Sustainable Natural Resources - Essay Example

Term 3 Assignment. Using a d example illustrate how natural income and natural capital enable a resource to be sustainable. You can not use any of the examples that have been given to you previously (i.e. timber or fish stocks) Natural resources have forever been an important material basis for a stable national economy and social development. They can be divided into two categories: the exhaustible, such as minerals, and the inexhaustible, such as forests and grasslands. as industrialization and urbanization grows, mankind's great demand for natural resources and their large scale exploitation and consumption is leading to the weakening, deterioration and exhaustion of these resources. The world is faces with a challenge to guarantee the lasting utilization of natural resources at the lowest possible environmental cost while still assuring economic and social development. Natural Resources & Environment (NRE) is a broad emphasis area with major impact on the quality of our world. NRE programs strengthen the nation's capacity to address critical environmental priorities and contribute to improved air, soil, and water quality; fish and wildlife management; enhanced aquatic and other ecosystems; the sustainable use and management of forests, rangelands, watersheds, and other renewable natural resources; and a better understanding of global climate change, including its impact on the diversity of plant and animal life. These programs also demonstrate the benefits and opportunities of sustainable development, and contribute to the economic viability of agriculture and rural communities and realizing the impact of environmental policies and regulations. The sustainability of natural resources immensely depends on the use and management decisions of individual private landowners, who have a collective control over more than two-thirds of the nation's land and water resources. As agriculture is no longer the largest element in the economic base of most rural communities, natural resource wealth and income opportunities are becoming more important to farmers, ranchers, other landowners, and communities. Pressures on land and natural resource use are becoming more and more competing and conflicting.. Public demand keeps growing for natural resource products, services, and improved environmental quality. On the other hand, changing demographics and social values bring new challenges. Urbanization has serious impacts on ecosystem structure and function and they are becoming increasingly fragmented for the production of food and forest products. The goal should aim at discovering new, improved ways to use and manage natural resources and educational programs that teach best management practices will enhance environmental and economic benefits, as well as human well-being. These are critical ecological strategies are investments for our future Outline a process by which you could determine primary gross and net productivity, use data to support your process. The term "Production" implies to the creation of new organic matter. When a plant grows, new organic matter is created by the process of photosynthesis, which converts light energy into energy stored in chemical bonds within plant tissue. This energy fuels the metabolic machinery of the plant. New compounds and structures are synthesized, cells divide, and the plant grows in size. When we attempt to measure the rate at which photosynthesis occurs, or the rate at which the individual plant increases in mass, we are concerned with primary production (definition: the synthesis and storage of organic molecules during the growth and reproduction of photosynthetic organisms). * Gross Primary Production, GPP, is the total amount of CO2 that is fixed by the plant in photosynthesis. * Respiration, R, is the amount of CO2 that is lost from an organism or system from metabolic activity. Respiration can be further divided into components that reflect the source of the CO2. Rp =Respiration by Plants Rh = Respiration by Heterotrophs Rd = Respiration by Decomposers (the microbes) * Net Primary Production, NPP, is the net amount of primary production after the costs of plant respiration are included. Therefore, NPP = GPP - R * Net Ecosystem Production, NEP, is the net amount of primary production after the costs of respiration by plants, hetertrophs, and decomposers are all included. Therefore, NEP = GPP - (Rp + Rh + Rd) Measurement of Net Ecosystem Production is of great interest when determining the CO2 balance between various ecosystems, or the entire earth, and the atmosphere. Secondary production is the gain in biomass or reproduction of heterotrophs and decomposers. The rates of secondary production are much lower than the rates of primary production. Production can be measured by two general approaches: (a) The rate of photosynthesis, or (b) The rate of increase in plant biomass. (a) Rate of Photosynthesis: the equation for photosynthesis : 6 CO2+ 6 H2O sunlight C6H12O6 + 6 O2 If we could place our plants in a closed system, and measure the depletion of CO2 per unit time, or the generation of O2, it would get us a direct measure of primary production. The method is illustrated well in the studies of aquatic primary production. The surface waters of lakes and oceans have mostly unicellular algae, and most consumers are microscopic crustaceans and protozoans. Both the producers and consumers are small in dimension, and hence are easily contained in a liter of water. By putting these organisms in a bottle and turning on the lights, we get photosynthesis. Turning off the lights means turning off the primary production. However, darkness has no effect on respiration. Remember that cellular respiration is the reverse process from photosynthesis. C6H12O2 -------- 6 CO2 + 6 H2O The bottles (light and dark) are filled with water (taken from same place and depth) which contains the tiny plants and animals of the aquatic ecosystem. The bottles are closed with stoppers to prevent any exchange of gases or organisms with the surrounding water, and are suspended for a few hours at the same depth from which the water was originally taken. Inside the bottles CO2 is being consumed, and O2 is being produced, and the change over time in either one of these gases can be measured before suspending the bottles, the initial O2 concentration is determined and expressed as mg of O2 per Liter of water (mg/L). Then, the final value is measured in both the light and dark bottles after a timed duration of incubation. Light bottle: In the light bottle there is photosynthesis taking place, or Gross Primary