Tectonic Activity: What you need to know!

The Earth.s crust is unstable and creates hazards:
Global distribution of continental plates. Tensional and compressional margins. The processes of plate movements should be understood and their role in the formation of fold mountains, earthquakes and volcanoes.
Characteristic features and formation of fold mountains, earthquakes (focus, epicentre) and volcanoes (composite and shield volcanoes).
Occurrence and measurement of earthquakes:
The link between earthquakes and plate boundaries to be understood.
The interaction between people and the environments and hazards created by tectonic activity.
Description and explanation of human activity in one range of young fold
mountains. Study of one range of fold mountains e.g. tourism, farming, and HEP in the Alps or Rockies.

Case study of effects and responses to a volcanic eruption and an earthquake to include primary and secondary effects and the short medium and long term responses. Two case studies are required, a volcanic eruption e.g. Montserrat and an earthquake eg. Kobe. Study to include the short, medium and long term responses of different interest groups e.g. local and national government, aid agencies etc.

Settlement issues in areas of tectonic activity . the advantages and disadvantages of settlement in areas of tectonic activity. Students should appreciate that areas affected by tectonic activity present both advantages and disadvantages for settlement e.g. the threat of a volcanic eruption versus the fertile soils for farming as on the slopes of Mount Etna or the threat of avalanches and difficulty of communications versus the valuable minerals able to be mined in the Andes mountains.

Variations in the effects of and responses to tectonic activity between rural and urban areas, and between MEDCs and LEDCs. A consideration of the values and attitudes of different interest groups. Choice of earlier case studies from both an MEDC and LEDC will make it easier for students to appreciate these variations. Consideration may be given to differences in population densities, building materials, availability of emergency services, quality of communication networks, relative wealth etc. Values and attitudes to tectonic activity may include the unwillingness of some people to accept the hazard or the need to use the fertile soils through to those who would advise abandonment of areas prone to tectonic activity.

There are a significant number of earlier posts on the management of tectonic activities. Use the spec. to 'traffic light' your knowledge & understanding. Remember that the questions can highlight VERY specific areas of the spec. e.g. shield volcanoes!