Natural Resources Vital and Invaluable 2009 abcteach com

Forests A forest is any area with a lot of trees. There are forests all over the world. The type of forest varies depending on the location of the forest: for example, there are tropical rain forests, coniferous forests, and deciduous forests.

Forests occur naturally, but they can be affected positively and negatively by human behavior. If a forest is carefully replanted and allowed to grow, it can exist in balance. If the forest is cut down faster than it can grow back, then it will be used up quickly.

Forests serve as home to many of the organisms that live on the land. Forests are also very important because they are major contributors to recycling and cleaning the world supply of oxygen. Forests also provide wood, which is useful both as a construction material and as a fuel source.

Questions About Forests 1. What is a forest? 2. Where can forests be found? 3. Are forests a renewable resource? 4. How can forests be used as an energy source? 5. In what ways are forests a good source of energy? 6. What are the disadvantages to using forests as a source of energy? 7. How do you use the resource of forests in your life, if at all?

Answers to Forests 1. What is a forest? A forest is an area with a lot of trees. 2. Where can forests be found? Forests can be found all over the world. 3. Are forests a renewable resource? Yes, if they are carefully replanted and allowed to grow. If it is cut down faster than it can grow, then it is not renewable. 4. How can forests be used as an energy source? The wood can be burned for fuel.

Answers to Forests 5. In what ways are forests a good source of energy? It can be renewable. 6. What are the disadvantages to using forests as a source of energy? It pollutes; cutting down trees takes away animal homes and affects the oxygen in the world. 7. How do you use the resource of forests in your life, if at all? Answers will vary.

Fossil Fuels Fossil fuels take millions of years to form. They are the product of the fossilized remains of dead plants and animals that have been exposed to the heat and pressure deep within the earth’s crust. There are many types of fossil fuels, such as petroleum (gasoline), natural gas, and coal.

Fossil Fuels Fossil fuels are arguably one of the most valuable natural resources in modern times. It is estimated that 86 percent of the world’s energy comes directly from burning fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are the source of energy for almost every machine, including the generators that produce electric energy.

Fossil Fuels Because fossil fuels take so long to form, they are being consumed faster than they can be produced. Fossil fuels are a major contributor to air pollution because when they are burned they release many dangerous gases such as nitrogen dioxide, methane, and carbon dioxide.

Questions About Fossil Fuels 1. What creates or causes fossil fuels? 2. Where can fossil fuels be found? 3. Are fossil fuels a renewable resource? 4. How can fossil fuels be used as an energy source? 5. In what ways are fossil fuels a good source of energy? 6. What are the disadvantages to using fossil fuels as a source of energy? 7. How do you use the resource of fossil fuels in your life, if at all?

Answers to Fossil Fuels 1. What creates or causes fossil fuels? Fossil fuels are the product of the fossilized remains of dead plants and animals that have been exposed to the heat and pressure. 2. Where can fossil fuels be found? They are found deep within the earth’s crust. 3. Are fossil fuels a renewable resource? No. Theoretically they are, but as they take so long to form they cannot possibly be replaced at the rate they are consumed. 4. How can fossil fuels be used as an energy source? They are burned to create energy.

Answers about Fossil Fuels 5. In what ways are fossil fuels a good source of energy? They are currently producing 86% of the world’s energy. 6. What are the disadvantages to using fossil fuels as a source of energy? They pollute, they are not renewable. 7. How do you use the resource of fossil fuels in your life, if at all? Answers will vary.

Solar Energy The sun is the closest star to Earth. It brings heat and light to the world. Some areas of the world, such as those closest to the equator, have more sun than others.

The sun shines naturally but it is not affected by human activity. It cannot be used up. However, its intensity varies with the seasons, and it is not available at night. Solar Energy

Solar Energy The sun’s rays are used for energy by organisms that undergo photosynthesis. Nearly every organism on the planet gets energy through photosynthesis, directly or indirectly. There also ways that people can utilize the energy that the sun provides.

Solar Energy We can use solar power in simple (facing the sun to get warm, using greenhouses to grow food, etc. ) and more complex (solar panels for heating) ways.

