The Educational Resource Summary
Introduction

A Volcanic Island Rises From The Sea :
Some 3 millions years ago, when earth's vegetation was already much as we know it today, Reunion Island emerged from the Indian Ocean, far from continents ... So, just a short time ago, this island was nothing more than a barren rock in the middle of the ocean . The water and the air were the only possible paths of colonization, plus the birds and finally human beings .
  • How did living things come to grow in this rocky area ?
  • Water and what was brought by sea ...
  • What was carried by the winds ...
  • The birds
  • Human beings
  • Question
From Bare Lava to a Forest :
On a volcanic island rising from the sea, the cooling lava shrinks and cracks, permitting water to filter in . Thus begins a long process of plant colonization, lasting between 2 to 4 centuries depending on the climate .
  • The lichen and moss stage
  • The fern stage
  • First trees and bushes stage
  • The forest stage
Activity:
  • Building a Moss Aquarium
    This experiment will help you to better understand what happens in a natural environment.
    During an outing in a humid forest, gather the following:
      • a small number of different types of mosses,
      • some gravel,
      • some oil .
  • Endemic species
  • Questions
The Climate Of Tropical Islands:
  • Anticyclones and depressions
  • The imbalances
  • The rotation of the wind
  • Experiment
  • Questions
  • The hurricanes
  • A new island
  • True or false
The Solitary Sailor and The Hurricanes:
On the high seas in the month of February, two cruising yatchs are threatened by the approach of hurricane Dany 300 miles away . Dany is moving westward at 25 kph . The yatch A is located to the southwest of the hurricane, yatch B to the northwest .
In your opinion, which yatch has the better chance of escaping ?
Epiphyte Plants and Parasits:
  • Symbiosis
  • Research
  • Questions
Red Volcanoes, Grey Volcanoes :
  • Formation of volcanoes
  • Map of the world with 10 volcanoes
  • Questions
Precursor Signs of an Eruption :
  • The design of a seismograph
  • Questions (with diagram)
Canyoning
  • Diagram of how the descender works
  • Questions (with diagram)
  • Equipment used :
  • Question
  • Practical exercise

Organising an Expedition :

  • Practical exercise
  • Questions