Energy Movement in Ecosystems: Trophic & Energy Pyramid

Organisms can be classified into trophic (feeding) levels depending on how they get their energy. Organisms that get their energy from nonliving sources (sun, organic matter) are called autotrophs (producers) and make up the 1st trophic level. Organisms that get their energy from other living things are called heterotrophs (consumers). Heterotrophs that eat autotrophs make…

The Outer Planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto & Charon

Our solar system is divided into two sections, the first section being the inner planets consisting of Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. The inner planets have rocky crusts, dense mantle layers, and very dense cores. The second section consists of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Except for Pluto, the outer planets are gaseous with…

Geologic History Chart

Era Time Millions of Yrs Ago Began — Ended Major Geological Events Major Biological Events Canadian Landforms Created Precambrian (earliest life) 4600      570 – volcanoes erupted, many cycles of mountain building and erosion – 1st single-celled organisms – 1st multi-celled organisms – Canadian Shield formed Paleozoic (ancient life) 570        245 – periods when large parts…

Evolution: Synapomorphies & Cladogram

Divergent and Convergent Pathways Once a new species forms, its evolutionary pathway may diverge from the original species. Disruptive selection continues long after speciation has occurred resulting in divergent evolution. Divergent evolution: occurs when two or more species evolve increasingly different traits, resulting from differing selective pressures or genetic drift. Species with significantly different morphological…