UNIT – 2

Natural Resources and its Exploitation

2.1 Definition

Any material which can be transformed in a way that it becomes more valuable   and useful can be termed as resource. In other words, it is possible to obtain valuable items from any resources. Resource, therefore, are the means to attain given ends. The aspect of satisfaction is so important that we consider a thing or substance a resource, as so long it meets our needs. Life on this planet depends upon a large number of things and services provided by the nature, which are known as Natural Resources. Thus water, air, soil, minerals, coal, forests, crops and wild life are all examples of natural resources.

  Renewable Resource is energy which is generated from natural sources i.e. sun, wind, rain, tides and can be generated again and again as and when required. They are available in plenty and by far most the cleanest sources of energy available on this planet. Solar Energy, Wind Energy, Geothermal Energy, Biomass Energy from Plants, Tidal Energy are the examples of Renewable resources.

  Non Renewable Resource is a natural resource that cannot be re-made or re- grown at a scale comparable to its consumption. Non-renewable sources are not environmentally friendly and can have serious effect on our health.  They are called non-renewable because they cannot be re-generated within a short span of time.  Non-renewable sources exist in the form of fossil fuels, natural gas, oil and coal

Key Takeaways

1. Renewable Resource is generated from natural sources whereas Non Renewable Resource is a natural resource that cannot be re-made or re- grown at a scale comparable to its consumption.

2.2 Different types of natural resources. Uses and over exploitation and associated problems (Forest, Water, Food, Mineral, Energy, Land)

   Problems associated with natural resources

1. The unequal consumption of natural resources

A major part of natural resources today are consumed in the technologically advanced or ‘developed’ world, usually termed ‘the west’. The ‘developing nations’ of ‘the east’, including India and China, also over use many resources because of their greater human population. However, the consumption of resources per capita (per individual) of the developed countries is up to 50 times greater than in most developing countries. Advanced countries produce over 75% of global industrial waste and greenhouse gases.

2. Planning land use

Land is a major resource, needed for not only for food production and animal husbandry, but also for industry and growing human settlements. These forms of intensive land use are frequently extended at the cost of ‘wild lands’, our remaining forests, grasslands, wetlands and deserts. This demands for a pragmatic policy that analyses the land allocation for different uses.

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. Development policies should be formulated to strike a balance between the two.

Forest resources:

Use and over – exploitation, deforestation

Use and over exploitation

A forest is a biotic community predominantly of trees, shrubs and other woody vegetation, usually with a closed canopy. This invaluable renewable natural resource is beneficial to man in many ways.

The direct benefits from forests are:

(a) Fuel Wood:

Wood is used as a source of energy for cooking purpose and for keeping warm.

(b) Timber:

Wood is used for making furniture, tool-handles, railway sleep­ers, matches, ploughs, bridges, boats etc.

(c) Bamboos:

These are used for matting, flooring, baskets, ropes, rafts, cots etc.

(d) Food:

Fruits, leaves, roots and tubers of plants and meat of forest animals form the food of forest tribes.

(e) Shelter:

Mosses, ferns, insects, birds, reptiles, mammals and micro-organ­isms are provided shelter by forests.

(f) Paper:

Wood and Bamboo pulp are used for manufacturing paper (News­print, stationery, packing paper, sanitary paper)

(g) Rayon:

Bamboo and wood are used in the manufacture of rayon (yarns, artificial silk-fibers)

(h) Forest Products:

Tannins, gums, drugs, spices, insecticides, waxes, honey, horns, musk, ivory, hides etc. are all provided by the flora and fauna of forests.

Over exploitation of forests

Forests contribute substantially to the national economy. With increasing population increased demand of fuel wood, expansion of area under urban development and industries has led to over exploitation of forest .At present international level we are losing forest at the rate of 1.7 crore hectares annually. Overexploitation also occurs due to overgrazing and conversion of forest to pastures for domestic use.

Timber extraction

There has been unlimited exploitation of timber for commercial use. Due to increased industrial demand; timber extraction has significant effect on forest and tribal people.

