Classification Of Natural Resources Essay

In order to address these issues, we need to understand first what natural resources mean. Natural resources occur naturally on earth in a natural form. It is often described as the amounts of biodiversity existent in various ecosystems. Some natural resources are essential for our survival while others are supplementary.

On the basis of their origin, natural resources are classified in two ways:

Biotic – Biotic resources are obtained from the biosphere. Forests, trees and plants, fish and marine organisms, animals, birds and their derivatives, are important examples. Some minerals such as coal and petroleum are included in this category because they were formed from decayed organic (bio) matters.

Abiotic – Abiotic resources are non-living things like soil, water, air, ores and minerals, such as iron, gold, copper, silver, etc.

On the basis of their accessibility, natural resources may be referred to in the following ways:

Potential Resources – Those exist in some regions of the country and may be used in future. Oil and coal reserve may exist in many parts of the world but not yet drilled out and put into use. It remains a potential resource.

Actual Resources – Actual Resources are those which have already been surveyed, their quantity and quality have been determined and are now being used, i.e., the petroleum and the natural gas in

Some of them, like sunlight, air, rain, etc., are continuously available and their quantity (not quality) is not affected by human consumption. Some renewable resources like river water can be depleted by human use, but may also be naturally replenished, thus maintaining a flow. Some of these resources, like agricultural crops, surface water take a short time for renewal; others, like underground water take a comparatively longer time. There are still other renewable resources, like forests, wild and marine life that takes even longer