UNIT- I: NATURAL RESOURCES

Forest Resources

Evergreen forest
- Equatorial regions with high rainfall
- Silent valley in kerala
- Teak, mahogany, rosewood

Deciduous Forest
- Tropical
o Seasonal rainfall
o Teak, sandalwood, pillaimarudu

- Temperate deciduous
o Winter with snowfall
o Trees shed leaves before winter

Coniferous forest
- Sloping sides of trees with needle-type leaves
- Pine tree, spruce tree, etc.

Function of Forest

- Habitat for plants, animals, human beings
- Recycle water
- Preserve biodiversity
- Prevent soil erosion
- Preserve aesthetic beauty
- Sink for carbon dioxide, reduce global warming
- Wood, food, medicines

Deforestation

Reasons
- Construction of dams, hydroelectric power
- Increase in population
- Industrialization
- Mining
- Increase in cultivation area
- Forest fire

Impact of deforestation
- Global warming
- Loss of biodiversity
- Soil erosion
- Loss of food, wood, medicines
- Less rain
- Increase in flood, landslides and wind

Preventive measures

- Replace cut-down trees by planting more trees
- Forest fire should be controlled by modern techniques
- Over-grazing should be avoided
- Discourage migration of people from forest
- Education & awareness programmes
- Strict implementation of Forest Conservation Act.

Mining

Process of extracting fossil fuel, minerals, ores from earth.
Types of mining Surface mining and Underground mining

Impact of mining

- Destruction of trees
- Induces deforestation
- Pollutes soil, water & air
- Destruction of natural habitat
- Ground water contamination
- Leads to earthquake
- Noise pollution
- Induces landslides
- Thermal pollution
- Migration of local people

Ill effects of Dams

- Leads to deforestation
- Habitat loss
- Soil erosion
- Earthquake
- Destroys biodiversity
- Migration of local people

Over Utilization of Water

- Decrease in ground water level
- Structural damage to buildings
- Intrusion of salt water
- Earthquake and landslides
- Increase in surface temperature
- Decrease in rainfall
- Pollution of water
- Desertification


Impact of Overgrazing

- Leads to land degradation
- Soil erosion
- Loss of biodiversity
- Increase in surface temperature
- Decrease in rainfall
- Desertification

Impact of Modern Agriculture

- Usage of fertilizer & pesticides
- Blue-baby syndrome
- Eutrophication
- Deforestation
- Use of machineries
- Soil erosion
- Global warming


Energy resources

Renewable Solar energy, wind energy, Tidal energy, Ocean thermal energy (OTE),
Geothermal energy, biomass energy

1.a) Solar Energy



1.b) Solar heat collector



2. Wind energy



3. Tidal energy

- Do not require large areas of lands
- Independent of rainfall
- Pollution free

4. Ocean Thermal Energy (OTE)

- Continuous, renewable
- Pollution free
- Cold deep water can be used for air-conditioning
- Can be used to produce hydrogen


5. Geothermal Energy


6. Biomass energy

- Biogas methane is produced by anaerobic fermentation of animal dung and
plant waste
- Biofuels Ethanol, Methanol and Gasohol.
- Hydrogen fuel

Non-renewable Nuclear energy, fossil fuels

Nuclear Energy

Nuclear Fission



Nuclear Fusion




Desertification

- Deforestation
- Over grazing
- Over utilization of water
- Mining
- Pollution
- Urbanization
- Climate change