Logging

• Poor logging results in degraded forest and may lead to soil erosion especially on slopes.
• New logging roads permit shifting cultivators and fuel wood gatherers to gain access to the logging area.
• Loss of long-term forest productivity
• Species of plants and animals may be eliminated
• Exploitation of tribal people by contractor.

Mining, dams and other effects on forest and tribal people

Mining

Major effects of mining operations on forest and tribal people are:

• Mining from shallow deposits is done by surface mining while that from deep deposits is done by sub-surface mining. It leads to degradation of lands and loss of top soil. It is estimated that about eighty-thousand-hectare land is under stress of mining activities in India
• Mining leads to drying up perennial sources of water sources like spring and streams in mountainous area.
• Mining and other associated activities remove vegetation along with underlying soil mantle, which results in destruction of topography and landscape in the area. Large scale deforestation has been reported in Mussoorie and Dehradun valley due to indiscriminating mining.
• The forested area has declined at an average rate of 33% and the increase in non-forest area due to mining activities has resulted in relatively unstable zones leading to landslides.
• Indiscriminate mining in forests of Goa since 1961 has destroyed more than 50000 ha of forest land. Coal mining in Jharia, Raniganj and Singrauli areas has caused extensive deforestation in Jharkhand.
• Mining of magnetite and soapstone have destroyed 14 ha of forest in hilly slopes of Khirakot, Kosi valley and Almora.
• Mining of radioactive minerals in Kerala, Tamilnadu and Karnataka are posing similar threats of deforestation.
• The rich forests of Western Ghats are also facing the same threat due to mining projects for excavation of copper, chromites, bauxite and magnetite.

Dams and other effects on forest and tribal people

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru referred dam and valley projects as “Temples of modern India”. These big dams and rivers valley projects have multi-purpose uses. However, these dams are also responsible for the destruction of forests. They are responsible for degradation of catchment areas, loss of flora and fauna, increase of water borne diseases, disturbance in forest ecosystems, rehabilitation and resettlement of tribal peoples.

India has more than 1550 large dams, the maximum being in the state of Maharashtra (more than 600), followed by Gujarat (more than 250) and Madhya Pradesh (130).

The highest one is Tehri dam, on river Bhagirathi in Uttaranchal and the largest in terms of capacity is Bhakra dam on river Satluj in Himachal Pradesh. Big dams have been in sharp focus of various environmental groups all over the world, which is mainly because of several ecological problems including deforestation and socio-economic problems related to tribal or native people associated with them.

The Silent valley hydroelectric project was one of the first such projects situated in the tropical rain forest area of Western Ghats which attracted much concern of the people.

The crusade against the ecological damage and deforestation caused due to Tehri dam was led by Shri. Sunder Lal Bahaguna, the leader of Chipko Movement.

The cause of Sardar Sarovar Dam related issues have been taken up by the environmental activities Medha Patkar, joined by Arundhati Ray and Baba Amte. For building big dams, large scale devastation of forests takes place which breaks the natural ecological balance of the region.

Floods, droughts and landslides become more prevalent in such areas. Forests are the repositories of invaluable gifts of nature in the form of biodiversity and by destroying them (particularly, the tropical rain forests), we are going to lose these species even before knowing them. These species could be having marvelous economic or medicinal value and deforestation results in loss of this storehouse of species which have evolved over millions of years in a single stroke.

Water resources

Use and over utilization of surface and ground water

Use and over exploitation of surface and ground water

Water resources are sources of water that are useful or potentially useful. • Uses of water include agricultural, industrial, household, recreational and environmental activities. • Virtually all of these human uses require fresh water

Water Resources-Use and Overutilization :

