Lesson Outline LESSON 3

Land Resources
A. Land as a Resource
1. Something from Earth that living things use to meet their needs is called
a(n) .

2. includes natural habitats and the land on which

buildings, sidewalks, parking lots, and streets are built.
3. make up only a small percentage of land use in the
United States; most land is used for , grasslands, and forests.

B. Forests and Agriculture

1. Forests have regrown since 1920, but the new trees are not as
as the original trees.

2. Forests are cut down to get wood for , paper products,

and wood products and to clear land for development
and .

a. The amount of land used for agriculture has in

recent years.
b. Crop production has in some parts of the country
due to advances in farming techniques.
3. Certain are mined to make products that people use
every day.
a. Deposits of minerals that are large enough to be mined for a profit are
called .

b. Ores such as bauxite and hematite are called mineral

resources and are used to make metal products.
c. mineral resources include sand, gravel, gypsum,
halite, sulfur, and fluorite.
C. Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Land Resources
1. One advantage of using resources is that they are
widely available and easy to access.
2. Another advantage of using land resources is that crops and trees are
—they can be replanted and grown in a relatively short
amount of time.

50 Natural Resources
Name Date Class

Lesson Outline continued

3. Disadvantages of using land resources include the following:

are nonrenewable and using land resources can result
in and pollution.

a. The cutting of large areas of forests for human activities is

called .

b. Deforestation can lead to soil and loss of animal

habitats.

c. Deforestation can affect global because trees remove

from the atmosphere during photosynthesis.

d. that contains chemicals from mineral mines can

pollute soil and water.

e. Chemical fertilizers in from farms can pollute rivers,

soil, and water supplies.

D. Managing Land Resources

1. There is competition for because the amount of land is

limited.

2. On land, logging and development is banned or strictly

controlled.

3. According to government regulations, public and private mined lands must

be .

4. Land used for farming and grazing can be managed to conserve

and improve crop .

5. Organic farming techniques do not use fertilizers.

6. By recycling yard and vegetable

, you can help conserve land resources.

Natural Resources 51
 Content Practice A LESSON 3

Land Resources
Directions: Complete the chart by writing the correct phrase from the list in the space provided.

• wood products such as fuel and paper

• soil erosion and loss of animal habitats
• agriculture, forests, living space
• by preserving them
• minerals resources such as coal or iron
• by recycling
• mix chemicals with soil and water

In what ways do people 1.

use land?

Name a product that 2.

comes from forests.

Name a product that 3.

comes from mines.

What can happen when 4.

forests are cut down?

How can coal mines 5.

affect soil and water
quality?

How can governments 6.

manage forests and
other ecosystems?

What is one way you can 7.

manage land resources?

Natural Resources 53
 Key Concept Builder LESSON 3

Land Resources
Key Concept Why is land considered a resource?
Directions: Answer each question on the lines provided.

1. Which type of land use is the largest in the United States?

2. Beside natural habitats, what are two other ways land is used as living space?

3. How were forests used in the past? How has this use changed?

4. How does housing development affect the amount of forested area?

5. About how much land in the United States is used for growing crops?

6. About how much land in the United States is used for grazing livestock?

7. Though the amount of land used for agriculture has decreased in recent years, crop
production has increased? What makes this possible?

8. What effect did land use have on forested areas in the United States between 1620 and
1920?

9. What are ores?

10. What are two metallic mineral resources used for living spaces?

11. What are two examples of nonmetal mineral resources used in paints?

12. Why is coal an energy resource and a mineral resource?