Ecological Pyramids

Ms. Headley
 Objectives
• Identify and explain the different types of Pyramids e.g. Pyramid of
numbers, energy and biomass.
• Analyse which of the pyramids is a true representation of an ecosystem.
(Advantages and Disadvantages of the various pyramids)
 What are pyramids?
• Food webs and food chains have been used to represent different
communities and the feeding relationships in an ecosystem.
• Scientist who study feeding relationships between members of different
communities have noticed that most communities have more plants than
herbivores, more herbivores than small carnivores and so on.
• They also know that the amount of energy transferred from level to level
decreases.
• However, food chains or food webs don't show these differences in number
or energy levels.
• Scientists use a type of graph called an ecological pyramid to show the
different patterns in ecosystems.
 Types of Pyramids
• There are three main ecological pyramids

• Pyramid of numbers - shows the number of organisms at each trophic level at a

particular time
• Pyramid of biomass- shows the dry mass of organisms at each trophic level at a
particular time. The dry mass is the mass of an organism when completely dried.
(Without water).
• Pyramid of energy- shows the total energy content of organisms at each trophic
level over a certain period of time.
 Pyramid of Numbers
• Represents the number of organisms at each trophic level of a food
chain within a given area.
• Organisms are first counted then grouped into trophic levels of a given area.
• The number of organisms at any trophic level is represented by the length
(or area) of a rectangle. That is the length is proportional to the number of
organisms.
• Generally, as the pyramid is ascended (as you go up trophic levels), the
number of organisms decreases, but the size of each individual increases.
 Problems with drawing a Pyramid of
Numbers
• Trophic levels of organisms difficult to determine.
• The range of numbers may be enormous – 500 000 grass plants may only
support a single top carnivore- so that drawing the pyramid may be very
difficult.
• Pyramids may be inverted, particularly if the producer is very (e.g. oak tree)
or parasites feed on the consumers (e.g. bird lice on owl, ticks on dog)
• Hence it does not take into consideration the size and age of organisms. This
intern gives an inaccurate representation of food chains.
• SO WHY NOT USE Pyramid of biomass
 Pyramids of Biomass

• Represents the biomass (number of individuals x mass of each individual) at

each trophic level at any one time with the length mainly or width of the
rectangle being proportional the biomass calculated.
• N.B. To find the mass of all organisms at a specific trophic level=Mass for
trophic level= mass of 1 organism x number of organisms.

• This should eliminate the inversion and scale problems encountered when
constructing a pyramid of numbers and hence give more detail as compared
to a pyramid of numbers.
 Problems with drawing a Pyramid of
Biomass
• To collect biomass data dry mass must be obtained.
• To obtain dry mass organism must be killed and therefore in most cases a
small sample is taken to calculate for whole system.
• Collection of this data takes a long time, effort expensive in terms of
equipment.
• An inverted pyramid of biomass can occur if the producer level includes
organisms with high turnover rate (rapid rate of reproduction) so that they
have a high productivity over a period of time.(producers grow rapidly
that a small mass can have a fast rate of production supporting larger
animals)
• Pyramid of biomass refers to a sampling situation at any one time and
therefore deals with standing crop (total biomass at given time) rather than
with productivity- the capacity of any trophic level to produce biomass over
a period of time e.g. zooplankton in a marine ecosystem.
• SO IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO CONSIDER Pyramids of energy
 Pyramids of Energy
• Represents the flow of energy through each trophic level of an ecosystem during a fixed
period of time (usually one year, to account for seasonal effects the energy values are
expressed in kj m-2 yr-1
• Shows the energy of organisms for each trophic level
• Each rectangle shows amount of energy available for the next trophic level in a given area.
• Only 10 % of energy is available to subsequent trophic levels.
• It takes into account the rate of production.
• Inverted pyramids are not obtained.
• Input of solar energy can be added as an extra rectangle at base of pyramid.
• These pyramids are considered to be the most accurate
 How to construct a Pyramid
• Use of graph paper is needed.
• Determine the data to be calculated for use in construction of graphs.
• i.e. The number of organisms in each trophic level for pyramids of numbers

• Biomass for each trophic level

• Mass for trophic level = mass of 1 organism x number of organisms.
• Amount of energy for each trophic level – (10%) of successive levels
• The following things must be included in your graph
• Title of graph – below graph page in CAPS and underlined
• e.g. PYRAMINDS OF ENERGY FOR TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM
• Axes must be labelled with units
• x axis- number of organisms, biomass/unit , energy/ unit
• y axis- trophic level
• Plot graph using an appropriate scale ACCURATELY.
• Draw a line in middle to show half the number on each side
• Draw bras for each trophic level
• Once graph is constructed, trophic levels should be identified or labelled