Natural Resources, Hazards, and Exploitation: A Comprehensive Overview
1. Natural Resources and Their Exploitation
Natural Resources
Natural resources are elements of nature that society uses to its advantage. They can be categorized as:
- Renewable (able to regenerate quickly) and non-renewable (finite and exhaustible).
- Overexploited, when consumed at a faster rate than they regenerate. This can be mitigated through conservation and control measures.
Natural Hazards and Population
2. Natural Hazards
Natural hazards stem from the behavior of nature, not human action.
- Their effects vary depending on the intensity of the phenomenon and the vulnerability of the population.
- Humans can increase or reduce both hazard and vulnerability.
3. Energy Sources and Mining Activities
Energy Sources
Energy is fundamental to all human activities.
- Energy consumption is very high in developed countries.
- Energy sources can be renewable or non-renewable.
- Currently, non-renewable fossil energy (petroleum) is prevalent, while the use of renewable energies (wind, solar, etc.) is still limited.
Oil in the Global Economy
Oil, a hydrocarbon formed from organic plant matter accumulated in deposits, is the primary energy source today and holds significant economic importance.
- It is controlled by large corporations and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Producers and Consumers
There are distinct producing and consuming regions and countries:
- Main producing regions: Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran), North America (Mexico and USA), the former Soviet Union, the North Sea, and the Gulf of Guinea.
- Main consuming countries: Europe and Asia Pacific.
- Key risks associated with oil include international conflicts and environmental hazards.
4. Fishing and Forest Exploitation
Agriculture
Agricultural spaces occupy one-third of the Earth’s land surface.
- They can be classified by ownership, exploitation methods, land use, cropping systems, farm organization, and investment levels.
- Their diversity stems from natural conditions, population density, history, agricultural practices, and the economic potential of farmers and ranchers.
Types of Agriculture
- Shifting cultivation: The most primitive and least productive type, based on clearing and burning forest areas.
- Sedentary rainfed agriculture: Practiced in savannas, with long fallow periods and nomadic pastoralism.
- Intensive irrigated agriculture: Common in Asian rice paddies and oases, with intensive cultivation and high population densities.
- Plantation agriculture: Modern, monoculture-based, a colonial legacy associated with exports.
Forestry
Diverse landscapes exist:
- Mediterranean polyculture: Cereals, wine, olives (rainfed and irrigated), and intensive horticultural crops.
- Intensive greenhouse agriculture: Requires substantial investments to achieve high productivity per area. Horticultural products are sold in urban markets.
- Highly mechanized cereal monocultures: Found in large plains, these areas have low productivity per area but high output per worker.
Natural Resource Types
- Water
- Soil
- Vegetation
- Fauna
- Atmosphere
- Minerals
Types of Natural Hazards
- Earthquakes
- Landslides
- Tsunamis
- Hurricanes
- Volcanic eruptions
- Floods
Types of Mining Activities
Mining encompasses all activities related to mineral extraction. It can be differentiated by:
- Type of mineral resources: Metals, nonmetals, and energy resources.
- Mining conditions: Open-pit and underground.
Fishing Activities
Different types of fishing are practiced:
- Inshore fishing: Traditional fishing along the coast.
- Deep-sea fishing: The most important type of fishing.
The main fishing grounds are located in areas with cold ocean currents and plankton.
An Exclusive Economic Zone, extending 200 miles from the coast, has been established to control fishing fleets.
Types of Logging
- Coniferous forests at high latitudes (pines, fir, etc.): Primarily used for lower-priced products like lumber and cellulose.
- Equatorial and tropical rainforests (teak, mahogany, etc.): Offer high-quality timber but currently suffer from extensive deforestation.
- Mid-latitude forests (oak, beech, etc.): Under significant pressure and have large reforested areas (pine and eucalyptus).