Module II: Natural

Resources
Sakshi Bansa
 Introduction
• Any material which can be transformed in a way that it
becomes more valuable and useful can be termed as
resource.
• Variety of goods and services provided by nature which are
necessary for our day-to-day lives are called Natural
Resources
• Natural resources are the raw materials for all human
requirements

Biotic Renewable
Resources
Natural
Resources Non-
Abiotic Renewable
Resources
• Biotic or Organic Resources- are living or once-living
organisms in the ecosystem. These are obtained from the
biosphere and are capable of reproduction. Examples of
biotic factors are animals, birds, plants, fungi, and other
similar organisms

• Abiotic or Inorganic Resources- refer to non-living

physical and chemical elements in the ecosystem. Abiotic
resources are usually obtained from the lithosphere,
atmosphere, and hydrosphere. Examples of abiotic
factors are water, air, soil, sunlight, and minerals
 Renewable Resources
• These are inexhaustible resources which have the ability
to replenish themselves by recycling, reproduction or
replacement
• Example- plants, animals, sunlight, water
• These resources can be replenished by natural ecological
cycles or by sound management practices
• However they can be depleted when resource utilization
rate exceeds the natural replacement rate
 Non Renewable Resources
• Non Renewable resources or exhaustible resources are
natural resources that cannot be replenished by natural
means
• These resources, once used up have very little chance
of recovery or resynthesis
• Example- Coal, minerals, petroleum
• Since the total stock of these resources is limited and
they are being consumed at alarmingly high rate, they
have to be utilized wisely in order to retain them for
the future generations
Problems associated with natural resources:
1. The unequal consumption of natural resources- A major part
of natural resources today are consumed in the developed
countries. Whereas, the developing nations, also over use
many resources because of their greater human population.
2. Planning land use- Land is a major resource, needed for food
production, animal husbandry, industry and growing human
settlements. These forms of intensive land use are frequently
extended at the cost of, our remaining forests, grasslands,
wetlands and deserts.
3. The need for sustainable lifestyles- Human standard of living
and the health of the ecosystem are indicators of sustainable
use of resources in any country or region. Ironically, both are
not in concurrence with each other. Increasing the level of
one, usually leads to degradation of other
Forest Resources
 Forest Resources
• A forest is a biotic community with predominance of
trees, shrubs or any other woody vegetation and it is an
important renewable natural resource
• They provide oxygen, medicines, fuels etc.
• Also forests help to regulate climate, control water run-
off, provide shelter and food to wildlife
• The type of forest depends mainly on location i.e.,
distance from equator, altitude and climate
• The total forest cover of India is 24%
• The different types of forests are:
1. Tropical Forest- are found near the equator where they
have high temperature year round and abundant rainfall
making them dense and lush with vegetation
2. Sub-Tropical Forests- are found to the north and south of
tropical forests and the trees are adapted to resist the summer
drought
3. Mediterranean Forests- are found to the south of the
temperate regions around the coasts of Mediterranean,
California, Chile and Western Australia. Their growing
season is short and the tress are evergreen
4. Temperate Forests- are found in eastern North America,
north-eastern Asia, western and eastern Europe. They have a
mix of deciduous and coniferous evergreen trees. Usually
the broad-leaved hardwood trees shed leaves annually
5. Coniferous Forests- are found in cold, windy regions around
the poles. There are both hardwoods (deciduous) and
conifers (evergreen) found
6. Montane Forests- receive most of their precipitation from
mist or fog. Trees here are mostly conifers
 Uses of Forest Resources

DIRECT USES:
- Wood for fuel INDIRECT USES:
- Raw materials for - Help in minimizing
furniture making, paper, natural hazards like
sport equipment, floods, landslides,
musical instruments, droughts, storms
boxes, boats - Reduce soil erosion and
- Edible products like siltation of downstream
fruits, nuts, seeds, water bodies
spices - Reduces desertification
- Natural habitat for and land degradation
tribal people - Provides habitat for
- Medicinal plants wild animals and
- Tourism maintains biodiversity
- Employment - Help regulate
opportunity hydrological cycle
- Contribution to national - Helps to regulate gases
in the atmosphere
 Over-exploitation of Forests
Deforestation- It refers to the removal or reduction of forest
cover resulting from various factors including climatic
variations and human activities. Major causes are:
i. Increase in Population- increases the demand for agricultural
lands and resources
ii. Agriculture- Encroachment of forest land for agricultural
uses to meet the demands of the rising population. However,
poor agricultural practices cause the soil to become infertile
leaving the land barren and useless after some time
iii. Urbanization and Industrialization- Expansion of cities and
industries result in the clearing of large areas of forests to
provide accommodation to the growing population
iv. Construction of dams, canals, highways result in the large
scale clearing of forests
v. Establishment of industrial areas- industries need more
wood for raw materials
vi. Mining- This causes many environmental impacts like
erosion, loss of biodiversity etc.
vii. Forest fires- They may be natural or man-made, and
cause huge forest loss
viii.Overgrazing- occurs when plants are exposed to
intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or
without sufficient recovery periods
 Timber Extraction
Wood used for engineering purposes like building houses, making
furniture etc, is called timber

