lightening etc. are the natural forces which
damage for­ests.
Effects of Deforestation:
Forests are closely related with climatic change, biological diversity, wild ani­mals,
crops, medicinal plants etc.
Large scale deforestation has many far-reaching consequences:
(a) Habitat destruction of wild animals (tree-using animals are deprived of food and
shelter.)
(b) Increased soil erosion due to reduction of vegetation cover.
(c) Reduction in the oxygen liberated by plants through photosynthesis.
(d) Increase in pollution due to burning of wood and due to reduction in Car- bon-
dioxide fixation by plants.
(e) Decrease in availability of forest products.
(f) Loss of cultural diversity
(g) Loss of Biodiversity
(h) Scarcity of fuel wood and deterioration in economy and quality of life of peo­ple
residing near forests.
(i) Lowering of the water table due to more run-off and thereby increased use of the
underground water increases the frequency of droughts.
(j) Rise in Carbon dioxide level has resulted in increased thermal level of earth which
in turn results in melting of ice caps and glaciers and consequent flooding of coastal
areas.
 CONSERVATION OF FORESTS :-

Forests can be conserved by :-

i) Afforestation – planting of more trees.
ii) Preventing or reducing deforestation.
iii) Preventing over grazing by cattle.
iv) By setting up wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, biosphere reserves etc.
v) Undertaking social forestry programs like Van Mahotsav, Chipko
movement for planting and protecting trees on a large scale.
Water Resources
Water is known as LIFE
Nearly 80% of body composition
Water is a chemical substance, a liquid at ambient
conditions, often co-exists on earth with its solid state i.e
ice, and gaseous state i.e water vapor or steam.
Properties:
Universal solvent- so it can be nutrient carrier,
 High surface tension- so it can rise easily at great heights,
Anomalous expansion- it freezes, it expands instead of
contacting.
 Basic Facts
 World oceans cover about 3/4th of earth’s surface.
 Fresh water constitutes a very small proportion of this enormous quantity.
 About 2.7 % of the total water available on the earth is fresh water of
which about 79 % lies frozen in polar regions and another 20% is present
as ground water.
 The rest is available in lakes, rivers, atmosphere, moisture, soil and
vegetation
Uses
Sr.No Uses

1. Agriculture-
2. Drinking
3. Washing
4. Transportation
5. Chemical uses
6. Fire Extinguish
7. Recreation
8. Water Industry
9. Food Processing
10. Industrial Application
Water on the earth is in motion-
The Hydrological Cycle
Sources of Water…

Water

Ground Surface Ice Caps,

Rain Water Water Glaciers

Pond, Lake, Rivers,

Aquifer Streams, Artificial
Reservoirs

Confin Unconf
ed ined
Effects of Excess Usage of Ground
Water
Subsidence
When groundwater withdrawal is more than its recharge
rate, the sediments in the aquifer get compacted, a
phenomenon known as “groundwater subsidence”.
Lower of Water Table
Mining of water is done extensively in arid & semi-arid
regions, which leads to lowering of water table.
Water Logging
When irrigation is done with Brackish water, water table
level increases leading to logging
Water Pollution
Discharge and dumping of waste in water resources
Floods
Heavy Rainfall causes floods in low-lying areas coastal
areas.
Prolonged downpour cause overflow of rivers, lakes
leading to floods.
Anthropogenic Activities- Deforestation, overgrazing,
mining, rapid industrialization.
It is very regular feature in some North Eastern Parts of
India & Bangladesh
Droughts

When annual rainfall is below normal and less than

evaporation, drought conditions are created.
Meteorological Phenomenon
Anthropogenic Causes:Grazing, deforestation, mining.
Leads to desertification
Proper crop plantation is a
remedial measure.
Dams
Dams- Controversial Issue

Advantages Disadvantages
Checks Floods, famine Loss of Forest area
Generate Electricity Large land under submergence
Reduce water & power shortage Relocation of many tribal,
communities, people, farmers.
Provide Irrigation water to low Local Riots, abuse
areas
Promote fisheries Flash Floods
Employment Seismic changes
Siltation & Sedimentation Problem
Micro-Climate Change
Breeding of Vector & Spread of
disease
Society now moving towards construction of small dams or
mini- hydal projects.
Mineral Resources

