Resources From Living Things

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Welcome to class! 

In today’s class, we will be talking about resources from living things. Enjoy the class!

Resources from Living Things

Living things are things that have life in them. Resources from living things (biotic resources) are essential things we get from plants and animals. Resources from living things bring wealth, foods, medicine, etc.

• Animal resources

Animal resources are products obtained from animals which have several personal and economic values. Some of these resources are;

 1. Hides and Skin:

Hides and Skin products obtained from animals treated for human use. They are used in making leather to design shoes, bags, belts, etc. The skin is usually from smaller animals such as goat, sheep, dogs, etc. while the hides a usually obtained from a bigger animal such as horses, cows, bull, etc.

2. Bones:

Bones of animals are used to produce glues, plates, comb, etc.

3. Food:

Some of the foods we eat come from animals, e.g. meat, egg, fish, milk, etc. Using animals as a source of food provides us with protein, fat, iron, zinc, vitamins, etc.

4. Droppings and dungs:

They are waste products that are excreted by animals. Droppings and dungs serve as organic manure which fertilizes the soil to help the plant grow faster and richer in vitamins.

5. Wool:

Wool is a fine wavy textile fibre used for knitting and making cloth. It is obtained from the fur of animals such as goat, sheep, ram, etc.

6. Medicine:

Liver oil and liver extract are obtained from the liver of fishes and it is used to produce several medicines.

7. Horn and tusk:

Horn and tusk are mostly found in mammals, and they are used for making musical instruments and decorations.

8. Feather and shell:

Feathers and shell are mostly used for decorations.

• Plant resources

Plant resources are vital and essential things we get from plants, e.g. crops, herbs, etc. Plants are grown for different purposes, e.g. herbs are grown to treat, cure, or prevent different kinds of ailments. Plant resources can be divided into five major groups, these are:

1. Cash crops
2. Food crops
3. Crops for textile
4. Wood crops
5. Medicinal crops

For more explanation;

 1. Cash crops:

Cash crops are plant products that are produced primarily for sale in exchange for money. Examples of cash crops include; oil palm, coffee, cocoa, sugarcane, groundnut, rubber, cotton, kola nut, sweet and Irish potato, etc.

2. Food crop:

Food crops are crops grown mainly for human consumption. Examples of food crop include; beans, wheat, corn, etc. food crop is further divided into classes; fruits, seeds, underground crops, oil plant and leafy vegetables.

• Fruits: fruits are types of crops that provide different vitamins and minerals salts to the body. Example of fruits includes; orange, pawpaw. Apple, tomato, peach, plum, etc.
• Seeds: Seeds are embryonic plants that are mostly covered in a protective outer layer. Seeds supply us with starch, fats and protein. Examples of seeds include; rice, barley, beans, millet, sorghum, etc.
• Leafy vegetables: Leafy vegetables are plants grown mainly for their leaves. Consumption of Leafy vegetables provides the body with vitamins m (vitamins A and C) and mineral salts (iron and calcium). Examples of leafy vegetables include bitter leaf, cabbage, a fluted pumpkin (ugwu), lettuce, etc.
• Oil plants: Oil plants are used to produce different types of oil, e.g. groundnut oil, palm oil, etc. Examples of oil plants include groundnut, palm fruit, coconut, etc. The oils are also used in margarine and soap making.
• Underground crops: Underground crops are stem tubers, e.g. Irish potato, yam, cocoyam, etc. or root tubers, e.g. cassava sweet potato, or bulb, e.g. lilies, garlic onion, etc.

3. Wood crops:

Wood crops are planted mainly to produce wood. When wood crops mature, they are felled and used for several purposes, eg, such as fuel in cooking Wood crops are classified into two major categories these are; Softwood and Hardworking

• Softwood: Softwood is used in making planks, paper, matchstick, etc. Examples of such trees include cedar, pine, redwood, spruce, etc.
• Hardwood: Hardwood is used to make a pole, plank construction work, furniture etc Examples of such trees include iroko, mahogany Sapele, obeche, etc.

4. Medicinal crops:

Medicinal crops are also referred to as medicinal herbs. Almost all the body parts of medicinal crops (roots, bark, leaves) are used as medicine traditionally to treat, cure, or prevent different kinds of ailment. Examples of medicinal crops include tea grass, lemongrass, the bark of cashew tree, aloe Vera plant, mango leaves, etc.

5. Crop for textiles:

Crops for textiles are used to produce dyes, clothes, fibre, ropes, bags, etc. Examples of crops for textiles include; sisal, cotton, hemp, marijuana, palm leaves, etc.

 

In our next class, we will be talking more about the Economic Importance of Resources Gotten from Plants and Animals.  We hope you enjoyed the class.

Should you have any further question, feel free to ask in the comment section below and trust us to respond as soon as possible.

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