Ecosystems, Resources, and Sustainable Development
Ecosystems and Their Resources
An ecosystem encompasses all living beings inhabiting a given area and their relationship with their environment. Large ecosystems are known as biomes.
Resource Depletion
Renewable resources are energy sources like wind, solar, and biomass. If the consumption rate exceeds the renewal rate, it leads to resource exploitation.
- Nuclear fuels provide substantial energy from small quantities of radioactive material.
- Mineral resources require a high concentration of minerals for
Construction Techniques: Lattice Frameworks
Lattice frames are carpentry works that form the sturdy frame or skeleton of a set or design element. Frames can be vertical, horizontal, or inclined. In each of these cases, they are called:
- Vertical: Lattice walls.
- Horizontal: Lattice floors and ceilings.
- Inclined: Lattice deck.
Horizontal Components of a Lattice
Carrera – A horizontal beam placed on walls and designed to support other parts or to link buildings; for example, beams that constitute the forging of the floors.
Lintel – A timber that
Read MoreAncient Greek Architecture: Crete, Mycenae & Temple Design
Ancient Greece: A Cultural and Architectural Overview
Background: Crete and the Aegean
Crete, an island situated between the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas, boasts a rich history. The Cretan civilization (Neolithic, Bronze Age) thrived through trade, exploration, and naval supremacy, influencing the Peloponnese and the culture of Mycenae.
Architectural Characteristics
Cretan architecture is characterized by:
- Palaces, mansions, private homes, and tombs resembling labyrinths.
- Well-planned layouts with windows.
Oceanic Lithosphere, Plate Boundaries, and Mountain Formation
Mid-Ocean Ridges and Oceanic Lithosphere
Mid-ocean ridges are seamounts rising above the abyssal plain, broken by transform faults. The Atlantic Ridge features a central rift valley.
Oceanic lithosphere forms in a column. Subduction zones, often located near deep ocean trenches, are areas where the lithosphere is recycled back into the Earth’s interior.
Lithospheric Plate Boundaries
The boundary between two lithospheric plates is called a plate boundary. There are three main types:
- Oceanic ridges: Boundaries
Landscapes, Hazards, and Human Impacts
Landscapes and Their Formation
A landscape is what we perceive of a territory that has been modeled by natural processes and human activities.
Natural Hazards and Environmental Impacts
Natural hazards refer to the probability that a natural process may inflict damage on people and their property within a given landscape.
Environmental impacts are the effects, both positive and negative, that human actions have on the landscape.
Landscape Types
Landscapes can be broadly categorized into: natural landscapes,
Read MoreRaw Materials and Energy Sources in Spain
Raw Materials
Raw materials can be classified by their origin:
- Organic: Sourced from farming, forestry, or livestock.
- Minerals: Extracted from deposits. These are further divided into:
- Metallic minerals: Used in basic industry.
- Non-metallic minerals: Used in the construction and chemical industries.
- Industrial rock: Used in construction.
Insufficient domestic production necessitates reliance on foreign trade. Spanish mining policy, aligned with EU targets, aims to increase competitiveness, improve the
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