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.

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.

6. Types of forests
Temparate Forest
Tropical Forest
conferrous Forest

7. Types of forests
Mountain Forest
Tropical Forest Deciduous Forest

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

12. Deforestation
Deforestation means cutting of trees by man for
commercial and other purposes

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.