1. The water Cycle through evaporation and precipitation, maintains hydrological systems .
2. All aquatic ecosystems are used by a large number for their daily needs such as washing irrigation, cooking etc.
3. One of the greatest challenges today is the management of these water resources.
4. Due to increasing population there is an enormous supply for the available freshwater resources. India is likely to face water crisis by 2025.
5. With growth of human population larger amounts of water will be required to fulfil basic needs Today in many areas this need cannot be met.
6. Overutilization of water occurs at various levels:
7. Most people use more water than required to carry out basic activities such as brushing, bathing, washing and cleaning etc.
8. Farmers also sometimes use double the water required for irrigation.
9. There are many ways in which the farmer can increase the yield by using less water for irrigation.
10. With the growth of human population there is an increasing need for larger amounts of water to fulfil a variety of basic needs. Today in many areas this requirement cannot be met.
11. Overutilization of water occurs at various levels. Most people use more water than really needed. Most of us waste water during a bath by using shower or during washing of clothes. Many agriculturists use more water than necessary to grow crops. There are many ways in which farmers can use less water without reducing the yields such as the use of drip irrigation systems.
12. Agriculture also pollutes surface water and underground water stores by the excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Methods such as the use of biomass as fertilizers and non toxic pesticides such as neem products reduces the agricultural pollution of surface and ground water.

Floods, drought, conflicts over water

Floods

Floods have been a serious environmental hazard from centuries. Deforestation causes flood that kills people, damage crops and destroys homes. • Rivers changes its course during floods and tons of valuable soil is lost to the sea.  As the forest are degraded, rain water no longer percolates slowly into the sub-soil but runs off down the mountainside bearing large amount of top soil.

Droughts

In most arid regions of the world the rains are unpredictable. This leads to a periods when there is a serious scarcity of water to drink, use in farm, or provide for urban or industrial use. One of the factor that worsens the effect of droughts is deforestation. Drought is one of the major problem in our country, due to unpredictable climatic condition or due to the failure of one and more monsoon.

  Conflicts over water

• Conflicts through use -Unequal distribution of water has often led to interstate or international disputes
• Constructions of dams -Hydroelectric power generation, dams are built across the rivers, which initiates conflict between the states.

Dams – benefits and problems

• Water Supply - Dams gather drinking water for people.
• Irrigation – Dams helps farmers bring water to their farms
• Hydroelectrical - Dams help create power and electricity from water.
• Flood control – Dam keep areas from flooding
• Recreation – Dams create lakes for people for their needs

Mineral resources

Use and exploitation

Use and exploitation

Uses of Minerals

Due to increased population, there is increased demand of minerals by the industry, transport, agriculture and defence preparation. Depletion of almost all known and easily accessible deposits is anticipated in near future. Moreover, there may be shortage of some crucial elements such as mercury, tin, copper, gold, silver and platinum. The limited resource of phosphorus, which is an essential component of chemical fertilizers, is another area of concern. 

Exploitation of Minerals

• Depending on their use, mineral resources can be divided into several broad categories such as elements for metal production and technology, building materials, minerals for the chemical industry and minerals for agriculture. When usually we think about mineral resources we often think of metals but the predominant mineral resources are not metallic. The picture of annual world consumption of some elements is as under:
• Sodium and iron are used at a rate of about 0.1 to 1.0 billion metric tons per year.
• Nitrogen, sulphur, potassium and calcium are primarily used as fertilizers at a rate of about 10 to 100 million metric tons per year.
• Zinc, copper, aluminium and lead are used at a rate of about 3 to 10 million metric tons per year;
• Gold and silver are used at a rate of about 10 thousand metric tons per year.
• Out of all the metallic minerals, iron consumption is 95% of the metals consumed

Thus, with the exception of iron, the non-metallic minerals are consumed at much greater rates than the elements used for their metallic properties.

Environmental effects of extracting and using mineral resources

Environmental Impacts of Mineral Extraction

Extracting and use of mineral resources can affect the environment adversely. Environmental affect may depend on factors such as mining procedures, ore quality, climate, size of operation, topography, etc. Some of major environmental impacts of mining and processing operations are as under

1. Degradation of land.

2. Pollution of surfaces and ground water resources.

3. Effect on growth of vegetation due to leaching out effect of minerals.

4. Surface water pollution and groundwater contamination lead to occupational health hazards etc.

5. Air pollution due to emission of gases.

6. Deforestation affects flora and fauna.

7. Rehabilitation of affected population.

Food resources:

World food problems, changes caused by non-agriculture activities-effects of modern agriculture

World food problems

As per estimates of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), about 840 million people remain chronically hungry and out of this 800 million are living in the developing world. In last decade, it is decreasing at the rate of 2.5 million per year, but at the same time world’s population is increasing. Target of cutting half the number of world’s chronically hungry and undernourished people by 2015 will difficult to meet, if the present trend continues. Due to inadequate purchasing power to buy food, it is difficult to fulfil minimum calorific requirement of human body per day. Large number of people are in India are poor which can be attribute to equitable distribution of income. Food insufficiency can be divided into two categories into under-nourishment and malnourishment. Both of these insufficiencies are global problems.

