Natural Resources Intro Flashcards
what are natural resources
essential elements of the natural environment which are exploited to satisfy human wants
how are natural resources categorized
source of origin
renewability
abiotic or biotic
abiotic natural resources
natural resources which comes from nonliving, non-organic material
examples of abiotic natural resources
soil
land
beach
air
minerals
what are biotic natural resources
natural resources which originate from the living components and organic matter of the biosphere
examples of biotic resources
coral reefs
fish
birds
wildlife
in what way are resources extracted from nature
in their primary form so that they can be utilized by humans in a variety of ways
process of extraction to final product
obtain the natural resources in its natural form
then process to add value (basis of second industries)
process of extraction to final product
obtain the natural resources in its natural form
then process to add value (basis of second industries)
examples of small scale extraction for subsistence use
indigenous and traditional communities
examples of extracting natural resources for commercial purposes
mining of bauxite in Jamaica
limestone in Barbados
oil and gas in Trinidad and Tobago
what do management and conservation of natural resources depend on?
type and origin of the resources
ex) biotic resources are managed by habitat conservation efforts and species are managed to ensure they are harvested sustainably
what are renewable natural resources
natural resources which have short cycle times and can be replenished naturally
examples of renewable natural resources
sunlight
air
wind
waves
forests
fisheries
wildlife
characteristics of renewable natural resources
some are continuously available
others need time to regenerate when harvested
resources are renewable only so long as the rate of replenishment
what are nonrenewable natural resources
natural resources which were formed naturally in the environment and occur in fixed quantities
examples of nonrenewable natural resources
minerals
fossil fuels
what is the consumptive use of natural resources
extracting a natural resource from its source and utilizing it so that the amount used no longer exists
each time the resource is used, the supply is reduced
what is the non-consumptive use of natural resources
refers to the utilization of a natural resource without reducing its supply
examples of non-consumptive uses of natural resources
ecotourism
bioprospecting
research
watching wildlife