CLEAR
FELLING
SYSTEM: The SELECTIVE HAND
aim is to create LOGGING: LOGGING:
an even aged Only large It is done in
MECHANIZED
group of trees individuals of a forests that
LOGGING:
with few are
This method
commercial commercially seasonally
uses heavy
species marketable flooded or
machinery for
dominating and species are permanently
lifting and
then harvesting harvested while water logged
transporting logs
them at the other trees are and heavy
same time left standing machinery
which leads to until the cannot be
extensive following used
modification of harvest cycle
forests
 Mining
• Mining is the act of extracting ores, coals etc. from earth
• Mining on industrial scale can produce environmental
damages from exploitation and development, even long
after the mine is closed
• It produces enormous quantities of waste which gets
dissolved in water and contaminates soil, rivers and
groundwater
• It leads to air pollution due to release of greenhouse
gases
• It leads to deforestation including loss of flora and fauna
• It produces a lot of noise due to the machinery and
blasting
• Results in lowering of groundwater table
 Dams
Dams have made significant contributions for human
development.
• 13% world dams help control river floods and ensure year round
water supply
• They are useful in hydroelectricity generation
• 16% water supply for land irrigation comes from dams
But in the recent years tapping of rivers through big dams has
created lot of human as well as environmental issues
• Most of the large dams in the world have been less profitable in
economic terms than expected
• Some dams lose a lot of water through evaporation and seepage into
porous rock beds that they waste more water than they make
available. Salts left behind increase the salinity of the river making it
unusable to the cities downstream
• Accumulating sediments in the storage reservoir not only makes
dams useless but also represents a loss of valuable nutrients to the
downstream agricultural lands
Effects of Deforestation:
- Loss of natural habitat of wild animals and plants
- Increased intensity and frequency of floods
- Land degradation
- Loss of forest products
- Change in climatic conditions
- Siltation of rivers and lakes
- Loss of revenue from the loss of forest products
- Change in water cycle and reduced rainfall
- Increased socio-economic problems in the long run
because many people are uprooted and forced to leave the
place
 Case Study
Deforestation in Andaman
Some of the finest tropical evergreen forest in the world are
found in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which are also rich
in biodiversity and contain a variety of known and unknown
species of flora and fauna
The British established a forest department on the islands in1883
and began the extraction of timber using convict labour. The
logging has continued without a break even after Independence.
Such large scale logging has led to forest degradation and the
resultant soil erosion has led to a heavy flow of sediments into
coastal waters that has smothered and killed a substantial
amount of corals. The extraction has also adversely affected
mangroves and corals. Species such as saltwater crocodile and
the Andaman wild pig have become endangered.
WATER RESOURCES
 Water Resources
• Water is the source of life on Earth. 97% of all water on
Earth is salty, 2% is locked up in glaciers and ice caps,
while rest 1% is available as fresh water for human
consumption
• The two types of fresh water available:
i. Surface water- After precipitation, the amount of water that
does not percolate down into the ground or does not return
to the atmosphere as evaporation or transpiration and enters
the rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, wetland or artificial
reservoirs constitutes surface water
ii. Groundwater- Most water is hidden underground in spaces
between soil and rock particles. As rainwater seeps into the
ground, some of it clings to particles of soil or to roots of
plants. Groundwater provides water to wells, springs and
even to rivers and streams. It does not suffer seepage losses
and evaporation. It is less likely to get polluted
AQUIFER is an underground layer of water bearing
permeable rock or unconsolidated materials (gravel,
sand, silt or clay) from which groundwater can be
usefully extracted using water well.
There are two types:
• Confined aquifer which is sandwiched between two
layers of less permeable materials
• Unconfined aquifer having water table in it
 Overexploitation of Water Resources
1. Over Exploitation of Ground Water:
i. Subsidence- is when the groundwater withdrawal is more
than its recharge rate, the sediments in the aquifer get
more compacted
ii. Lowering of water table- Mining of groundwater is done
extensively for irrigating crops, causing a decline in the
water table
iii. Water logging- happens due to excessive irrigation
2. Over Exploitation of Surface Water:
i. Population Growth- With the increase in population, the
water demand is also increasing
ii. Expansion of business activity- ranging from
industrialization to services such as tourism require water
both for supply and sanitation
iii. Rapid Urbanization- puts stress on existing water
resources so significant investment is required in water
infrastructure like waste water treatment
iv. Climate Change- is having significant impact on the
water resources
v. Pollution- Water pollution is one of the main concerns
these days. Dumping of wastes and toxins into the
existing surface waters has increased our demand for
cleaner water
 Floods
It refers to the presence of an unusually large amount of water at any place,
or more water than what can be handled by the drainage of the area

