Biology Private Lessons

🌿 O-level Biology lessons 🌿
📍Luqa or Online💻
- Guaranteed attention in small groups
- Notes provided 🗒️
- Focus on SEC past papers
Contact me for more information!

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For the first time ever, watch the Maltese National Plant blossoming. The Maltese Rock-centaury - Widnet il-Baħar. Endemic to the Maltese Islands i.e. found nowhere else. Part of an evolutionary processes taking thousands of years, where the isolation of Malta from mainland Europe and Africa, created new species, adapted for island conditions. In fact, considering its size, Malta is very rich in endemic and sub-endemic species of plants and animals, that went through the similar evolutionary process. Thanks to Savior Bonnici for producing this unique footage from the Natura Maltija - Maltese Nature documentary. Enjoy!

🇲🇹 Peress li ninsabu f'arċipelagu fiċ-ċentru tal-Mediterran, ħafna minna li ngħixu jew inqattgħu ħin fil-Gżejjer Maltin, għandna bilfors ikollna idea ta’ x’inhi Posidonia oceanica (imsejħa wkoll Alka jew Posidonja). Hija l-aktar speċi ta’ ħaxix tal-baħar mifruxa li tinsab fil-Baħar Mediterran. Endemika għar-reġjun tal-Mediterran, Posidonia oceanica tiffjorixxi fl-ilmijiet kostali baxxi. Huwa stmat li 25,000 sa 50,000 kilometru kwadru ta' baħar kostali baxx, jew 25% tal-qiegħ tal-baħar f'fond minn 0 sa 40 metru, huwa miksi minn dan il-ħaxix tal-baħar.

Posidonia oceanica tikber f'firxiet vasti li jkopru l-qiegħ tal-baħar. Toħloq ekosistemi ta’ sbuħija kbira li jgawdu minnhom l-għaddasa u snorkelers. Il-valur veru tiegħu jmur lil hinn minn dan il-fattur estetiku ‘superfiċjali’.

Sfortunatament, ħafna għadhom ma jagħtux każ l-importanza tagħha. Aktar minn nofs l-ossiġnu fl-atmosfera ġej mill-baħar. Ġustament, dawn il-firxiet vasti ta' Posidonia oceanica ġew imsejħin bħala l-pulmun tal-Mediterran. Stimi jindikaw li kull metru kwadru ta' dan il-ħaxix jipproduċi minn 10 sa 15-il litru ta' ossiġnu kuljum permezz tal-fotosintesi. Fotosintesi hija l-proċess li bih il-pjanti (kemm tal-baħar kif ukoll ta’ l-art) jużaw id-dawl tax-xemx, l-ilma u d-dijossidu tal-karbonju biex jipproduċu ossiġnu u enerġija. Għal din ir-raġuni, il-ħabitats tal-Posidonja jaġixxu wkoll bħala ħażna tal-karbonju. Huwa stmat li kull metru kwadru ta' ħaxix tal-baħar jassorbi 83 gramma ta' karbonju kull sena. Dan jgħin biex itaffu l-effetti li l-gassijiet serra għandhom fuq il-pjaneta tagħna.

Is-sinifikat ta' l-Alka testendi aktar. Il-mergħat vasti tal-ħaxix tal-baħar għandhom rwoli ewlenin fl-istabbilizzazzjoni ta' qiegħ il-baħar. Huma jkissru il-mewġ u jipproteġu l-kosta mill-erożjoni. Jinkoraġġixxu wkoll id-depożitu ta' partiċelli sospiżi fl-ilma.

Fost il-ħafna funzjonijiet tiegħu, l-Alka hija wkoll speċi li tindika l-kwalita' tan-natura. Peress li dan il-ħaxix huwa sensittiv ħafna għat-tniġġis u kapaċi tgħix b'suċċess biss f'ilmijiet relattivament nodfa, l-istat tas-saħħa tal-mergħat ta' Posidonia oceanica jagħti dettalji vitali ħafna dwar il-kwalità ġenerali tal-ilmijiet kostali. Fl-aħħarnett, il-ħaxix tal-baħar jappoġġja ekosistema diversa billi jipprovdi speċijiet tal-baħar bi spazji għat-tnissil, l-għalf u l-kenn.