1.                    Under-nourishment

The FAO estimates that the average minimum daily caloric intake over the whole world is about 2,500 calories per day. People who receive less than 90% of their minimum dietary intake on a long-term basis are considered undernourished. Those who receive less than 80% of their minimum daily caloric intake requirements are considered ‘seriously’ undernourished. Children in this category are likely to suffer from stunted growth, mental retardation, and other social and developmental disorders. Therefore, Under-nourishment means lack of sufficient calories in available food, resulting in little or no ability to move or work.

2.                      Malnourishment

Person may have excess food but still diet suffers from due to nutritional imbalance or inability to absorb or may have problem to utilize essential nutrients. If we compare diet of the developed countries with developing countries people in developed countries have processed food which may be deficient in fibre, vitamins and other components where as in the diet of developing countries, may be lack of specific nutrients because they consume less meat ,fruits and vegetables due to poor purchasing power .

Malnourishment can be defined as lack of specific components of food such as proteins, vitamins, or essential chemical elements.

The major problems of malnutrition are:

• Marasmus: a progressive emaciation caused by lack of protein and calories.
• Kwashiorkor: a lack of sufficient protein in the diet which leads to a failure of neural development and therefore learning disabilities.
• Anaemia: it is caused by lack of iron in the diet or due to an inability to absorb iron from food.
• Pellagra: it occurs due to the deficiency of tryptophan and lysine, vitamins in the diet.

Every year, food problem kill as many people as were killed by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima during World War II. This shows that there is drastic need to increase food production, equitably distribute it and also to control population growth. Although India is the third largest producer of staple crops, it is estimated that about 300 million Indians are still undernourished. India has only half as much land as USA, but it has nearly three times population to feed. Our food problems are directly related to population.

4.                      Balanced diet

Supply of adequate amount of different nutrient can help to improve malnutrition and its ill effects. Cereals like wheat and rice can supply only carbohydrate which are rich in energy supply, are only fraction of nutrition requirement. Cereal diet has to be supplemented with other food that can supply fat, protein and minor quantity of minerals and vitamins. Balanced diet will help to improve growth and health.

Changes caused by agriculture and over grazing

From centuries, agriculture is providing inputs to large number of industries involved in production, processing and distribution of food. Accordingly, agriculture has significant effect on environment. The effects of agriculture on environment can be classified as local, regional, and global level. The agriculture also makes impact on the usage of land generally as follows:

• Deforestation
• Soil Erosion
• Depletion of nutrients
• Impact related to high yielding varieties (HYV)
• Fertilizers related problems include micronutrient imbalance, nitrite pollution and eutrophication.
• Pesticide related problems include creating resistance in pests and producing new pests, death of non-target organisms, biological magnification.
• Some other problems include water logging, salinity problems and such others.

The carrying capacity of land for cattle depends upon micro climate and soil fertility. If carrying capacity is exceeded than land is overgrazed. Because of overgrazing the agricultural land gets affected as follows,

• Reduction in growth and diversity of plant species
• Reduce plant cover leads to increased soil erosion
• Cattle trampling leads to land degradation

Effects of modern agriculture

For sustainable production modern techniques are used to enhance productivity of different cropping systems under different agro-eco-zones. Adoption of modern agricultural practises has both positive and negative effects on environment. Effects of modern agriculture are briefly discussed under different heads as under:

1. Soil erosion

Raindrops bombarding bare soil result in the oldest and still most serious problem of agriculture. The long history of soil erosion and its impact on civilization is one of devastation. Eroded fields record our failure as land stewards.

ii.Irrigation

Adequate rainfall is never guaranteed for the dry land farmer in arid and semiarid regions, and thus irrigation is essential for reliable production. Irrigation ensures sufficient water when needed and also allows farmers to expand their acreage of suitable cropland. In fact, we rely heavily on crops from irrigated lands, with fully one-third of the world's harvest coming from that 17% of cropland that is under irrigation. Unfortunately, current irrigation practices severely damage the cropland and the aquatic systems from which the water is withdrawn.

iii.Agriculture and the loss of genetic diversity

As modern agriculture converts an ever-increasing portion of the earth's land surface to monoculture, the genetic and ecological diversity of the planet erodes. Both the conversion of diverse natural ecosystems to new agricultural lands and the narrowing of the genetic diversity of crops contribute to this erosion.

