Millions wake after shake by 'quake!

Earthquakes such as that which was experienced last night don't occur very often you know - in the UK...about once every 30 years!

Find out more from the following sites:

Y12 Energy and Life Assessment - lessons to learn...

1 The difference between a habitat and a biome is all about SCALE (and complexity of structure, number of food chains, biomass...).

2 Primary Productivity is the amount of new tissue growth (measured in g/m2/year) - it is not the energy produced.

3(i) Look for overall trends as well as referring to specific figures and identifying anomalies.

4(i) You have simply got to sit down and learn diagrams such as this - know your stores and your transfers BUT remember to read the question so that you know which ones the examiners are asking about.
4(ii) READ THE QUESTION!! The output from the soil is leaching; the output from the litter is run-off...so clearly this question wants you to start by thinking about these two (and then moving on to thoughts about management by humans [harvesting, grazing etc.]).

5(i) You must pick up the straightforward marks...
5(ii) This question asked you to make reference from the graph (describe) and use your own knowledge (give reasons). With regard to the former, state "mass greatly reduced at each level - 8009, 120g, 10g etc; with regard to the latter, refer to 90% loss at each stage, energy lost as a result of respiration, movement, excretion etc.

6(a) You won't find four easier marks but you will never get them unless you learn key definitions. Ensure that you refer to the time factor when referring to succession and include examples as part of your definition of both key terms.
6(b) Describe: Number of Species - rapid increase then decline (state specific figures to get more marks). Rate of Growth - two rapid phases with slower (plateau) periods. Biomass - steady then rapid increase (20-100 years) then slows.
Explain: Number of Species - increasing diversity as conditions become less extreme (milder microclimate, better soils etc.). Shading out of species from 50 years onwards. Rate of Growth - reflects plant number/density, height, layering - i.e. rapid colonisation and stability of initial species, then colonisation by bushes and trees. Biomass - reflects number, density and type of species as conditions change.

7 Human arresting factors: deforestation, afforestation, agriculture (arable and pastoral), forest fires.
Natural arresting factors: volcanic eruptions, mudflows, hurricanes, forest fires (caused by lightning).
If you only wrote a list such as this, you would not get more than 5/10. In order to get 6+/10, you must examine in more detail. For example, after stating "strong winds/hurricanes" as a natural arresting factor, you would need to explain why, stating that: "Strong winds will uproot the largest trees and damage other vegetation layers closer to ground level. Whilst this may not completely arrest the succession, it will certainly represent a major interruption to the normal development of the vegetation, not least because the largest trees (the climatic climax vegetation) are now no longer present."

Y10 - Read this to improve the writing of your METHODOLOGY!

Think about the following:

1. WRITE IN DETAIL - say exactly what you did and how you did it
2. Include screengrabs and images if possible to help explain what you did
3. Don't forget to include details of the GIS an and Sampling
4. When writing about WHY you used a certain method, remember to refer back to your original hypothesis (you are trying to prove or disprove it it remember!)
5. You must include your methodology for individual secondary data collection too
6. Include examples of data collection sheets, tables of land use categories etc. to prove exactly what you used on the day
7. Check the wording and the tense...

Death toll rises from US tornado strikes

"Authorities are checking for additional victims of tornadoes that killed at least 26 people, ripped the roof off a shopping mall and blew apart warehouses as they tore across four US states."

Click on the picture above to read more of The Independent's article...

Bali Climate Change Conference: the basics...

Click on the image to find out more...

Scientists identify 'tipping points' of climate change

Nine ways in which the Earth could be tipped into a potentially dangerous state that could last for many centuries have been identified by scientists investigating how quickly global warming could run out of control...

To find out more, click on the picture above and read The Independent's full story...

The World's Biggest Rubbish Dump...

Click on the Image above to find out more...

Eigg-citing times for tiny Hebridean Island!

"The tiny Hebridean island of Eigg has never had a mains supply of electricity, relying on micro-generators to power its crofthouses and small businesses. So what's the feeling ahead of the big switch-on?"

To find out more, click on the picture and read the full story at bbc.co.uk/news...