Coastal
River Flash Groundwater Sewer
Flooding
Flooding Flooding Flooding Flooding

1. Coastal Floods: are associated with heavy storms, hurricanes,

tropical cyclone etc. Intense rains falling over a large
geographic area along with wind induced storm surges along
the coast produce extreme flooding in coastal areas
2. River Floods: caused by precipitation over large catchment
areas or melting of snow or sometimes both. They normally
build up slowly or seasonally and may continue for days or
weeks
3. Flash Floods: They are caused suddenly due to heavy
rainfall, which may be associated with towering
cumulus clouds, severe thunderstorms, tropical
cyclones, dam failure and river obstruction
4. Groundwater Floods: can occur when water levels
underneath rise beyond normal levels due to prolonged
periods of rainfall
5. Sewer Floods: may result from a system failure. It may
also happen when the capacity of sewer system is not
enough to water from heavy rainfall or flooding
 Drought
A drought is the condition in which a region suffers a severe deficiency in its
water supply. It can persist for several years but even a short duration can
cause significant damage and harm to the local economy

Meteorological Hydrological Agricultural

Drought: occurs Drought: occurs Drought:
when the actual when there is occurs when
rainfall in an running down there is
area is of surface water inadequate soil
significantly leading to very moisture
less than the low stream flow resulting in
normal. and drying of acute crop
lakes, rivers stress and fall
and reservoirs in agricultural
productivity
 Water conflicts
• Indispensability of water and its unequal distribution has
often lead to interstate or international disputes
• With the decline of surface and groundwater resources,
there have been constant conflicts over sharing of river
waters in the country because each major river flows
through more than one state. Some of the conflicts in
India are:
 Sharing of Cauvery water by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
 Krishna river by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh
 The Bhavani water by Tamil Nadu and Kerala
 Sutlej-Yamuna water by Punjab and Haryana
• Internationally, there have been water conflicts over rivers
like Colorado river conflict between Mexico and USA
 Dam: Benefits and Problems
Dams are built across the river in order to store water for
drinking, agricultural, industrial purpose. Now days they are
mainly used for hydropower production
ADVANTAGES:
• Irrigation
• Production of electricity
• Promotes navigation by allowing ships to travel through seasonal
rivers
• Recreation
• Control of floods
• Acts as a source of domestic uses when there is water scarcity
DISADVANTAGES:
• Deforestation and loss of biodiversity
• Sinking of agricultural and forest land
• Displacement of tribal people from their home land
• Growth of aquatic weeds which poses a problem
when the water is to be used for domestic purposes
• Siltation of reservoirs due to degraded catchment
conditions as dams decrease the flow rate of the river
which leads to reduced recharge of groundwater
aquifers
• Increase in water-borne and soil borne diseases as
dam reservoirs become a breeding ground for
mosquitoes and flies
• Increase in flash floods
• Increase in the frequency of earthquakes
• Increase in water logging and salinity
• Changes in Earth’s rotation due to the shift of water
weight from oceans to reservoirs
 Assignment 2
Q1. How can we conserve forests?
Q2. What is hydrological cycle? Explain with diagram.
Q3. Case Study: Write in detail about the Cauvery water
conflict between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
 Mineral Resources
• Minerals are naturally occurring chemical compounds formed
through inorganic processes under the crust of the Earth
• Different regions have varied deposits of minerals Green
Gypsum