Fertilizer pesticide problems, water logging, salinity

For photosynthesis apart from water, sunshine and CO2, plants need micro and macro nutrients for growth. These nutrients are supplied in the shape of fertilizers. There is lot of potential to increase food productivity by increasing fertilizer use. On one hand application of artificial chemical fertilizers increases the productivity at faster rate as compare to organic fertilizers, on the other hand application of fertilizers can be a serious problem of pollution and can create number of problems. Excessive level of nitrates in ground water has created problems in developed countries. These are:

• Accumulated phosphorous as a consequence of use of phosphoric fertilizer are posing serious threat as residues in domestic water supply and for ecology of river and other water bodies. Increased level of phosphates in different water results in eutropication.
• Effect of chemical fertilizer is long term, therefore leads to net loss of soil organic matter.

To control insects, pests, diseases and weeds which are responsible for reduction in productivity different chemicals are used as insecticides, pesticides and herbicides. Successful control of insects, pests and weeds increases productivity and reduces losses and provide security for harvest and storage. Applications of these synthetic chemicals have great economic values and at the same time cause number of serious problems such as:

• Affects human health which includes acute poisoning and illness caused by higher doses and accidental exposes
• As long term effect, cause cancer, birth defects, Parkinson’s disease and other regenerative diseases.
• Long term application of pesticides can affect soil fertility.
• Danger of killing beneficial predators.
• Pesticides resistance and pest resurgence

Water logging

High water table or surface flooding can cause water logging problems .Water logging may lead to poor crop productivity due to anaerobic condition created in the soil. In India, deltas of Ganga, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and some areas of Kerala are prone to frequent water logging.

Salinity

Due to adoption of intensive agriculture practices and increased concentration of soluble salts leads to salinity. Due to poor drainage, dissolved salts accumulate on soil surface and affects soil fertility. Excess concentration of these salts may form a crust on the surface which may injurious to the plants. The water absorption process is affected and uptake of nutrient is disturbed. According to an estimate, in India, 7 million hectare of land is saline and area is showing in increasing trends due to adoption of intensive agriculture practises.

Energy resources

Growing energy needs, renewable and non-renewable energy sources use of alternate energy sources

Energy consumption of a nation is usually considered as an index of its development, because almost all the development activities are directly or indirectly dependent upon energy. Power generation and energy consumption are crucial to economic development as economy of any nation depends upon availability of energy resources. There are wide disparities in per capita energy use of developed and the developing nations. With increased speed of development in the developing nations energy needs are also increasing.

• The very original form of energy technology probably was the fire, which produced heat and the early man used it for cooking and heating purposes.

• Wind and hydropower have also been used. Invention of steam engineers replaced the burning of wood by coal and coal was further replaced by oil.
• The oil producing has started twisting arms of the developed as well as developing countries by dictating the prices of oil and other petroleum products.
• Energy resources are primarily divided into two categories viz. renewable and non-renewable sources.
• Renewable energy resources must be preferred over the non-renewable resources.
• It is inevitable truth that now there is an urgent need of thinking in terms of alternative sources of energy, which are also termed as non-conventional energy sources which include:

1.                    Solar energy needs equipments such as solar heat collectors, solar cells, solar cooker, solar water heater, solar furnace and solar power plants .
2.                    Wind energy
3.                    Hydropower, Tidal energy, ocean thermal energy, geothermal energy, biomass, biogas, biofuels etc.

• The non-renewable energy sources include coal, petroleum, natural gas, nuclear energy.

