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Ecological Pyramids
Ecological Pyramids
Definition
Graphic representation of trophic structure and function of an ecosystem, starting with producers at the base and successive trophic levels forming the apex is known as an ecological pyramid An ecological pyramid is a diagram that shows the relationship amounts of energy or matter contained within each trophic level in a food web or food chain.
ECOLOGICAL PYRAMIDS
Food chains and food webs do not give any information about the numbers of organisms involved. This information can be shown through ecological pyramids.
Types of pyramids
Pyramid of numbers Pyramid of biomass Pyramid of energy
PYRAMID OF NUMBERS
Shows the number of organisms at each trophic level per unit area of an ecosystem with producers forming the base and top carnivores the tip.
Pyramid of Numbers
Pyramid of numbers displays the number of individuals at each level.
1 owl
Pyramid of Numbers
Pyramid of Numbers
In a parasitic food chain, for e.g., an oak tree, the large tree provides food to several herbivorous birds. The birds support still larger population of ectoparasites leading to the formation of an inverted pyramid.
Pyramid of Numbers
When a large tree support larger number of herbivorous birds which inturn are eaten by carnivorous birds like falcon and eagle, which are smaller in number, it forms a spindle shaped pyramid.
Pyramid of biomass records the total dry organic matter of organisms at each trophic level in a given area of an ecosystem.
Pyramid of energy
Shows the amount of energy input to each trophic level in a given area of an ecosystem over an extended period with producers forming the base and the top carnivores at the tip. Pyramid of energy is always upright It is so because at each transfer about 80 90% of the energy available at lower trophic level is used up to overcome its entropy and to perform metabolic activities. Only 10% of the energy is available to next trophic level
Energy Pyramid
In nature, ecological efficiency varies from 5% to 20% energy available between successive trophic levels (95% to 80% loss). About 10% efficiency is a general rule.
sun---> heat (longer wavelengths) ---> biochemical energy by plants ---> consumers FIRST LAW of THERMODYNAMICS:
Energy can be converted from one form to another, but cannot be created or destroyed.
Primary productivity
Primary productivity is the rate of energy capture by producers. the amount of new biomass of producers, per unit time and space
Gross primary production (GPP) = total amount of energy captured Net primary production (NPP) = GPP - respiration Net primary production is thus the amount of energy stored by the producers and potentially available to consumers and decomposers. R= Respiratory loss NU = energy not used NA = energy not assimilated A= assimilated energy P= energy used for production D= Dead matter
UNIVERSAL MODEL