MODULE 3 - UNIT 1 : HURRICANES, EARTHQUAKES AND MORE RECAP ON WETLANDS- FUNCTIONS OF WETLANDS Flood control eg. Wetlands act like a spnge. The captures and store water and then release it slowing into the environment. Coastal protection ( acts as storm buffers) Water supply Nurseries for marine fish WETLAND DESTRUCTION Draining of wetlands or the filling of them to make ports. Draining for agriculture ( rice planting) or to control mosquito populations. Digging of ponds for fish farming Dredging of wetlands to accommodate harbors. This increases sedimentation. PROTECTION OF WETLANDS- NATIONAL INITIATIVES TO CONSERVE AND PROTECT WETLANDS National wetland policies eg. No fishing in areas that are called conserves. Eg Marine Parks, no fishing policy. In Jamaica it is illegal to mine sand from rivers or seas as well. PROTECTION OF WETLANDSINTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES TO CONSERVE AND PROTECT WETLANDS Ramsar convention on wetlands was established in Ramsar, Iran in 1971. This is a policy that allows courtries that are apart of it ( through the signing of a treaty to dedicate at least one wetland for conservation. In Jamaica, the Montego Bay Marine Park, Black River Morass are two examples of protected wetland areas PROTECTION OF WETLANDSINTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES TO CONSERVE AND PROTECT WETLANDS SPECIES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. The SPAW Program provides regional governments with support in the establishment, monitoring and management of protected areas. PROTECTION OF WETLANDSINTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES TO CONSERVE AND PROTECT WETLANDS SPECIES Came into force in 1999. It requires countries to protect and manage selected coastal plants and animals and their habitats, including mangroves, West Indian Whistling Ducks IMPORTANCE OF NATURAL RESOURCES Livelihood (Income generating activity). (ii) Foreign exchange earner. ( Export of goods and services) (iii) Food security. ( Provides food) (iv) Raw material for industrial processes. (v) Recreation. ( Rivers and beaches to swimming) (vi) Sacred and spiritual value. ( Baptisms at rivers, a place to throw ashes after cremation etc) (vii) Ecosystem value. (viii) Intrinsic value. (ix) Research and teaching. MAJOR CATEGORIES OF NATURAL RESOURCES IN CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES Biodiversity: Both species ( variety in plants and animals and genetic ( variety in the genetic make up these plants and animals.), as well as Ecosystems to include forest; coral reefs; wetlands; seagrass beds; mangroves; freshwater and marine ecosystems. Water as a resource, for example, waterfalls, lakes, streams, groundwater. MAJOR CATEGORIES OF NATURAL RESOURCES IN CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES Minerals and hydrocarbons: bauxite; gold; sand and gravel; oil; natural gas. Soil, landscape and seascape, (beaches, cliffs, mountains). RESOURCES- MORE INFORMATION Factors that affect the use of Natural Resource s 1. Political - government policies on natural resource use: (a) economic development policies; (b) environmental and natural resources policies. RESOURCES- MORE INFORMATION Factors that affect the use of Natural Resource s 1. Political - government policies on natural resource use: (a) economic development policies; ( Foreign exchange, export of natural resources, national dept ( IMF) manufacturing, mining. RESOURCES- MORE INFORMATION Factors that affect the use of Natural Resource s 1. Political - government policies on natural resource use: (b) environmental and natural resources policies. ( Places such as Marine Park that has a no fishing policy, No form of development should be done in places such as the cockpit country etc. RESOURCES- MORE INFORMATION Factors that affect the use of Natural Resource s 2. Technological Factors ( extraction technology to remove resource, the availability of such a technology, the cost, the environmental consequences as well as the efficiency 3. Geographical factors 4. Demographic factors ( will people want this resource to be mined, if so they want in through jobs etc. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF NATURAL RESOURCE species depletion and extinction; - Over fishing is one way in which species can be depleted, gaming( bird shooting is another way) habitat disruption and destruction; - Soil degradation ( modification in the composition of soil), soil erosion, beach erosion disruption of ecosystem processes. BEACH EROSION Look carefully at the photograph HOW BEACH EROSION OCCURS? A beach is the rocky or, most often, sandy zone where the land meets the lake or ocean. This wind also moves the water towards the land, pushing the water to form waves. As the depth of the water decreases towards the beach, the waves change shape. Eventually, the top of the wave crashes over and down onto the beach. Then the water is pulled back out as the next wave makes its way towards the coastline. This constant movement of water in and out across the sand or rocks is similar to the action of sandpaper on wood. Each wave can wash away or as least slightly move a tiny portion of the beach. Over a very long period of time, all these tiny events add up to the rearrangement of the beach. Sometimes, beach erosion occurs at a faster rate, as storms bring larger waves that crash more forcefully onto the beach. Storm waves carry more energy than calm waves, and can quickly wear away beach material. For all the sand lost from a beach, the action of the waves also brings an equal amount of sand ashore. Thus, although the shape of a beach will change, the beach itself will remain. BEACH NOURISHMENT Beach nourishment is the supply of sand to the shore to increase the recreational value and/or to secure the beach against shore erosion by feeding sand on the beach. MEASURES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF THE USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES Use organic fertilizers inorder to decrease soil degradation. Soil should not be left without vegetation as this will cause soil erosion. Do not build structures such as villas and hotels close to the shoreline. Do not use habitats such as wetlands for farming of rice or to establish buildings. INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY The study of relationships between industrial systems and their linkage to the natural ecosystem. FORMATION OF FOSSIL FUELS DISADVANTAGES OF THE EXPLOITATION OF HYDROCARBONS Pollution of rivers and seas Increased sedimentation in river Dust and noise pollution Disruption of fisheries CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION Conservation means adjusting our needs to minimize the use of a particular resource. There are two types of biological conservation methods: Insitu and Exsitu CONSERVATION CONSERVATION RESTORATION RESTORATION PRESERVATION MEASURES AND TOOLS FOR CONSERVATION This organization uses this checklist below to monitor organisms.
