Natural resources (economically referred to as
land or
raw materials) occur naturally within
environments that exist relatively undisturbed by mankind, in a
natural form. A natural
resource is often characterized by amounts of
biodiversity existent in various
ecosystems.
Natural resources are derived from the
environment. Many of them are essential for our survival while others are used for satisfying our wants. Natural resources may be further classified in different ways.
Classification
On the basis of origin, resources may be divided into:
- Biotic - Biotic resources are the ones which are obtained from the biosphere. Forests and their products, animals, birds and their products, fish and other marine organisms are important examples. Mineral fuels such as coal and petroleum are also included in this category because they were formed from decayed organic matter.
- Abiotic - Abiotic resources comprise of non-living things. Examples include land, water, air and ores such as gold, iron, copper, silver etc.
Considering their stage of development, natural resources may be referred to in the following ways:
- Potential Resources - Potential resources are those which exist in a region and may be used in the future. For example, petroleum may exist in many parts of India, having sedimentary rocks but until the time it is actually drilled out and put into use, it remains a potential resource.
- Actual Resources are those which have been surveyed, their quantity and quality determined and are being used in present times. The development of an actual resource, such as wood processing depends upon the technology available and the cost involved. That part of the actual resource which can be developed profitably with available technology is called a reserve.
With respect to renewability, natural resources can be categorized as follows:
- Renewable resources are the ones which can be replenished or reproduced easily. Some of them, like sunlight, air, wind, etc., are continuously available and their quantity is not affected by human consumption. Many renewable resources can be depleted by human use, but may also be replenished, thus maintaining a flow. Some of these, like agricultural crops, take a short time for renewal; others, like water, take a comparatively longer time, while still others, like forests, take even longer.
- Non-renewable resources are formed over very long geological periods. Minerals and fossils are included in this category. Since their rate of formation is extremely slow, they cannot be replenished once they get depleted. Of these, the metallic minerals can be re-used by recycling them. But coal and petroleum cannot be recycled.
Examples
Some examples of natural resources include the following:
- Agriculture—agronomy is the science and technology of using plants for food, fuel, feed, and fiber.
Management
Natural resource management is a discipline in the management of
natural resources such as land,
water,
soil,
plants and
animals, with a particular focus on how management affects the
quality of life for both present and future generations. Natural resource management is interrelated with the concept of
sustainable development, a principle which forms a basis for land management and environmental governance throughout the world.
In contrast to the policy emphases of
urban planning and the broader concept of
environmental management, Natural resource management specifically focuses on a scientific and technical understanding of resources and
ecology and the life-supporting capacity of those resources.
Depletion
In recent years, the depletion of natural resources and attempts to move to
sustainable development have been a major focus of
development agencies. This is of particular concern in
rainforest regions, which hold most of the Earth's natural biodiversity - irreplaceable genetic natural capital.
Conservation of natural resources is the major focus of
natural capitalism,
environmentalism, the
ecology movement, and
green politics. Some view this depletion as a major source of social unrest and conflicts in developing nations.
Mining,
petroleum extraction,
fishing,
hunting, and forestry are generally considered natural-resource industries.
Agriculture is considered a man-made resource.
Theodore Roosevelt, a well-known conservationist and former United States president, was opposed to unregulated natural resource extraction. The term is defined by the
United States Geological Survey as "The Nation's natural resources include its minerals, energy, land, water, and biota."
Protection
Conservation biology is the scientific study of the nature and status of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting
species, their
habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of
extinction. It is an interdisciplinary subject drawing on sciences, economics, and the practice of
natural resource management.
[Hunter, M. L. (1996). Fundamentals of Conservation Biology. Blackwell Science Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts., ISBN 0-86542-371-7.][Groom, M.J., Meffe, G.K. and Carroll, C.R. (2006) Principles of Conservation Biology (3rd ed.). Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA. ISBN 0-87893-518-5] The term
conservation biology was introduced as the title of a conference held
University of California at San Diego in La Jolla, California in 1978 organized by biologists Bruce Wilcox and Michael Soulé.
Habitat conservation is a
land management practice that seeks to
conserve, protect and restore,
habitat areas for wild
plants and
animals, especially
conservation reliant species, and prevent their
extinction,
fragmentation or reduction in
range.
It is a priority of many groups that cannot be easily characterized in terms of any one
ideology.
See also