Posidonia oceanica qed tiffaċċja theddid minn diversi fronti. It-tniġġis, it-tkarkir, l-irmiġġ tal-bastimenti u l-iżvilupp kostali eċċessiv huma kollha kawżi ta’ rigressjoni fil-mergħat. Jeħtieġ li jsir aktar f'termini ta' azzjoni diretta u l-promozzjoni ta' prattiki tajba ta' konservazzjoni. Il-Posidonia oceanica hija speċi li tikber bil-mod ħafna. Li nreġġgħu lura bis-sħiħ il-ħsara li saret fl-aħħar deċenji hija diġà impossibbli, għalhekk l-azzjoni trid tkun waħda deċiżiva!

🇬🇧 Being an archipelago, most of us who live or spend time in the Maltese Islands, must have an idea of what Posidonia oceanica is. It is the most widespread species of seagrass found in the Mediterranean Sea. Endemic to the Mediterranean region, Posidonia oceanica (also referred to as Neptune grass) thrives in shallow coastal waters. It is estimated that 25,000 to 50,000 square kilometres of shallow coastal waters, or 25% of the sea bottom at a depth of 0 to 40 metres, is covered by this sea grass.

Posidonia oceanica grows in vast meadows that cover the sea floor. It creates ecosystems of great beauty that are enjoyed by scuba divers and snorkelers alike. Its true value goes beyond this ‘superficial’ aesthetic factor.

Unfortunately, many are still oblivious to its importance. More than half of the oxygen in the atmosphere comes from the sea. Rightly so, Posidonia oceanica beds have been dubbed the lungs of the Mediterranean. Rough estimates indicate that every square metre of Neptune grass produces 10 to 15 litres of oxygen daily through photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants (both marine and terrestrial) use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce oxygen and energy. For this reason, Posidonia habitats also act as carbon sinks. It is estimated that every square meter of sea grass absorbs 83 grams of Carbon annually. This helps to alleviate the effects that greenhouse gases have on our planet.
The significance of Posidonia oceanica extends further. The vast sea grass meadows play key roles in stabilizing seabeds. They break swells and waves, protecting the shore from erosion. They also encourage the deposit of suspended particles.

Among its many functions, Neptune grass is also a vital indicator species. Being very sensitive to pollution and able to thrive only in relatively clean waters, the state of health of Posidonia oceanica meadows can tell a lot about the overall quality of coastal waters. Finally, sea grass supports a diverse ecosystem by providing marine species with breeding, feeding and shelter spaces.

Posidonia oceanica is facing threats from several fronts. Pollution, trawling, mooring of ships and excessive coastal development are all causes of regression in meadows. More needs to be done in terms of direct action and the promotion of good conservation practices. Being a slow-growing species with a slow rate of recovery, fully reversing the damage done within our lifetime is already impossible, so action must be swift!

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Do you know what makes birds appear blue? 💙

It’s a pigment of your imagination - this Greater Blue-Eared starling has brown pigment, but the feathers produce a trick of the light called structural colouration. Light waves interact with keratin structures in the feathers, amplifying blue wavelengths of light back to our eyes.

by Anthony Press

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Sapevi che… Nelle aree più profonde del Mar Mediterraneo la temperatura non scende mai al di sotto dei 12,8 °C? Infatti le nostre acque sono in media 10 °C più calde di quelle dell'Oceano Atlantico ad una profondità di fondale uguale. È anche per questo che da sempre il Mar Mediterraneo è stato habitat ideale per una biodiversità unica! C'è una concentrazione di specie qui più alta che in ogni altra parte del pianeta.... Ma è sotto una continua minaccia. Come si fa a non sentire la responsabilità di proteggerla?

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Did you know that… In the deepest areas of the Mediterranean Sea, the temperature never drops below 12.8 °C? In fact, our waters are on average 10°C warmer than those of the Atlantic Ocean at the same seabed depth. This is why the Mediterranean Sea has always been the perfect habitat for a unique biodiversity! There is a higher concentration of species here than anywhere else on the planet.... But it is under constant threat. How can you not feel the responsibility to protect it?

Di3A - Unict Università di Catania University of Malta Interreg V-A Italia Malta