Biodiversity 'Hotspots'

For the new topic under study for Unit 3 ('Biodiversity Under Threat'), you will need to have some understanding of these 'hotspots' - what they are, where they are located and why they are vulnerable to change due to man's activities. Some personal research is necessary: a good starting point is the website for Conservation International's 'Center for Applied Biodiversity Science', accessed here. Get some general information about 'hotspots', then choose a specific one and research its location, what special species it contains, and why it is threatened. For example, look at the New Caledonia hotspot... whose 'Crested Gecko' is illustrated on the right.

Should we sell off our lochs?

Title of an article from the Sunday Times. Good for the AS Unit 3 Topic 'Water Conflicts'.

Fair Trade

The Guardian carried a supplement at the weekend celebrating 15 years of the Fair Trade Foundation. Use the following two articles to answer the questions about Fair Trade and the work they do.

Fairtrade mark turns 15

Fair from every point of view

Impact of climate change in the Arctic and Africa

AS Geography requires two compulsary case studies of the impacts of climate change - Arctic and Africa.

Create case study sheets for each using the following headings:

Introduction to the region

Evidence for climate chnage in the region

Why is the region vulnerable?

Physical impacts

Human impacts

Your text book offers a starting point (p53-56), but you will need to supplement this with your own research. Some links below to help you:

Arctic

There is a large amount of information on the internet which can help you with this compulsary case study. The Natural Resources Defence Council answers some key questions, as does the Pew Centre on Global Climate Change. More information is given by the Centre for International Environment Law. A search in some of the newspaper sites can be productive. For example, the Guardian which has articles such as this and this. Finally, the BBC is always a good source of information. There are a number of good articles - for example: here and here.

Africa

The BBC has articles which would be a good starting point. The WWF has written two very good papers on the impacts in East Africa. The Stern Report into climate change also had a chapter referencing the impacts of climate change on Africa. It is very long - but try just reading the Executive Summary.

Wildfires

We study wildfires in AS. This week's New Scientist has a very interesting article on them as a contributor to and consequence of climate change. If you need the password for the New Scientist account, see RDH.

All Upper Sixth Geographers should be reading around the various topics and doing their own research. I have put a 'Study Skills Guide' from Edexcel onto the 'shared' server - you should know how to get there, but if not click here. Make sure you have read through this document carefully - there is a lot of good advice within it!

Top grades are awarded to those candidates who show a good grasp of a range of detailed case studies, so - no snoozing at your desk!

Indonesian earthquakes

Use the following links to complete the worksheet on the earthquakes in Indonesia last week.

Begin with this article from the Guardian which refers to the first earthquake on Wednesday evening.

Then go here to read the report of the second earthquake less than 24 hours later on Thursday morning.

Incredibly, there was a third earthquake later on Thursday.

There is an excellent picture gallery of photos of the disaster.

Finally, read this article from the Sunday Times.

Energy security issues

In Upper Sixth lessons recently we have been looking at the issues surrounding energy security. One case study that will serve to illustrate the factors involved is that of the supplying of Russian gas to western Europe. For a discussion of the main problems (from an unusual Chinese perspective) start with this link, or for a more European perspective click here. What can be done? It is proposed to build other gas pipelines through less geopolitically-sensitive areas, such as the 'South Stream' pipeline to Bulgaria, or the Nabucco pipeline through Turkey.