Food Pyramids

Cont’dTrophic Level Describes the level or

position of an organism in a food chain and ecosystem.

Only 10% of the energy taken in by an organism at one trophic level is passed on to organisms at the next level.The amount of available energy decreases.

Carnivores – Fourth Tropic LevelTertiary Consumers

(eat other carnivores)

Carnivores – Third Trophic LevelSecondary Consumers

Herbivores – Second Trophic LevelPrimary Consumers

Producers - First Trophic Level

Ecological Pyramids

Display relationships between trophic levels in ecosystems and illustrates energy loss and transfer between each level

3 types are: energy, numbers and biomass The size of each layer in the pyramid

represents the amount of energy available. Species in the highest trophic levels have less

energy available to them than those near the bottom. Eg) More producers than herbivores, more herbivores than carnivores

Pyramid of Biomass - The mass of living organisms in each trophic level.

Pyramid of Numbers – The number of individuals of all populations in each tropic level

secondary consumers Pyramid of

(predators, parasites) Biomass primary consumers

(insect herbivores)

Pyramid of of Numbers producers

(trees)