EAS100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 37: Hydrosphere, Resource Depletion, Geosphere

• School: University of Alberta
• Department: Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
• Course: EAS100
• Professor: Korhan Ayranci

Document Summary

Human populations take materials from their environment. Renewable resources : those replenished by new growth each season. Non-renewable resources :those replenished only on longer timescales. Timber, fuel, latex, nuts, fruits, oils, all forest products. Forests link biosphere to other spheres, play many roles. Deforestation (loss of biodiversity, habitat, soil loss) Threats: environmental change, overharvesting, environmental impacts of aquaculture. Arable soil (suited for agriculture) essential for global food supply. Threats: loss of nutrients, contamination, compaction, erosion. Fresh water essential for people, ecosystems, industry, agriculture, recreation, transportation, fisheries. Threats: mining of groundwater, contamination, lack of adequate supply, inter-basin transfers. Excessive groundwater withdrawal leads to resource depletion as well as depression of the water table, drying of springs, streams and wells, compaction and subsidence. Non-renewable resources that make extraction currently or potentially feasible. Resource : naturally occurring accumulation of material in concentrations and amounts. Reserves : resources that can be exploited economically under present conditions.