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-
- 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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