Questions About Solar Energy 1. What creates or causes solar energy? 2. Where can solar energy be found? 3. Is solar energy a renewable resource? 4. How can solar energy be used as an energy source? 5. In what ways is solar energy a good source of energy? 6. What are the disadvantages to using solar energy as a source of energy? 7. How do you use the resource of solar energy in your life, if at all?

Answers to Solar Energy 1. What creates or causes solar energy? Solar energy comes from the sun. 2. Where can solar energy be found? It can be found anywhere on Earth, in greater concentration closer to the equator. 3. Is solar energy a renewable resource? Yes, it cannot be used up. 4. How can solar energy be used as an energy source? It can be used for warmth, for light, and via solar panels to generate electricity.

Answers on Solar Energy 5. In what ways is solar energy a good source of energy? It is renewable, it doesn’t cause pollution. 6. What are the disadvantages to using solar power as a source of energy? It doesn’t work at night. 7. How do you use the resource of solar energy in your life, if at all? Answers will vary.

Wind is caused by the uneven heating of the atmosphere. Some areas of the world, such as coastal regions, have more wind than others because the terrain of the area is relatively flat and has few obstacles to block the wind from blowing.

Wind The wind blows naturally – it is not caused by human activity, and it cannot be used up. You could not stop the wind from blowing! The power of the wind drives sailboats. It has been used to power windmills that grind grain. Windmills can also use the circular movement of the blades to turn a turbine. This is increasingly used as a means of generating electricity.

Wind power does not make greenhouse gas emissions. It does not directly cause pollution. However, critics of wind power say a large number of windmills could cause problems for animals, especially migratory birds. Some people think the windmills are unattractive.

Questions About Wind 1. What creates or causes wind? 2. Where can wind be found? 3. Is wind a renewable resource? 4. How can wind be used as an energy source? 5. In what ways is wind a good source of energy? 6. What are the disadvantages to using wind as a source of energy? 7. How do you use the resource of wind in your life, if at all?

Answers to Wind 1. What creates or causes wind? Wind is caused by the uneven heating of the atmosphere. 2. Where can wind be found? It can be found everywhere, though it is greater in coastal regions and other relatively flat terrains. 3. Is wind a renewable resource? Yes, because it cannot be used up. 4. How can wind be used as an energy source? Wind can power windmills to power turbines to make electricity.

Answers to Wind (cont. ) 5. In what ways is wind a good source of energy? It doesn’t cause pollution and it is renewable. 6. What are disadvantages to using wind as a source of energy? It could hurt some animals and some people think the windmills are ugly. 7. How do you use the resource of wind in your life, if at all? Answers will vary.

Biodiversity § Means “different living things” § The many different life forms we have on the planet are an important natural resource

What drives biodiversity? § Evolution- Living things changing over time to better survive § What are the 3 factors that drive evolution? § Natural selection- “Survival of the fittest” § Female choice- What do the ladies like? § Mutation- How living things get new traits

What threatens biodiversity? § Natural causes include meteor impacts, volcanic activity, and climate change § In the past 450 million years there have been five major events when over 50% of animal species died. § The most recent, the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, which occurred approximately 65 million years ago, was a large-scale mass extinction of animal and plant species in a geologically short period of time.

Mass extinction events § Ordovician–Silurian extinction event (End Ordovician or O-S): 450– 440 Ma at the Ordovician. Silurian transition. Two events occurred that killed off 60% to 70% of all species.

Mass extinction events § Late Devonian extinction: 375– 360 Ma 70% of all species. This extinction event lasted perhaps as long as 20 Ma, and there is evidence for a series of extinction pulses within this period.

Mass extinction events § Permian–Triassic extinction event (End Permian): 251 Ma at the Permian-Triassic transition. Earth's largest extinction killed 90% to 96% of all species

Mass extinction events § Triassic–Jurassic extinction event (End Triassic): 200 Ma at the Triassic-Jurassic transition. About 70% to 75% of all species went extinct.

Mass extinction events § Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event (End Cretaceous, K-T extinction, or KPg extinction): 65 Ma About 75% of all species became extinct. Mammals and birds emerged as dominant land vertebrates in the age of new life.

Mass extinction events § Right now we are in what scientists identify as the 6 th mass extinction event § What are the factors driving this one? § How are they different? § How are they the same? § Is there anything we can do about it?