Resources and Development

Flashcards related to resources and development.

Resource

Everything available in our environment which can be used to satisfy our needs, provided it is technologically accessible, economically feasible and culturally acceptable.

Biotic Resources

Resources obtained from the biosphere and have life such as human beings, flora and fauna, fisheries, livestock etc.

Abiotic Resources

Resources composed of non-living things such as rocks and metals.

Renewable Resources

Resources which can be renewed or reproduced by physical, chemical or mechanical processes are known as renewable or replenishable resources. For example, solar and wind energy, water, forests and wildlife, etc.

Non-Renewable Resources

Resources which take long geological time for their formation. Minerals and fossil fuels are examples of such resources. These resources are considered non-renewable because their rate of formation is much smaller than their rate of consumption.

Potential Resources

Resources which are found in a region, but have not been utilised. For example, Rajasthan and Gujarat have enormous potential for the development of wind and solar energy, but so far these have not been developed properly.

Developed Resources

Resources which are surveyed and their quality and quantity have been determined for utilisation. The development of resources depends on technology and level of their feasibility.

Stock

Materials in the environment which have the potential to satisfy human needs but human beings do not have the appropriate technology to access these, are included among stock. For example, water is a compound of two gases: hydrogen and oxygen, which can be used as a rich source of energy. But, we do not have the required technical ‘know-how’ to use them for this purpose. Hence, it can be considered as stock.

Reserves

The subset of the stock which can be put into use with the help of existing technical ‘know-how’ but their use has not been started. These can be used for meeting future requirements.

Sustainable Development

Sustainable economic development means ‘development should take place without damaging the environment, and development in the present should not compromise with the needs of the future generations.

Agenda 21

It is the declaration signed by world leaders in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), which took place at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It aims at achieving global sustainable development.

Net Sown Area

The physical extent of land on which crops are sown and harvested is known as net sown area.

Gross Cropped Area

Area sown more than once in an agricultural year plus net sown area is known as gross cropped area.

Land Degradation

Continuous use of land over a long period of time without taking appropriate measures to conserve and manage it.

Soil

The most important renewable natural resource. It is the medium of plant growth and supports different types of living organisms on the earth.

Alluvial Soil

The most widely spread and important soil. In fact, the entire northern plains are made of alluvial soil. These have been deposited by three important Himalayan river systems- the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra.

Black Soil

Black in colour and are also known as regur soils. Black soil is ideal for growing cotton and is also known as black cotton soil.

Red and Yellow Soils

Red soil develops on crystalline igneous rocks in areas of low rainfall in the eastern and southern parts of the Deccan plateau.

Laterite Soil

Derived from the Latin word later which means brick. The laterite soil develops under tropical and subtropical climate with alternate wet and dry season. This soil is the result of intense leaching due to heavy rain.

Arid Soils

Arid soils range from red to brown in colour. They are generally sandy in texture and saline in nature.

Forest Soils

Found in the hilly and mountainous areas where sufficient rain forests are available. The soils texture varies according to the mountain environment where they are formed. They are loamy and silty in valley sides and coarse grained in the upper slopes.

Soil Erosion

The denudation of the soil cover and subsequent washing down.

Contour Ploughing

Ploughing along the contour lines can decelerate the flow of water down the slopes.

Terrace Cultivation

Steps can be cut out on the slopes making terraces. Terrace cultivation restricts erosion. Western and central Himalayas have well developed terrace farming.

Strip Cropping

Large fields can be divided into strips. Strips of grass are left to grow between the crops. This breaks up the force of the wind.

Shelter Belts

Planting lines of trees to create shelter also works in a similar way. Rows of such trees.