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)