Understanding the Environment and Natural Resources

Chapter I: The Environment and Natural Resources

What is the Environment?

The environment is a dynamic, global, and comprehensive system. From a holistic perspective, it is a system characterized by the permanent transfer, exchange, and transformation of matter, energy, and information. It encompasses all space composed of both biotic and abiotic elements, integrating the biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and anthroposphere. It is the external world that surrounds every living thing, determining its existence. All living organisms, including humans, are part of the environment and rely on it for survival. This is also referred to as the setting, surroundings, or nature.

What Comprises the Environment?

The environment consists of a set of extrinsic factors categorized as:

• Physical Factors
• Biological Factors
• Human and Socioeconomic Factors

Physical Factors (Abiotic)

Also known as inanimate, inert, or non-living, these factors relate to the inorganic world. Disciplines that study these aspects include glaciology, geology, geotectonics, hydrology, climatology, soil science, geomorphology, oceanography, and geography. Physical aspects include nutrients, solar energy, rocks, minerals, water, air, soil, light, moisture, planets, the sun, the moon, asteroids, comets, stars, and galaxies. Climate factors include humidity, precipitation, density, and wind patterns.

Biological Factors (Biotic)

These relate to the organic, animated, or living world. They consist of relationships between living beings, such as feeding relationships between species. In summary, biological aspects include all living beings: humans, plants, animals, and microorganisms.

Human and Socioeconomic Factors

• Occupation and Work: Exposure to chemical, physical, or biological hazards.
• Urbanization: Urban and economic development.
• Disasters: Wars and natural catastrophes like floods.

Natural Resources

Natural resources are all components or elements of nature that serve living beings to meet their needs and promote the development of our community.

A Mega-Diverse Country: Global Rankings

• 84 of the 117 life zones in the world.
• 4th among the 17 mega-diverse countries.
• 4th in the world for forest area.
• 25,000 species of flora (10% of the world total).
• 30% of these species are endemic.
• 5th in the world in the total number of species.
• 1st in the world in the number of known plant species with documented properties (4,400 species used for 49 purposes).
• 1st in the world in native domesticated species.
• 2,000 species of fish (10% of the world total).
• 2nd in birds, 3rd in amphibians, and 3rd in mammals.