• They are non renewable resources

Types

NON-
METTALIC
METALLIC MINERALS:
MINERALS: These are FUEL
Mineral ores are moulded after MINERALS:
mined and pure mining and given They are utilized
metals are obtained different shapes as fuel. Eg- Coal,
through chemical and sizes. Eg- Petroleum,
process. Eg- Iron, Diamond, Natural Gas
lead, zinc, copper Marble, gypsum
 Major Effects Of Mining And Over
Exploitation Of Mineral Resources:
• Mining accelerates destruction of forests and damages features
of the Earth’s surface
• It leads to soil erosion and reduces soil fertility
• It generates large amount of wastes and lower the quality of
the land
• Fumes from smelters damage forests and spread pollution
over large areas
• Mining causes air, land and water pollution. During blasting
operations, poisonous gases are released that cause air
pollution and pose danger to mine workers and surrounding
plants and animals Mine waste is dumped on land or in water
• It lowers water table and causes ground subsidence and
pollution
• It results in removal of natural ecosystems and creation
of trenches and open pits
• Earthquakes and volcanic events are natural geological
hazards that are the result of movements of Earth’s core
and mantle
• Mining also leads to occupational health hazards to
miners including diseases like asbestosis, silicosis, black
lung disease etc.
 Case Study
Mining at Nauru
The mining of phosphate on the island of Nauru, located in a
remote corner of the Pacific Ocean, has devastated the island
environmentally and has created financial, legal, and cultural
problems for the islanders. The phosphate is used as a fertilizer
around the world and the majority of it has been exported to
Australia. The mineral is located among the ancient coral reefs
found underground. Mining the phosphate, however, destroys
the vegetation and soil of the island. Since their independence in
1968, Phosphate is the primary basis for the economy, and with
the depletion of the mineral, Nauru is left with nothing to trade.
Thus, the island faces virtual economic collapse. Today, Nauru's
problems are becoming increasingly acute, as the phosphate on
the island has been exhausted, and mining has virtually ceased.
As such, the government of Nauru is looking into the question of
responsibility for the ecological disaster raging on the island,
and is looking into ways to rehabilitate the island.
Land Resources
 Land Resources
• Land and its soils are considered as important resources of
Earth as these provide essential medium for development
of agriculture, forestry, vegetation etc.
• Soil is an organized mixture of minerals, organic material,
living organisms, air and water
• The pattern of land distribution in India is:
Agricultural Land- 43.6%
Permanent pastures and meadows- 14.6%
Culturable wastelands- 12.2%
Forests- 10.7%
Barren and unculturable land- 8.4%
Urban Land- 5.3 %
No information available- 5.2%
• Some of the important functions of soil are:
oIt provides mechanical support to the flora
oDue to its porosity and water-holding capacity, the
soil serves as a reservoir of water and supplies water
to the plants even when the land surface is dry
oThe ion-exchange capacity of soil ensures the
availability and supply of micro and macro nutrients
for growth of plants, microbes and animals
oSoil also helps in preventing excessive leaching of
nutrient ions while maintaining proper pH
oSoil contains a wide variety of bacteria ( like
nitrifying, nitrogen fixing, organotrophic etc.), fungi,
protozoans, and other microbes which help in the
decomposition and mineralization of organic matter
and regeneration of nutrients
 Land Degradation
• Land is a precious resource, since it is put to diverse use
by man. A number of natural and anthropogenic factors
lowers the quality of land and this phenomenon is called
land degradation
• The major causes are:
I. Natural Factors:
• Heavy rains- lead to the removal of topsoil making the soil
infertile and hence unsuitable for agriculture
• High speed winds- Winds of high intensity and storm are
responsible for land degradation, particularly in arid regions
• Natural disasters- such as earthquakes and floods have
considerable impact on land resources. Large stones and
pebbles cover the fertile land in case of earthquakes and
during floods, large areas of land are degraded and left
barren as the top soil is washed away. Prolonged droughts
leads to accumulation of salts on the surface and make the
land infertile
 • Expansion of desert- Activities such as overgrazing, soil
erosion etc. are leading to an expansion of deserts
II. Anthropogenic Factors:
• Mining- destroys vegetation and disrupts water circulation
• Urbanization- Fertile agricultural lands and forest lands are
encroached for building houses, industries, roads etc.
• Deforestation- The indiscriminate and uncontrolled removal
of trees have led to the destruction of forests which in turn
has affected the biogeochemical cycle and soil properties
• Overgrazing- lowers soil quality by depleting the land of it
vegetation cover thus exposing soil for water and wind
erosion. Also excessive trampling by the animals destroys
the soil structure and reduces infiltration rates
• Construction of dams and canals
• Excessive use of fertilizers
• Dumping of industrial and municipal waste which affect land
quality by causing changes in physical, chemical and
biological properties
 Soil Erosion
Soil Erosion refers to the physical detaching of soil
particles from its original place by various agents. The type
of soil erosion are:
1. Water erosion- Water erodes or cuts and removes the
soil in four ways:
i. Sheet erosion- where the soil is removed in small but uniform
amounts from all over and therefore, does not leave a mark
behind
ii. Rill erosion- where the run off water moves rapidly and cuts
small stream like structures
iii. Gully erosion- where several rills converge towards the steep
slopes and join to form broad channels like gullies
iv. Riparian erosion or stream bank erosion- where the rivers
during floods splashes their water against the banks and thus
cuts through them
 GULLY EROSION