Renewable Resource is energy which is generated from natural sources i.e. sun, wind, rain, tides and can be generated again and again as and when required. They are available in plenty and by far most the cleanest sources of energy available on this planet. Solar Energy, Wind Energy, Geothermal Energy, Biomass Energy from Plants, Tidal Energy are the examples of Renewable resources.

Non-Renewable Resource is a natural resource that cannot be re-made or re- grown at a scale comparable to its consumption. Non-renewable sources are not environmentally friendly and can have serious effect on our health.  They are called non-renewable because they cannot be re-generated within a short span of time.  Non-renewable sources exist in the form of fossil fuels, natural gas, oil and coal

Land resources

Land as a resource, land degradation, Wasteland reclamation, man induced landslides, soil erosion and desertification

Land as a resource

Land resource is important because humans not only live but also perform all economic activities on land. Besides, land also supports wild life, natural vegetation, transport and communication activities. Ninety five percent of our basic needs and requirements like food, clothing and shelter are obtained from land.

Land resources are limited because only 43% of the total land area is plain which is suitable for agricultural activities, industrial development and setting up of transport and communication systems. 27% of the total land area is covered with plateau region which are moderately populated. Mountains cover 30% of the total land area and are sparsely populated. Land has become a limited resource because the degradation of land is taking place at a faster pace. Deforestation, water logging, construction of large dams, mining and over grazing have resulted in the degradation of the land resource.

Land degradation

Land degradation is caused by multiple forces, including extreme weather conditions, particularly drought. It is also caused by human activities that pollute or degrade the quality of soils and land utility. It negatively affects food production, livelihoods, and the production and provision of other ecosystem goods and services. Desertification is a form of land degradation by which fertile land becomes desert.

Wasteland reclamation

Reclaiming lands that have been laid waste in an extraction or industrial process is "wasteland reclamation." Strip-mining coal produces wastelands. Using chemicals in an industrial process, then dumping the used chemicals either on the land or into a stream creates wastelands or releasing chemicals into the air in an industrial process can create waste lands. When there is no regulation of wastes disposal by the industry can create wastelands. And finally, nuclear accidents can create wastelands.

Environment keeps changing over time naturally and it is also amenable to changes by human beings. Thanks to scientific and technological developments, our ability to alter the environment has increased tremendously, whereas the capacity of environment to cope with those alterations is limited. Nature's bounty and abundance are disappearing at a rapid rate now in many regions of the world including India due to the human alterations of the environment. All this has brought to the fore the need for protection and preservation of environment and the urgency of developing sound environmental policies and program Without them, development would not only be unsustainable but would be tantamount to retrogression. The challenge of creating and maintaining a sustainable environment is probably the single most pressing issue confronting us today and will remain so in the foreseeable future.

The Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development and Government of India has identified different types of degraded wastelands and has prepared a Wasteland Atlas of India for the year 2000, with the help of Indian Remote Sensing Satellites. According to their estimates, the degraded wastelands accounted for about 20.16 % of India’s total geographical area. The degraded lands include several types of land such as gullied and /or ravenous land, water-logged and marshy land, land affected by salinity and / or alkalinity, degraded pastures / grazing land, degraded notified forest land, mining industrial wastelands, eroded steep slopping land, sandy and deserted lands, and barren rocky /stony wastelands. Whatever the type of degradation, a common characteristic of degraded lands is that their productivity is almost negligible but it could be restored through proper reclamation measures and management.

It is estimated that in India in 1994, about 188 million ha of land, which is 57 per cent of the country’s total geographical area of about 329 million ha, was degraded. Of the 188 million ha of degraded land, about 149 million ha was affected by water erosion, 13.5 million ha by wind erosion, about 14 million ha by chemical deterioration and 11.6 million ha by water-logging (Sehgal and Abrol, 1994). A recent survey by the National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning revealed that 66 per cent of India’s total geographical area (around 192 m ha) was at varying stages of degradation (quoted in Haque, 1997).

Land degradation has significant adverse impacts on crop productivity and the environment. Joshi and Jha (1991) in a study of four villages in Uttar Pradesh found that a 50 per cent decline in crop yields over a period of eight years was due to salinity and water -logging caused by the irrigation system.

