Notebooks Out Major Categories of Natural Resources – notes Key Concepts – notes

What are the major categories of natural resources? Soil Land use Agriculture Water Usable Fish and wildlife Includes uncultivated plants Forest Energy Minerals Recreational Sum It Up! Natural Resources are objects, materials, creatures or energy found in nature and used by humans

“usefulness” can change over time and from place to place (society). “usefulness” if affected by customs and technology.

Soil Water Fish & Wildlife Land use 60% of US land is useful for food and fiber production Of that 60%, only 17% is useable for crop production Land use planning is an ongoing challenge as population expands Must be usable by humans to be a natural resource 121 vertebrate species have become extinct since colonial times 408 threatened or endangered species (2006) “threatened” means “declining in number” “endangered” means “survival in danger”

$1.1 billion/ year are generated in state revenue from hunting and fishing licenses Plus! Related gear and equipment sales

Forest Energy Minerals Recreational 1/3 noncommercial forestry A “mature forest” has very little wood product ecosystem 2/3 usable commercial forestry Nonrenewable, renewable, alternative Coal production increased in the 1990s in the US Oil: 1 barrel = 36 gallons = 159 litres Examples: iron, copper, bauxite, lead, zinc, tin, mercury Unspoiled nature to swim, camp, hike, hunt & fish

Key Concepts Preservation Conservation An attempt to prevent the use of a natural resource Aim is to “preserve” or keep it intact as it is or was Conservation An attempt to use a natural resource in a way to minimize water Aim is to maintain the resource in as good of condition as possible

Carrying Capacity Food Web The ability of an ecosystem to provide food and shelter for a given population. Food Web A group of plants and/ or animals related to each other by the fact that one feeds or depends for food on the next

Systems thinking Interconnectedness The whole versus parts