SHEET EROSION STREAM BANK EROSION

RILL EROSION
2. Landslide erosion- The hydraulic pressure caused by
heavy rains increase the weight of the rocks at cliffs
which come under the gravitational force and finally slip
or fall off
2. Wind Erosion- Erosion due to wind is very common.
During dust storms, a huge quantity of dust is transported
to great distance. The rolling soil particles rub the ground
and due to abrasive action help in loosening the soil. The
processes continue and more dust particles gather as the
storm advances:
• Suspension- The wind either lifts the finer particles high up
• Surface Creep- rolls the coarser and heavier particles along
the surface
• Saltation- In arid regions, where is rain flow is low, drainage
is poor and high temperatures prevail, water evaporates
quickly leaving behind the salts. The major portion of such
salty soil is carried by wind in the form of small heaps
 Desertification
• Desertification process is leading to desert formation,
either due to a natural phenomenon linked to climatic
change or due to abusive land use
• In fact, the improper land use practices like deforestation,
overgrazing etc. are largely responsible for climatic
change
• It often starts as patchy destruction of productive land at
places that are not humid. Increased dust particles in
atmosphere lead to desertification and drought. If
droughts continue to occur a series of years, even humid
zones become progressively drier
• Effects of desertification:
 Water Erosion
 Wind Erosion
  Depletion of soil fertility
 Livestock grazing pressure
 Loss of biodiversity
 Water logging and salinity
 Droughts and flooding
 Socio-economic constraints
• Control of desertification:
Promoting large scale plantation of trees
Changing of agricultural practices and promoting
dryland farming
Development of pasture lands and control of
overgrazing
Promoting equitable use of water resources
Development of water-catchment areas
 Landslides
• Landslide is the rapid downward movement of a mass of
rock, earth or artificial fill on the slope
• In this phenomenon of mass wasting, geological materials
are moved down slope from one place to another
• The resulting movement is slow and subtle, but some
slope processes such as rock slides, avalanches, and land
slumping can be swift and dangerous
• Causes of Landslides: Mumbai-Pune Expressway
July 2015
i. Removal of vegetation- which creates soil erosion
ii. Underground Mining- Causes subsidence of the ground
iii. Transport- Movement of buses and trains in the unstable
region causes landslides
iv. Addition of weight- by means of construction done on
the sloppy areas
 iv. Ground water level- Overexploitation of ground water
leads to the collapsing of soil causing landslides
• Harmful effect of Landslide:
1. It increases the turbidity of nearby streams, thereby
reducing their productivity
2. Destruction of communication links
3. Loss of habitat and biodiversity
4. Loss of infrastructure and economic loss
Food Resources
 Food Resources