Man induced landslides

Human-induced landslides (HIL) refer to landslide events that are directly triggered or partially aggravated by an-tropic activities. Most of them are the results of anthropogenic factors such as modification of the topography, change of the water circulations, land use changes, ageing of infrastructure, etc.

Soil erosion and Desertification

Soil degradation is a global process. It involves both the physical loss (erosion) and the reduction in quality of topsoil associated with nutrient decline and contamination.

Desertification is defined as a process of land degradation in arid, semi-arid and sub-humid areas due to various factors including climatic variations and human activities. Or, to put it in another way, desertification results in persistent degradation of dryland and fragile ecosystems due to man-made activities and variations in climate.

Desertification, in short, is when land that was of another type of biome turns into a desert biome because of changes of all sorts. A huge issue that many countries have is the fact that there are large pockets of land that are going through a process that is known as desertification.

Overgrazing is the major cause of desertification worldwide. Other factors that cause desertification include urbanization, climate change, overuse of groundwater, deforestation, natural disasters, and tillage practices in agriculture that make soils more vulnerable to wind.

Desertification affects topsoil, groundwater reserves, surface runoff, human, animal, and plant populations. Water scarcity in dry lands limits the production of wood, crops, forage, and other services that ecosystems provide to our community.

Key Takeaways

1. A forest is a biotic community predominantly of trees, shrubs and other woody vegetation, usually with a closed canopy.
2. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru referred dam and valley projects as “Temples of modern India”.
3. The highest one is Tehri dam, on river Bhagirathi in Uttaranchal and the largest in terms of capacity is Bhakra dam on river Satluj in Himachal Pradesh.
4. Environmental affect may depend on factors such as mining procedures, ore quality, climate, size of operation, topography, etc.
5. Desertification is defined as a process of land degradation in arid, semi-arid and sub-humid areas due to various factors including climatic variations and human activities.

2.3 Conservation and equitable use of resource for sustainable lifestyle.

   Individual’s role in conservation of natural resources

Different natural resources like forests, water, soil, food, mineral and energy resources play a vital role in the development of a nation. While conservation efforts are underway at National as well as International level, the individual efforts for conservation of natural resources can go a long way.

1.                    Conserve Water

• Don't keep water taps running while brushing, shaving, washing or bathing.
• Check for water leaks in pipes and toilets and repair them promptly. A small pin-hole sized leak will lead to the wastage of 640 liters of water in a month.
• Use drip irrigation and sprinkling irrigation to improve irrigation efficiency and reduce evaporation. Install a small system to capture rain water and collect normally wasted used water from sinks, cloth-washers, bathtubs etc. which can be used for watering the plants

2.                      Conserve energy

• Turn off lights, fans and other appliances when not in use.
• Obtain as much heat as possible from natural sources. Dry the clothes in sun instead of drier if it is a sunny day.
• Use solar cooker for cooking your food on sunny days which will be more nutritious and will cut down on your LPG expenses.

3.                      Protect the soil

• While constructing your house, don't uproot the trees as far as possible. Plant the disturbed areas with a fast-growing native ground cover.
• Make compost from your kitchen waste and use it for your kitchen-garden or flower-pots. Do not irrigate the plants using a strong flow of water, as it would wash off the soil.

4.                      Promote Sustainable Agriculture

• Do not waste food. Take as much as you can eat Reduce the use of pesticides.
• Fertilize your crop primarily with organic fertilizers.

Key takeaways

1. Different natural resources like forests, water, soil, food, mineral and energy resources play a vital role in the development of a nation, however, the individual efforts for conservation of natural resources can go a long way.

References

1. Textbook Of Environmental Science By Deeksha Dave And E.Sai Baba Reddy, Cengage
2. Publications.
3. Text Book Of Environmental Sciences And Technology By M.Anji Reddy, Bs Publication.
4. Comprehensive Environmental Studies By J.P.Sharma, Laxmi Publications.
5. Environmental Sciences And Engineering – J. Glynn Henry And Gary W. Heinke – Prentice Hall Of
6. India Private Limited.
7. A Text Book Of Environmental Studies By G.R.Chatwal, Himalaya Publishing House