ESS

ACTIVITY 1

MYA EL YAALAOUI
 Pyramid of Numbers
It's a graphical representation of the relative numbers of organisms at each
trophic level in an ecosystem.

The base of the pyramid represents the primary producers (e.g. plants and
algae) which use sunlight and inorganic compounds to produce organic matter
through photosynthesis. These organisms are the foundation of the ecosystem
and support the entire food web.

The next level up the pyramid represents the primary consumers (e.g. herbivores) which consume
the primary producers. The number of primary consumers is typically less than the number of
primary producers.

As you move up the pyramid, the number of organisms at each level decreases because energy is lost as it moves
through the food web.
The top of the pyramid represents the apex predators, (e.g. lions or sharks) which have very few numbers in an
ecosystem.
The pyramid of numbers helps us understand the relationship between the different organisms in an ecosystem and the
flow of energy through it.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE PYRAMID OF NUMBERS

Assumes that the ecosystem is in a constant

Straightforward and basic depiction of the
condition and does not take into account
interactions between species in an ecosystem.
variations in population numbers over time.

Depicts the link between the many creatures in an

Only offers a limited amount of information about
environment and how energy moves through the
the ecosystem and does not account for other
food chain.
essential aspects such as biomass or energy flow.

Simple to build( may be built using data that is Does not account for the size of the organism ( yet
most of the time easy to collect, such as population the size of the organism has a significant impact in
figures for various species) the flow of energy in an ecosystem) .
Pyramid of productivity

Graphical representation of the relative amounts of energy

or biomass produced at each trophic level in an ecosystem.

The different levels of the pyramid represent the same

trophic levels as the pyramid of numbers (from base to top:
primary producers, primary consumers, apex predators).

The pyramid of productivity helps us understand the

relationship between the different organisms in an
ecosystem and the flow of energy through it.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE PYRAMID OF
PRODUCTIVITY

Shows the interaction between the many creatures

SAME AS THE PYRAMID OF NUMBERS
in an ecosystem and how energy travels via the
food chain are depicted.

Shows how much energy is accessible at each

trophic level, as well as how much energy is wasted
as it goes through the food chain.

Can be used to determine an ecosystem's

efficiency.