Minerals are naturally occurring, inorganic, crystalline

solids having a definite chemical composition &
characteristics properties.
Composition of Mineral:
Silicon, oxygen, iron, magnessium, calcium, aluminium, etc.
Some common minerals like quartz, feldspar, biolite,
dolomite, calcite, laterite, etc.
Mineral Resources

Minerals are naturally occurring, inorganic, crystalline

solids having a definite chemical composition &
characteristics properties.
Composition of Mineral:
Silicon, oxygen, iron, magnessium, calcium, aluminium, etc.
Some common minerals like quartz, feldspar, biolite,
dolomite, calcite, laterite, etc.
Classification

Minerals classified based on their properties are of two

types:
Metallic
Non-Metallic
Minerals are also classified as :
Critical – Essential for economy of Nation
e.g. Iron, Aluminium, Gold, Copper, etc.
Strategic – Essential for defence of Country
e.g. Manganese, Cobalt, Platinum, Chromium, etc.
Uses- Metallic Minerals
Sr. Mineral Uses
No
1. Aluminiu Packaging food items, transportation, utensils,
m electronics
2. Chromiu For making high strength steel alloys,
m textile/tanning ind.
3. Copper Electric & Electronic Goods, building,
construction, vessels
4. Iron Heavy machinery, steel production,
transportation means
5. Lead Gasoline, car batteries, paints, ammunition
6. Mangane Making high strength, heat resistance steel
se alloys
7. Gold Ornaments, medical use, use in aerospace
8. Silver Jewellery, photography, electronics
9. Nickel Batteries
Uses- Non-Metallic Minerals

Sr. Mineral Uses

No
1. Silicate Sand & gravel for construction, bricks, paving,
etc
2. Limeston Used for concrete, building stone, used in
e agriculture for neutralizing acid soils, used in
cement industry.
3. Gypsum Used in plaster wall-board, in agriculture
4. Potash, Used in fertilizers
phosphor
ite
5. Sulphur Used in medicine, car battery, industry
pyrites
 Extraction

Mining

Sub-surface- deep
Surface- shallow Deposits
deposits

Open – Pit Dredging- Strip Mining

Ore is stripped by
Mining – chained buckets
using bulldozers,
Machines dig & draglines are power shovels&
holes used stripping wheels
Open-pit Mining
Strip Mining
Contour Strip Mining
Harmful Environmental
Problem
Devegetation and defacing of landscape
Subsidence of land
Ground water contamination
Air pollution
Surface water pollution
Occupational health hazards
Controlling methods

Reduce, reuse, recycle

New and improved mining technologies
MICROBIAL LEACHING TECHNIQUE
Restoration of mined lands
Revegetation and stabilization.
 Landslides
 In this huge masses of land slide down
destroying anything in its path.
 Various developmental activities like large
dams, reservoirs, construction of roads etc
require large scale deforestation.
 This increases chances of landslides
 Food Resources
 Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional
support for the body.
 It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential
nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or
mineral.
 Out of thousands of edible plants and animals around 3
dozen types form major food of humans
 Agriculture is the source of majority of food components
 bst
ces
an

od
…

su

M
or
fo

aj
  Sugarcane
Wheat
 Rice  Pulses
 Maize  Millet
 Potato  Sorghum
 Barley  Vegetables
 Oats  Meat
 Cassava  Milk
 Sweet potato  Fish

SOURCES OF FOODS
Staple foods:
Agriculture
Meat, Milk and products:
Livestock
 Statistics say…
 Minimum caloric intake should be 2500 calories /day
 If less than 90% of this amount: Undernourished
 If less than 80% : Seriously undernourished
 Deficiency or lack of nutrition causes: MALNUTRITION.
 Last 50 years food production…tripled
 Population growth rate also high…..
 Every year 40 million people die of MALNUTRITION
and UNDERNOURISHMENT
 300 million Indians are UNDERNOURISHED
 Food production in 64 developing countries….lagging
behind population growth rate……
 Food and Nutrition
• Carbohydrates
– Sugars and starches metabolized by cellular respiration to
produce energy (in the form of ATP)

• Proteins
– Large, complex molecules composed of amino acids that perform
critical roles in body (hair nails and muscles are made of protein)
– There are 20 different amino acids required for human nutrition.
– The Human can synthesize 10-11 of these on it’s own
– Humans lack the ability to synthesize the other aa’s called
“essential amino acids”
– They are Isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenyalanine,
threonine, tryptophan, valine, histadine, and, in children arginine
• Lipids
– Include fats and oils and are metabolized by cellular respiration
to produce energy
• Vitamins (help regulate metabolism)and Minerals (ingested in the form of
salts dissolved in water)
 World Food Problems
Feeding growing population is difficult
Annual grain production (left) has increased since 1970
Grain per person has not (right)

