Ecological pyramids definition and types
An ecological pyramid is a graphical representation designed to show the number of organisms, energy relationships, and biomass of an ecosystem. They are also called Eltonian pyramids after Charles Elton, who developed the concept of ecological pyramids.
Producer at Which trophic Level
Producer organisms (usually green plants) form the base of the pyramid, with succeeding levels above representing the different trophic levels (respective position of the organisms within ecological food chains).
Succeeding levels in the pyramid represent the dependence of the organisms at a given level on the organisms at lower level. There are three types of pyramids: of numbers, of biomass, and of energy.
Pyramid of Biomass
Biomass is renewable organic (living) material. A pyramid of biomass is a representation of the amount of energy contained in biomass, at different trophic levels for a particular time.
Amount of energy
It is measured in grams per meter or colories per meter. This demonstrates the amount of matter lost between trophic levels. Each level is dependent on its lower level for energy; hence the lower level determines how much energy will be available to the upper level. Also, energy is lost in transfer so the amount of energy is less high up the pyramid.
Pyramid of Numbers and Trophic Level
The pyramid of numbers represents the number of organisms in each trophic level. This pyramid consists of a plot of relationship between the number herbivores (primary consumers), first level carnivore (secondary consumers), second level carnivore (tertiary consumers) and so forth.
This shape varies from ecosystem to ecosystem because the number of organisms at each level is variable.
Pyramid of Energy and Trophic Level
They pyramid of energy represents the total amount of energy consumed by each trophic level. An energy pyramid is 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.
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