Production (GPP), and there is Respiration (R). The difference between these two processes, as we saw above, is Net Primary Production = NPP = (GPP - R) Dark bottle: In the dark bottle there is no photosynthesis and only respiration Initial bottle = 8 mg O2 /L ; Light bottle = 10 mg O2 /L ; Dark bottle = 5 mg O2 /L The oxygen increased in the light bottle compared to the initial due to photosynthesis, and the oxygen decreased in the dark bottle due to respiration. With this information we can calculate the Respiration, NPP, and GPP for our system: (Light - Initial) = (10 - 8) = 2 mg/L/hr = (GPP - R) = NPP (Initial - Dark) = (8 - 5) = 3 mg/L/hr = Respiration (Light - Dark) = (10 - 5) = 5 mg/L/hr = (NPP + R) = GPP (b) Rate of Biomass Accumulation: This method is used for larger plants, forests or entire fields of crops and uses tracers and gas exchange techniques. These measurements now form the basis of our investigations into how primary production affects the carbon dioxide content of our atmosphere. Explain the process of eutrophication (both natural and artificial). Name three sources that lead to artificial eutrophication and how they can be reduced. Natural eutrophication is defined as a process by which lakes gradually age and become more productive. It is the enrichment of an ecosystem with chemical nutrients, typically compounds containing nitrogen, phosphorus, or both and normally takes thousands of years to progress. However, humans, through their various cultural activities, have greatly accelerated this process in thousands of water bodies around the world. Cultural or anthropogenic "eutrophication" is water pollution caused by excessive plant nutrients. Humans add excessive amounts of plant nutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen, and carbon to streams and lakes in various ways. Runoff from agricultural fields, field lots, urban lawns, and golf courses are common sources of these nutrients. Untreated, or partially-treated, domestic sewage is another major source. Sewage was a particular source of phosphorus to lakes as the detergents contained in it had large amounts of phosphates which acted as water softeners to improve the cleaning action, but also proved to be powerful stimulants to algal growth when they were washed or flushed into lakes. The excessive growth, or "blooms", of algae promoted by these phosphates changed water quality in many lakes. The oxygen depletion caused by these lead to death and depletion of aquatic fauna. Many native fish species disappeared, to be replaced by species more resistant to the new conditions. Beaches and shorelines were fouled by masses of rotting, stinking algae. Controlling this problem has now become a paramount need. Health-related problems can arise when eutrophic conditions interfere with drinking water treatment .Eutrophication can be a natural process in lakes, occurring as they age through geological time. Also, estuaries tend to be naturally eutrophic because land-derived nutrients are concentrated where run-off enters the marine environment in a confined channel and relatively high nutrient fresh water mixes with low nutrient marine water occurs. This phenomenon of eutrophication can be artificial (or cultural) or natural, depending on if a human or non-human process causes it. The sources of artificial pollution can be further divided into urban or rural. Urban causes of eutrophication include domestic sewage, industrial wastes and storm drainage. Industrial sources may be locally important, depending on the type of industry, the volume of effluent and the amount of treatment it receives. Rural sources include agriculture, forest management and rural dwellings. The solubility of nitrate means that agriculture is a major contributor of it to freshwaters and often up to half of the nitrogen applied to crops is lost to ground water. The loss of nitrate from agricultural land is largely by erosion. The other chief source of nutrients from agricultural industry is livestock farming: The management of forests may have local effects on the nutrient loading of rivers: regular fertilization of forests may cause local eutrophication. Rural dwelling often dispose of their sewage into septic tanks, which may cause local pollution. Taking appropriate measures to counteract all the above mentioned causes and devise more environmental friendly means of waste disposal is of utmost importance if ecosystem balance is to be preserved What is pollution Using a named example explain how it can be controlled and why it should be. Definition:" Pollution is the release of harmful environmental contaminants, or the substances so released. Generally the process needs to result from human activity to be regarded as pollution. Even relatively benign products of human activity are liable to be regarded as pollution, if they precipitate negative effects later on. The nitrogen oxides produced by industry are often referred to as pollution, for example, although the substances themselves are not harmful." Air- pollution: Air is the ocean we breathe. It supplies us with oxygen which is essential for our bodies to live. Air is composed of 99.9% nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor and inert gases. Human activities can release substances into the air, some of which can cause harmful effects to humans, plants, and animals. There are several main types of air- pollution and their effects which include smog, acid rain, the greenhouse effect, and "holes" in the ozone layer. Each of these problems has serious health implications and adverse effects on us as well as the whole environment. One type of air pollution involves the release of particles into the air from burning fuel for energy. Diesel smoke is a good example of this particulate matter. Another common type of air- pollution is the release of noxious gases, such as sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and chemical vapors. These gases can take part in further chemical reactions once they are in the atmosphere, forming smog and acid rain. Steps are being taken at a global level to stop the damage to our environment from air pollution. Scientific groups are studying the damaging effects on plant, animal and human life. Legislative bodies are writing laws to control emissions. Educators in schools and universities are teaching students, beginning at very young ages, about the effects of air pollution. Assessment is the first step to solving the problems arising from air-pollution. Researchers have investigated outdoor air pollution and have developed standards for measuring the type and amount of some serious air