The answer
lies in
controllingh
uman
population
growth
World Food Problems
• Famine
– Failure of crops caused by drought, flood or catastrophic
event
– Temporary but severe shortage of food (Africa, Asia, and Latin
America most at risk)
– Worst = African Famine 1983-85 Etiopia hit hardest)

• Maintaining World Grain Carryover Stockpiles

– Amounts of rice, wheat, corn and other grains remaining
from previous harvest
– Provides measure of food security
– Decreased each year since 1987
– UN feels carryover stock should not fall below 70 days
 World Food Problems
• Poverty and Food
– 1.3 billion people are so poor they cannot afford proper
nutrition
– More common in
• Rural than urban areas
• Infants, children and the elderly

• Economics and Politics

– Cost money to store, produce, transport and distribute food
– Getting food to those who need it is political (some dishonest
politicians sell food instead of giving it to the hungry)
 Principle Types of
Agriculture
Industrialized
agriculture
Modern
agriculture
methods that
require large
capital input, and
less land and
labor
 E
R
U
LT
U
C
RI
G
A
N
R
E
D
O
Impacts of High yield
varieties
Encourage MONOCULTURE
These crops demands controlled
irrigation.
These crop should be irrigated
at right time as per the schedule
and in right quantity.
Most of the HYV seeds are
dwarf varieties.
They need higher doses of
fertilizer.
HYV crops are highly
susceptible to pests.
 Principle Types of
Agriculture
• Subsistence Agriculture
– Traditional agricultural methods, which are dependent on
labor and large amounts of land
• Examples:
– Shifting cultivation
– Slash and burn agriculture
– Nomadic herding
– Intercropping
 Traditional Agriculture
 Deforestation due to Slash and burn technique
 Clearing of forests for new land area
 Depletion of Nutrients
 Environmental Impacts of
Agriculture
High use of fossil fuels and
pesticides
Air pollution
Untreated animal wastes and
agricultural chemicals
Water pollution
Harms fisheries
Insects, weeds, and disease-causing
organisms developing resistance to
pesticides
Contaminate food supply
Impacts of excessive agriculture

 Traditional agriculture and its impacts:

Forest clearing , Soil erosion and Depletion of
nutrients

 Modern Agriculture and its Impacts:

Impacts of HYV(high yield varieties)
Fertilizer related problems
Pesticide related problems
Water logging
Salinity problem
 Fertilizer related problems
 N, P, K are essential macronutrients
 Highly used to get boost in production
 They cause MICRONUTRIENT IMBALANCE

Eg: Punjab and Haryana soils suffer from severe deficiency of

Zinc.
 Nitrates pollute ground water. Conc more than 25
mg/l….causes Blue Baby Syndrome
 Eutrophication
•Development
of Resistant
varieties: Super
pests
•Death of non
target
organisms
•Biological
magnification
 Water logging
 Over irrigation is the major cause
 Inadequate drainage leads to high

water column
 Pore spaces drenched with water
 No adequate gaseous exchange
 Salinity Problem
 1/3rd of cultivable land affected by salts
caused by excess irrigation
 Accumulation of salts like NaCl, sodium
sulphate, calcium and magnesium chloride
 High electrical conductivity and high
sodium percentage
 Water evaporates and leaves behind a
white crust of salt
 Punjab and Haryana face problem
 Overgrazing and its Impacts
 Grazing on grasslands or pastures.
 Available areas under decline
 Exceed the CARRYING CAPACITY

