Natural Resource Management IAFNR MODULE 4 NATURAL RESOURCES

Types of Resources Nonexhaustible Resources –A natural resource that, for all practical purposes, never runs out Renewable Resources –A natural resource that can be replaced as it is used, such as trees and wildlife Exhaustible Resources –A natural resource that exists in a limited quantity and cannot be replaced when used Can you think of an example of each type of resource?

Thinking “Eco” Logically Ecology- the study of relationships among living things Ecosystem- a community of interrelated plants and animals in a given environment –Consists of living and non-living things 3 components to a complete ecosystem –Producers –Transformers –Decomposers

Balance in Nature Change is constant and natural Time is necessary to replace what is lost and adapt to change Human adaptations Our massive changes to the ecosystem affect everything, even humans Managing natural resources means controlling nature so that we can use its resources without destroying its balance or without permanently upsetting the balance Image retrieved from: in-nature-is-about-balance-quote-4248http:// in-nature-is-about-balance-quote-4248

The Food Chain Food Chain a group of plants and or animals related to each other by the fact that one feeds or depends for food on the next Food Web A group of organisms that depend on each other for food in a given ecosystem. A food web typically consists of a series of interconnected food chains Image retrieved from: eng35.blogspot.com/2012/05/food-chains-food-webs.htmlhttp://terry- eng35.blogspot.com/2012/05/food-chains-food-webs.html

Carrying Capacity Population Level The number of a given species in a given area at a specific point in time Affected by water availability, shelter, predators, disease, and parasites Carrying Capacity The ability of an ecosystem to provide food and shelter for a given population level Affected by the food chain of the given species Image retrieved from: om/2013/04/gmos-malthus- and-haber.html om/2013/04/gmos-malthus- and-haber.html

Human Population If we are to continue to feed, shelter, and clothe 9 billion people by 2050 we need to plan our to use our resources accordingly! Image retrieved from: om/?p=9 om/?p=9

Resource Use All living things depend on the ecosystem for survival Not possible to sustain the human population without altering the ecosystem –Altering does not mean to abuse or misuse resources We must take care of our soils We must dispose of waste properly We must recycle metals and minerals We must seek out substitutes for exhaustible resources

Conservation vs Preservation What do you know about Conservation? Preservation –An attempt to prevent the use of some natural resources or the modification of an environment simply for the sake of keeping it intact 1916: National Park Service –Meant to preserve national treasures from being exploited Examples: Yosemite, Grand Canyon, American Bald Eagle Can we use resources without destroying them? Can we afford to preserve resources?

References Camp. W., & Heath-Camp, B. (2009) Managing our Natural Resources. New York: Delmar. Natural Resource [Def. 1]. (n.d.). In Merriam Webster Online, Retrieved February 24, 2015, from webster.com/dictionary/natural%20resource. webster.com/dictionary/natural%20resource