AGRICULTURAL SEA FOOD: A major

CROPS: All
LIVESTOCK: This part of the world’s
cereals-wheat, population depends on
includes food items
maize, barley, rice fish as a food source.
such as meat, eggs,
etc., pulses, fruits Some other aquatic
honey etc. that are
and vegetables are organisms eaten are
obtained from
important sources crabs, prawns, shrimps
animals. This also
of food. Most of the etc. Artificial
incudes a number of
world’s food is production in fresh
bird species such as
provided by 20 crop water system is called
chicken.
species including aquaculture or marine
wheat, corn, potato, water based system is
coconuts, bananas called mariculture
etc.
 World Food Problems
There is a wide gap between the developed and developing
countries with regard to the production of food. In spite of
several efforts, many countries of the world are still facing
acute problems of food shortage and starvation
There are generally two kinds of food problems across the
world:
1. Undernourishment which is the lack of
sufficient calories in available food, so
that one has little or no ability to move or
work. Lack of energy and nutrients makes
them more susceptible to infectious
diseases. Children in this category are
likely to suffer from permanently stunted
growth, mental retardation, and other
social and developmental disorders
2. Malnourishment is the lack of specific components of food,
such as proteins, vitamins or essential chemical elements. It
is possible to have excess food and still suffer from
malnourishment due to nutritional imbalance caused by the
lack of specific dietary components or an ability to absorb or
utilize essential nutrients. Some of the major problems
malnourishment leads to is:
oMarasmus
oKwashiorkor
oAnemia
oGoiter and hypothyroidism
oPellagra
oChronic hunger
Malnourishment may occur in rich countries where people
eat too much meat and fat and less fiber, vitamins etc., and
poor countries where people often lack specific nutrients as
they cannot afford more expensive food
 Food problem in India
1. Quantitative aspect of food problem- Though India has to
maintain 16% of the world population, still it only has 2%
area of the whole world. Food production has increased due
to population growth but droughts and food crisis have
increased too
2. Qualitative aspect of food problem- The availability of
meals per person is not the same in different states of India.
This is due to no knowledge of balanced diet, lack of money
to purchase nutritious articles and lack of meat, eggs and
fish in the diet due to religious reasons
3. Distributive aspect of food problem- Distribution of food
grains is not satisfactory as they not given to public at a fair
price and right time
4. Economic aspect of food problem- The price of food grains
are soaring high while incomes don’t increase
proportionately
 Agricultural Systems
1. Traditional Agriculture-
• Traditional subsistence agriculture typically produces
enough crops or livestock for a farm family survival.
The surplus may be sold or put aside for hard times
• Traditional intensive agriculture increases the inputs of
human and draft labor, fertilizer and water to get higher
yield per area of cultivated land. This type produces
enough food to feed family and to sell for income
2. Modern Agriculture- uses modernized inputs like high
yielding varieties, fertilizer use, intense irrigation and
pesticide application to boost agricultural productivity.
These practices have both positive and negative effects
on environment
 Effects of Modern Agriculture on
Environment
• Soil Erosion and loss of fertility- Excessive ploughing
accelerates the erosion due to wind and water. Low
concentration of organic matter in soil further accelerates soil
erosion. Use of modern, heavy machinery increase soil
compactness which adversely affects soil fertility and other soil
quantities
• Sedimentation- Increased soil erosion adds huge amount of
sediments in lakes, ponds and rivers. Excessive sedimentation
degrades water quality, reduces depth of water body and
accelerates loss of biodiversity
• Change in land-use patterns- Modern agriculture has led to an
increase in the area under wheat and rice cultivation, while
there is a decrease in the area under pulses. Wheat and rice
deplete the soil of nutrients whereas leguminous crops like
pulses nourish the soil
• Fertilizer Problems- Excessive use of fertilizer has a
detrimental effect on soil health. When these fertilizer
run-off to the nearby water body, it provides excessive
nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous) due to which
eutrophication takes place
• Pesticide Problems- Excessive use of pesticides causes
air, water and soil pollution. Pesticides gain access to
human body through grains, fruits, fish etc. and cause
variety of health effects.
• Irrigation-related problems- Modern agriculture has
prompted the shift away from crops like millets and
