--- title: "Conflict of resources and ecology" subject: "Technology, Environment and Society" chapter: 4 key: "semester_7/technology_environment_and_society:conflict-of-resources-ecosystem" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/conflict-of-resources-ecosystem site: BCT Engineering --- # Conflict of resources and ecology Technology, Environment and Society · Chapter 4: Environment - Asked in: 2076 Asoj, 8 marks - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/conflict-of-resources-ecosystem - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/technology_environment_and_society/chapter-4 ## Question What do you mean by conflict of resources? What are the main causes of conflict of natural resources? Also explain ecology ecosystems. ## Short answer Conflict of resources is a dispute over access, use and benefit sharing of natural resources. Main causes include scarcity, competing uses, unclear ownership, unequal benefits, development projects, conservation restrictions, transboundary issues and weak governance. Ecology studies organism-environment relationships; an ecosystem is a functional unit of living and non-living components interacting through energy flow and nutrient cycling. ## Answer **Conflict of resources** (natural resource conflict) is a disagreement or dispute between individuals, groups, communities, or countries over the access, use, control, ownership and benefit sharing of natural resources such as water, land, forest, minerals and pastures. It arises when demand is greater than supply or when interests differ (e.g. use vs conservation). #### Main causes of conflict of natural resources 1. **Scarcity** – population growth and climate change reduce per-capita availability of water and land. 2. **Competing uses** – irrigation vs hydropower vs drinking water on the same river; forest for timber vs conservation. 3. **Unclear ownership and rights** – unclear land titles, traditional rights not recognised by law. 4. **Unequal distribution of benefits** – local people bear the cost (displacement) while outsiders get the benefit. 5. **Development projects** – dams, roads and mining that displace people or harm their livelihood. 6. **Conservation policies** – national parks restricting local use (park–people conflict, human–wildlife conflict). 7. **Upstream–downstream and transboundary issues** – e.g. Nepal–India rivers (Koshi, Mahakali). 8. **Weak governance** – corruption, lack of participation, poor law enforcement. 9. **Social differences** – caste, ethnicity, political interest. Examples: disputes over sharing irrigation water from a kulo, community forest boundary disputes, conflicts over hydropower in Upper Karnali or Arun-III about local share and royalties, and human–wildlife conflict around Chitwan National Park. #### Ecology **Ecology** is the scientific study of the relationships between living organisms and their environment (term by Ernst Haeckel, 1866). It studies individuals, populations, communities, ecosystems and the biosphere. #### Ecosystem An **ecosystem** is a self-sustaining unit of nature where living organisms interact with each other and with their non-living environment through **energy flow** and **nutrient cycling**. Examples: forest, pond, grassland. - **Abiotic components:** sunlight, air, water, soil, minerals, temperature. - **Biotic components:** producers (green plants), consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores) and decomposers (bacteria, fungi). ```text Sun -> Producers -> Herbivores -> Carnivores ^ | | v nutrients <---- Decomposers <---+ ``` Energy flows one way and decreases by about 90% at each trophic level (10% law), while nutrients cycle again and again. A healthy ecosystem keeps the resources (water, soil, forest) on which people depend; overuse disturbs it and increases resource conflict. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. What is a natural resource conflict? A. A natural disaster B. Only wars between countries over oil C. Disagreement about prices of goods D. A dispute over access, use, control, ownership and benefit sharing of resources Answer: D. It is a dispute among groups over resource access and benefits. (Key point: Definition) 2. Which situation is an example of unequal distribution of benefits as a cause? A. Local people bear displacement cost while outsiders get the benefit B. Two farmers share a kulo equally C. A scarcity of rainfall D. Use of clean technology Answer: A. Costs falling on locals while benefits go elsewhere breeds conflict. (Key point: Cause: unequal benefit) 3. What links the living and non-living parts of an ecosystem? A. Human management B. Energy flow and nutrient cycling C. Only sunlight D. Only food chains Answer: B. An ecosystem is a self-sustaining unit connected by energy flow and nutrient cycling. (Key point: Ecosystem definition) 4. What does the 10% law say about energy in an ecosystem? A. Energy increases at each level B. 10% of nutrients are lost C. Energy cycles repeatedly like nutrients D. Energy flows one way and about 90% is lost at each trophic level Answer: D. Only about 10% passes to the next level; energy does not cycle, nutrients do. (Key point: Energy flow rule) ## Related in Technology, Environment and Society - [Short note: Conflict of resources](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Aconflict-of-resources-note) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 4 - [Optimum utilization of natural resources](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Aoptimum-utilization-resources) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 4 ## Related in other subjects - [Notes and summary: Australian resources and tourism](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Anotes-summary-aboriginal-tourism) — Communication English, chapter 1 - [Natural resource management approaches and sustainability](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fenergy_resources%3Aenvironment-development-society-resource-management) — Energy Resources, chapter 8 - [Vertical Rising Main system](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Findustrial_power_distribution_and_illumination%3Avertical-rising-main) — Industrial Power Distribution and Illumination, chapter 5 - [Selecting main stations; number of offsets](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fsurveying_i%3Afactors-main-station-number-of-offsets) — Surveying I, chapter 3