Environmental science Module 1 Topic. This PPT is not a work of mine and was provided by our college professor during our graduation, so I am not sure about the original author. The credit goes to the Original author.
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW ppt on laws of environmental law
Natural Resourses (Environmental Science)
1. Natural Resources
The natural resources of the earth are air, water,
soil, minerals, vegetation/forest and animal
wealth.
All natural resources are responsible for the
buildup of the sustainable economy of a country.
Due to over explosion of human population,
natural resources are getting either depleted or
degraded qualitatively and quantitatively.
It is the form of energy or matter which is
essential for functioning organism population
and ecosystem
2. Natural Resources
The ecological variables like energy, matter,
space, time and diversity combiningly are
referred as natural resources. Some resources
are essential for the survival of all living
organisms like air, water, soil, plants , animals
etc.
Natural resources can be classified as
• According to origin
• Renewability
• Distribution
3. Natural Resources
According to origin
• Biotic resources : When a resource is living organisms or originated from
living organisms is known as biotic resources.
• Ex. Forest,animal,plants
• Abiotic resources: When a resource is not originated from living
organisms is known as abiotic resources.
• Ex. Land, water,air
According to renewability
• Renewable resources: The resources which can be renewed along with
their uses. Ex. Forest, air, water, solar energy
Non renewable resources: The resources which are present in finite
quantities and can not be renewed along with their uses. They are also
called as exhaustible resource. Ex. Minerals, fossil fuels, coal etc.
According to distribution
• Ubiquitous resource: Those natural resource which occur almost
everywhere. Ex. Sunlight, oxygen
• Localized resource: Those natural resource are concentrated at specific
places. Ex. Minerals, fossils etc.
4. Problems : exploitation of natural resources
Over exploitation of natural resources
such as forests, wildlife leads to ecological
imbalance
Over exploitation of forests leads to
desertification/deforestation
Leads to soil erosion, pollution
Leads to hazards such as land slides,
floods
Over exploitation of non-renewable
resources leads to shortage or scarcity
5. Forest Resource
Forest is a community of trees and associated organisms
covering a considerable area, utilizing air, water and
minerals to attain maturity and to reproduce itself.
Types of forests in the World
Tropical forests or ever green forest.
Temperate forests
Conferous forests
Types of Forests in India
Evergreen forests.
Mansoon deciduous forest
Mountain or Hill forests
Dry or Arid forests
Tidal, coastal or Mangroove forests.
8. Importance of forest
Water shed protection
Reduce the rate of runoff of water
Prevent flash floods and soil erosion
Atmospheric regulation
Absorption of solar heat during evapo transpiration.
Maintaining CO2 levels for plant growth.
Maintaining the local climatic conditions.
Erosion Control
• Holding soil
Land banks
• Maintenance of soil Nutrients and structure
Local use : Food , Fodder, Fuel wood and charcoal ,
medicinal plants, Fiber , Timber
9. Causes for Over exploitation and depletion of
forests
Most of the forest lands have been converted to
agricultural land, urbanization , industrialization
and human settlement
Mining activities in forests are also responsible for
depletion of forests
Forest fires and over grazing leads to depletion of
forests
10. Effects of Over exploitation and depletion of
forests
Increased soil erosion, floods
Contribute to high temperature
Loss of biodiversity and in soil productivity
Imbalance in ecosystem
Extinction of plant species and wild life.
Essential forest products will not be available
11. Conservation of forests
Regulated and planned cutting of trees.
Control over forest fires
Reforestation: it is the process of growing new trees
in areas in which trees have been removed
Afforestation : It means growing of trees on new areas
under forests.
Protection of existing forests
Social forestry: It means the development of forests
on public and common lands especially in rural areas
Agroforestry : It is a practice in which agricultural
land is used for agriculture, forestry and animal
husbandary
13. Causes of deforestation
Expansion of agriculture into forest lands.
Population growth resulting in falling of trees for
human settlement.
Large scale falling of trees for industrialization.
Construction of roads and railway lines across the
forests.
Mining in forest areas
Shifting cultivation
Fire wood collection by tribal purpose
Forest fires
14. Consequences or effects of deforestation
Results in desertification
Soil degradation
Loss of vegetation cover
Destruction of plant species and animal life.
Environmental pollution
Damage forest eco system
Reduction of moisture in soil
Changes in climatic conditions.