oilseeds (which require less water) to crops like wheat
and rice which require water all year round. Also, modern
crop varieties need more water that indigenous varieties.
Thus need for irrigation has increased but without proper
drainage of excess water, it can cause water logging and
salinization
• Problems due to overgrazing of agricultural animals
• Climate change- A number of agricultural activities
like deforestation, operation of agricultural
machines, burning of weeds etc. add sizable amount
of CO2 to the atmosphere
• Effect on biogeochemical cycles- due to the use of
fertilizers, deforestation, rapid soil erosion etc.
• Loss of genetic diversity- Traditional agriculture
systems encourage diversity in crop breeds whereas
modern agriculture encourage monocultures of crops
and single varieties to maximize grain production
• Intensification of inequity- The poor farmers cannot
afford to purchase new seeds and more fertilizers
and pesticides from the market making existing
inequities grow
 Overgrazing
• India leads in livestock population in the world. The huge
population of livestock needs to be fed and the grazing land or
pasture areas are not adequate
• The impacts of overgrazing are:
• Land Degradation- Overgrazing removes the vegetal cover over
the soil and the exposed soil gets compacted due to which the
operative soil depth declines. Therefore, the roots cannot go any
deeper into the soil and adequate soil moisture is not available
• Soil Erosion- As the soil becomes exposed, there is nothing
binding the soil anymore. Therefore it is more susceptible to
erosion by wind and water
• Loss of useful species- The original grassland consists of good
quality grasses but after being grazed on, the secondary species
are hardier and less nutritive in nature
 Fertilizer- Pesticide Problems
FERTILIZERS-
• They are used to increase the fertility of the soil by
adding nutrients which help in plant growth
• They are divided into two broad groups- organic
fertilizers and chemical fertilizers.
• Organic fertilizers are natural biodegradable fertilizers
like cow dung and compost.
• Chemical fertilizers are chemically produced and have
adverse effects:
o Excessive use leads to loss of soil fertility
o Create nitrate pollution in groundwater
o Run off fertilizer pollute nearby ponds, lakes and rivers
o Nitrogen fertilizers lead to accumulation of nitrates in the soil
which then reach to living organisms
PESTICIDES-
• They are used with the intention to kill certain species or to
control populations of unwanted fungi, animals, or plants that
harm the crop
• They can be divided into- insecticides, herbicides and
fungicides
• Harmful effects are-
o Pesticides are not very specific and kill many non target
organisms as well
o They adversely affect other species like frogs, snakes, birds etc.
which are natural pest control mechanisms and earthworms
which make soil fertile
o There is a reduction of the effectiveness of pesticides as the
insects, weeds etc. develop resistance
o Pesticides pollute nearby water bodies
o They affect health of farmers using them
o Pesticides retained in soil lead to biomagnification in humans
o They cause air, water and soil pollution
 Water Logging and Salinity
• Accumulation of water on land for a long period is known s
water logging. Rain, over irrigation, inadequate drainage
causes excess water to accumulate in lowlands
• Due to all these factors, moisture percolates down and
dissolves the underground salts in it which come to the surface
after the water evaporates. This makes the soil salty and
alkaline
• Such lands either get converted to pasture land or are
dominated by seasonal weeds. Regions enriched with canals
and dams for irrigation are more prone to water logging and
salination
• Water logging causes the land to have low nitrogen and oxygen
levels thus these areas support the growth of only few plant
species
• It causes growth of micro-organisms that cause decomposition
of organic matter
 Case Study
Salinity and water logging in Punjab, Haryana
and Rajasthan
It was first reported in 1885 that several villages in Panipat,
Rohtak and Delhi lying in command area of Western
Yamuna Canal were suffering from destructive saline
efflorescence. The floods of 1947, 1952, 1954-56 in Punjab
resulted in water logging with serious drainage problems.
Introduction of canal irrigation in Haryana resulted in rise
in water table followed by water logging and salinity in
many irrigated areas causing heavy loses due to fall in
productivity.
Indira Gandhi Project affected a big area in Western
Rajasthan and have changed from a condition of water
starved wasteland to that of a water soaked wasteland
 Non- Secondary
Commercial Primary Energy Energy
fuels e.g. Resources e.g. Resources e.g.
Commerci fuelwood, coal, nuclear petrol, diesel
al fuels cowdung, energy, solar etc. etc.
e.g. coal, agricultural
petroleum waste
etc.