pollutants. Scientists must then determine how much exposure to pollutants is harmful. After safe exposure levels have been set, steps can be undertaken to reduce exposure to air pollution. These can be accomplished by regulation of man-made pollution through legislative action. Many countries have set controls on pollution emissions for transportation vehicles and industry. This is usually done with the aid of a variety of coordinating agencies which monitor the air and the environment. The Atmosphere Management Program at theUnited Nations, carries out world wide environmental projects. In the United States, the primary federal agency is the Environmental Protection Agency. Many state and local organizations also participate in monitoring and controlling the environment. Prevention is another key to controlling air pollution. The regulatory agencies play an essential role in reducing and preventing air pollution in the environment. In addition, many types of air pollution that are not regulated can be easily prevented through personal, careful attention to our interactions with the environment Building materials should be reviewed for potential harmful effects. Adequate ventilation is also an important measure which helps in controlling exposure to indoor air pollution. Home and work environments should be monitored for adequate air flow and proper exhaust systems installed. Only through the efforts of scientists, business leaders, legislators, and individuals can we reduce the amount of air pollution on the planet. This challenge must be met universally in order to assure that a healthy environment will exist for the present as well as future generations. Air pollution can affect our health in many ways with both short-term and long-term effects which depend largely on individual sensitivity and also on the total exposure to the damaging chemicals, i.e., the duration of exposure and the concentration of the chemicals. Examples of short-term effects include irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, and upper respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia .Long-term health effects can include chronic respiratory disease, lung cancer, heart disease, and even damage to the brain, nerves, liver, or kidneys Research into the health effects of air pollution. Is making rapid progress. Medical conditions arising from air pollution can be very expensive which result in Healthcare costs, lost productivity in the workplace, and human welfare impacts a nations economy. Describe how you could a. Determine biodiversity of an area. b. numbers of animals in a certain population Use data to support your claims Biodiversity can be assessed by Biodiversity Evaluation Tools (BET's), which involve combinations of indicators of biodiversity and the identification of common, standardized methods to apply them in different biogeographically regions. An ecosystem has three basic components: structure (e. g. physical aspects), composition (e. g. species) and function (e. g. regulating mechanisms). Biodiversity of a given area should be analyzed accordingly. A forest ecosystem can be characterized by Key Factors which can be grouped according to the major ecosystem components and furthermore, the scale (national/regional, landscape and stand levels) must be taken into account. The relative importance of the Key Factors varies among different areas. Indicators are the tools used to assess the Key Factors of forest biodiversity; indicator schemes should be adapted to the specific objectives of biodiversity assessment as well as to the forest types concerned. Key Factors may include biotic and biotic factors that directly or indirectly influence biodiversity. Factors may vary among regions and parts of regions and are classified as structural, compositional (species, functional Groups etc.) Or functional (disturbance or management regimes Biological diversity, or biodiversity, refers to the variety of species found in the world. One way to estimate biodiversity is to count the number of distinct species that can be found within a given area. Biodiversity serves as an important measure of an ecosystem's health. The more diverse an ecosystem is, the greater the probability that some species will be able to survive a sudden disturbance in it. Scientists are concerned about the loss of biodiversity for many reasons, especially the fact that there are many undiscovered animals and plants. Biological Sampling involves carefully measuring a small section of a larger area and then mathematically applying these measurements to the larger area. Although it might not always be always as accurate as counting all of the organisms in a given area, it saves time and money and provides a strong estimate for generalization to a larger area. The distribution patterns of animal species over the area (evenly or unevenly) will make a difference in the accuracy of the estimate. Also, the larger the sampled area, the more accurate the results. An area's species richness can be assessed using quadrats to find out how many species And how many individuals of each species live there. A quadrat is a known amount of area from 1 square meter to 100 square meters (may be a square, rectangle or circle) depending on what's being studied. It's important to know exactly how large the quadrat you will be using is to figure out the biodiversity of an area and be able to compare it to the same size place in a different area. A quadrat can be a square, a rectangle, or even a circle, just as long as the size of its area is known. Secondly, it is important to see how many of the quadrats would fit into this larger area. Next step would be to divide site area by the area of a single quadrat to find the quotient. To determine an estimate of the biodiversity of the entire site, multiply the number of all species found in a single quadrat And the number of quadrats that would fit into the entire site. REFERENCES: Bartram, J., Wayne W. Carmichael, Ingrid Chorus, Gary Jones, and Olav M. Skulberg. 1999. Chapter 1. Introduction, In: Toxic Cyanobacteria in Water: A guide to their public health consequences, monitoring and management. World Health Organization. Song W., Teshiba T., Rein K., and O'Shea K. E. 2005 (In press). 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Pickett, editors. Humans as components of ecosystems. Springer-Verlag, New York, New York, USA. Martin A. and G.D. Cooke. 1994. Health risks in eutrophic water supplies. Lake Line 14:24-26. Mungall C. and D.J. McLaren. 1991. Planet under stress: the challenge of global change. Oxford University Press, New York, New York, USA. Read More