Impacts:
 Land degradation
 Soil erosion
 Loss of Useful Species
 More food….more Production
 Agricultural improvement by: new
machines, hybrid technology,
improved varieties, excessive
fertilizers, irrigation etc
 Milk, poultry and meat products:
Hybridisation techniques, improved
sanitary conditions, disease control,
medicines, OVERGRAZING
Solutions to Agricultural Problems-
Sustainable Agriculture
 Land resources
Land resources mean the resources available from the
land, thus the agricultural land which contain natural
fertilizer for growth of the products sown; the
underground water, the various minerals like coal,
bauxite, gold and other raw materials.
Land resource refers to the land
available for exploitation, like
non agricultural lands for
buildings, developing townships
etc
 Degradation.
The change in the characteristic and
quality of soil which adversely affect
its fertility is called as Degradation.
Causes of Land Degradation:
(a) Deforestation:
Deforestation is taking place at a faster rate due to increasing
demands of timber, fuel and forest products which results into
degradation of land resources.
(b) Overgrazing:
Overgrazing refers to excessive eating of grasses and other green
plants by cattle. It results into reduced growth of vegetation,
reduced diversity of plant species, excessive growth of unwanted
plant species, soil erosion, and degradation of land due to cattle
movement.
(c) Agricultural practises:
(d) modern
The Industrialization:
agricultural practises, excessive use of fertilizers and
Development
pesticides has of industries
adversely for the economic
degraded growth
the natural ofand
quality the fertility
countryof
leads
the to excessive
cultivation land.deforestation and utilization of land in such as
way that it has lost its natural up gradation quality.
(e) Urbanization:
Increasing growth of population and demand for more residential
areas and commercial sectors is also one of the reasons for land
degradation.
Prevention and Control Measures for Land
Degradation:
Following are some practises for controlling land
degradation:
1. Strip farming:
It is & practice in which cultivated crops are sown in
alternative strips to prevent water movement.
2. Crop Rotation:
It is one of the agricultural practice in which different
crops are grown in same area following a rotation system
which helps in replenishment of the soil.
3. Ridge and Furrow Formation:
Soil erosion is one of the factors responsible for lad
degradation. It can be prevented by formation of ridge
and furrow during irrigation which lessens run off.
4. Construction of Dams:
This usually checks or reduces the velocity of run off so
that soil support vegetation.
WASTE LAND RECLAMATION Waste land. The land
which is not in use is called waste land . Waste land
is unproductive, unfit for cultivation Grazing etc.
20% of the geographical area of India is waste land.
Types of waste land: 1.Uncultivable waste land .2.
Cultivable waste land. Uncultivable waste land:
Barren rocky areas, hilly slopes, sandy deserts.
Cultivable waste land: These are cultivable but not
cultivated for more than 5 years.Ex Degraded
forest land , Gullied water logged , marsh lands ,
saline lands .
Methods waste land reclamation:
Drainage: Excess water is removed by artificial drainage. This is for water logged soil
reclamation.
Leaching: Leaching is a process of removal of salt from the salt affected soil by applying
excess amount of water. Leaching is done by dividing the field into small plots. In continuous
leaching 0.5to 1.0cm Water is required to remove 90% of soluble salts.
Irrigation practices: High frequency irrigation with controlled amount of water helps to
maintain better availability of water in the land . Application of green manure and bio
fertilisers improves saline soil. Application of gypsum: Soil sodality can be reduced with
gypsum. Ca of gypsum replaces sodium from the exchangeable sites. This converts clay back
into calcium clay. Social Forestry programme: These programmes involve strip plantation on
road ,canal sides, degraded Forest land etc.
Role of an individual in conservation of
natural resources
Already we know that natural resurces are exhausting rapidly, we must
conserve for future genaration. so its duty of individual to conserve natural resorces.
MEASURES CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES:
1. Conservation of energy:
*switch off lights, fans and other applinces when not in use.
*Use solar heater for cooking your food on sunny days, which will cut down your LPG
expenses.
*grow trees near the houses and get a cool breeze and shade .this will cut off your
eletricity chargeson A/C and coolers.
*Use always pressure cooker.

2.Conservation of water:
*use minimum amount of water for all domestic purposes.
*check for water leaks in pipes and tiolets and repair them promptly.
*reuse the soapy water, after washing clothes,for washing off the courtyards,drive ways, etc..,
*built rainwater harvesting system in your house.
3.conservation of soil:
*grow different types of plants,herbs,trees and grass in your garden and open areas,
which bind
the soil and prevent erosion.
*don’t use more fertilizer and pesticides.
*use nature manure to the crops.
*while constructing the house don’t uproot the trees as far as possible.
*use mixed cropping, so that some specific soil nutrients will not get depleted.
4.conservation of food resources:
*don’t waste the food instead give it to someone before getting spoiled.
*cook only required amount of the food.
*store the food resources for the future use.
5.conservation of forest:
*use non-timber products.
*plant more trees and protect them.
*over grassing must be controlled.
*minimise the use of papers and fuel wood.
*avoid of executing developmental works like dam,road and industrial constructions in
forest areas.
thankyou