Ecological Pyramids Ecological Pyramid An ecological pyramid is

Ecological Pyramids

Ecological Pyramid An ecological pyramid is a graphical representation designed to show the number of organisms, energy relationships, and biomass of an ecosystem. Succeeding levels in the pyramid represents the dependence of the organisms at a given level on the organisms at lower levels.

Three Types of Ecological Pyramids Energy Pyramid Biomass Pyramid Numbers Pyramid

Energy Pyramids Represents the loss of energy with each transfer in a food chain. Energy Pyramids are always upright as the total amount of energy available for utilization in the layers above is less than the energy available in the lower levels. This happens because during energy transfer from lower to higher levels, some energy is always lost.

Energy Pyramids

Biomass Pyramids Biomass- the total mass of organisms in a given area Demonstrates the amount of matter lost between trophic levels. Two types of biomass pyramids: upright and inverted.

Biomass Pyramids Upright Inverted

Number Pyramids Represents the number of organisms in each trophic level. Plot of relationships between the number of herbivores (primary consumers), first level carnivore (secondary consumers), second level carnivore (tertiary consumers) and so forth.

Number Pyramids