ECOLOGICAL PYRAMID


ecological pyramid

ECOLOGICAL PYRAMID


Ø  The use of Ecological Pyramid was first described by Charles Elton in 1927.
Ø   Ecological Pyramids are graphical representation of the number of individual present or amount of biomass synthesized or amount of energy stored at successive trophic levels in an ecosystem.
Ø  Ecological Pyramids are starting with producers at the base and successive trophic levels forming the apex are known as an Ecological pyramid.


Types of  Ecological Pyramids-

  1. Pyramid of numbers-


Ø  Graphical representation of numerical strength of various populations in different trophic levels per unit area of an ecosystem.
Ø  Usually upright.
Ø  Inverted and spindle shaped only in some parasitic food chain and tree ecosystem.

2. Pyramid of Biomass-


Ø  Biomass is the total weight of living matter per unit area.
Ø  In terrestrial ecosystem, Biomass decreases from the producer level to the consumer level. So, the pyramid of biomass of terrestrial ecosystem is upright.
Ø In aquatic ecosystem producer are small organisms, so their biomass is less. The primary and secondary consumers are bigger, so their biomass is more. Therefore pyramid of biomass of aquatic ecosystems are inverted.

3. Pyramid of energy-


Ø  In an ecosystem energy flows from the producer level to the consumer levels.

Ø  During energy flow 80-90%  of energy lost at each trophic level and only 10% of energy is transferred to the next trophic level.
Ø  Therefore pyramid of energy is always upright.



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