Energy Resources

Conventional Non
Conventional Renewable Non
Energy
Energy Energy e.g. Renewable
Resources e.g.
Resources e.g. solar, wind, Energy e.g.
fossil fuels,
solar, wind, geothermal fossil fuels
hydro energy
biomass etc. etc. etc.
etc.
 Types of Renewable Energy
1. Solar Energy- Sun is the ultimate source of energy on
earth. The biggest advantage with solar energy is that it
does not cause any pollution. But low efficiency, very
high initial costs and lack of adequate storage materials
are the problems associated with solar energy. It can be
utilized in three different ways:
• Solar cells- also known as photovoltaic or PV cells that
convert light directly into electricity
• Solar water heating system- In this, heat from the sun
is used to heat water in glass panels on the roof
• Solar furnaces- These used huge array of mirrors to
concentrate the sun’s energy into a small space and
produce very high temperatures
SOLAR PV CELL SOLAR FURNACE

SOLAR WATER
HEATER
 2. Wind Energy
• Wind has been used to propel ships as well as drive wind mills
used o grind grains and pump water. More recently, wind has
been used to generate electricity
• Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into
mechanical power. A generator can convert mechanical power
into electricity
• The development of wind
power in India began in the
1986 with first wind farms
being set up in coastal
areas of Maharasahtra,
Gujarat and Tamil Nadu
• As of 31 Aug 2016 the
installed capacity of wind
power in India was
27,676.55 MW
3. Tidal Energy
• The enormous
movement of water
round the coastal areas
between high and low
tides provides a very
large source of energy.
• It is steady source but
leads to huge
modification of coastal
environment
5. Geothermal Energy
• Geothermal energy is thermal energy generated and stored
in the Earth
• Earth's geothermal energy originates from the original
formation of the planet (20%) and from radioactive decay
of minerals (80%)
• Geothermal power is cost effective, reliable, sustainable,
and environmentally friendly, but has historically been
limited to areas near tectonic plate boundaries
• Recent technological advances have dramatically
expanded the range and size of viable resources, especially
for applications such as home heating, opening a potential
for widespread exploitation
• Geothermal wells release greenhouse gases trapped deep
within the earth, but these emissions are much lower per
energy unit than those of fossil fuels. As a result,
geothermal power has the potential to help mitigate global
warming if widely deployed in place of fossil fuels
5. Biomass Based Energy
• Biomass refers to organic matter that can burnt directly as
a fuel or converted to a more convenient form and then
burnt
• Natural vegetation, animal waste, agricultural residues,
municipal solid waste etc. constitute this type of energy
• Wood was the most widely used to heat homes and cook
food
• Sugarcane and corn are grown in some areas and can be
fermented to make alcohol, which can be burned to
generate power. Waste from these like bagasse and corn
stover can also be used
• Other solid and waste materials can be directly burnt
• Oilseeds can be crushed to get bio-oil
• Animal and plant waste can be converted to biogas
• The disadvantage with biofuels are that green house gases
are emitted on burning them
 Non Renewable Energy Sources
1. Coal
• Coal comes in various grades- anthracite, bituminous and lignite
• It is used for domestic cooking, industrial heating and for the
production of electricity in thermal power plants
• Major coal fields in India are found in Jharkhand, Orissa, West
Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra
2. Natural Gas and Oil
• Their use has been encouraged, being more convenient and less
expensive
• USA, Mexico, Former USSR, and West Asian regions are major
Oil producing countries
• Today all oceans are contaminated to some degree by oil slicks
and petroleum residues. These come from off-shore oil wells,
ships and also as run-off from land based oil facilities and waste
oil
 3. Nuclear Energy
• Due to rapid growth in population and energy demand,
nuclear energy is of great significance
• In addition to generating electricity, nuclear energy is also
used in ships, industrial heating and in space crafts
• In some respects, it is the cleanest of all energies as they
do not emit greenhouse gases or cause acid rains and
smogs
• However the use of radioactive material, produces
radioactive waste which take millions of years to lose
their radioactivity
• This poses a threat to humans and other life forms
Role Of Individual In Conservation
Of Natural Resources
1. Activities should be organized to promote the awareness of
the levels of pollution and their implications and impact
2. The provisions of the public interest litigation to seek legal
redress in case of victimization by pollution or violation of
norms should be encouraged
3. Individual should help in preserving the biodiversity and
protecting the soil by:
• Plant trees on a regular basis and take care of them
• Reduce the use of wood and paper products, Recycle paper products
and buy recycled paper products
• Refuse to buy furs, ivory products, items made from reptile skin,
tortoise shell jewellery and materials from endangered species
• Help rehabilitate or restore a degraded area of forest in nearby locality
4. Save Energy
• Turn off light and other appliances when not in use
• Consider walking or riding a bicycle for short trips and buses and
trains for long trips
• Obtain as much heat and cooling from natural resources like sun,
wind, geothermal energy etc.
• Use solar cooker for cooking food on sunny days
5. Saving Water Resources
• Install water saving toilets
• Don’t keep taps running while brushing, washing, shaving or bathing
• Check frequently for water leaks in bathrooms and pipes
• Wash only full loads of clothes
• Use drip irrigation and sprinkling irrigation
• Build rainwater harvesting systems in your house
6. Protecting the soil
• Make compost from kitchen waste and use this as a soil conditioner in
gardens
 • Grow different types of plants, herbs and trees in gardens
• Use a sprinkler to water plants instead of strong flow of water
7. Promote Sustainable Agriculture
• Reduce the use of pesticides
• Use organic fertilizers
• Control pests by a combination of cultivation and biological
control methods
• Eat local and seasonal vegetables as this saves a lot of energy on
transport, storage and preservation
 Equitable Use Of Resources For
Sustainable Development
• In last 50 years, the consumption of resource in the society
has increased many folds. There is a big gap in the
consumers lifestyle between developed and developing
countries
• It has been estimated that More Developed Countries
(MDC) of the world constitute only 22% of world’s
population but they use 88% of natural resources. On the
other hand less developed countries (LDCs) have moderate
industrial growth and constitute 78% of world’s population
and use only 12% of natural resources, 27% of energy and
have only 15% of global income
• The solution to this problem is to have more equitable
distribution of resources and income
• The economist Heman Daly has specified 3 ingredients
when talking of sustainability:
1. Rates of use of renewable resources do not exceed
regeneration rates
2. Rates of use of non-renewable resources do not exceed rates
of development of renewable substitutes
3. Rates of pollution emission do not exceed assimilative
capacities of the environment
 Assignment 3
Q1. Define: Kwashiorkor, Marasmus, Anemia, Goiter,
Pellagra and Chronic Hunger
Q2. Write a short note on: Eutrophication and
Biomagnification