Ecological Pyramids: Definition, Meaning, Types, Importance, Structures, Functions

What Is An Ecological Pyramid?

An ecological pyramid can be defined as a graphical representation where it shows the relationship between trophic levels in an ecosystem. They are used to illustrate the structure and functioning of energy transfer, biomass, and the number of organisms at each trophic level.

Importance Of Ecological Pyramids

Ecological pyramids are very important tools to understand the flow of energy, the distribution of biomass, and the population structure within the ecosystem. They help in picturizing the efficiency of energy transfer and identifying impotence potential imbalances in ecosystems.

Types Of Ecological Pyramids

All three types of ecological pyramids are brought out: pyramids of numbers, pyramids of biomass, and pyramids of energy. Each type gives a new vision concerning the structure and function of the ecosystem.

• Pyramids of numbers indicate the population size of individual trophic levels.

• Pyramids of biomass are the total mass of living matter at any level.

• Energy pyramids describe the flow of energy passage in the ecosystem, which can tell us the efficiency at every trophic level.

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This Story also Contains

1. What Is An Ecological Pyramid?
2. Importance Of Ecological Pyramids
3. Types Of Ecological Pyramids
4. Comparison Of Various Types Of Pyramids
5. Laws of Thermodynamics And Ecological Pyramids
6. Human Impact On Ecological Pyramids
7. Drawbacks Of Ecological Pyramids
8. The Recommended Video On Ecological Pyramids:

Pyramid Of Numbers

A pyramid of numbers describes the number of individual organisms at each trophic level in an ecosystem, but it usually has the shape of a pyramid because of the ample number of producers at the base and relatively smaller top number due to less number of top-level predators.

• Forest Ecosystem: Many small plants at the base, fewer herbivores like deer, and even fewer top predators like tigers.

• Grassland Ecosystem: Many grasses, herbivores like rabbits and fewer predators like hawks.

• Inverted Pyramid in Parasitic Food Chains: A tree with many birds that are parasitized by still more fleas.

Diagram

Pyramid Of Biomass

A pyramid of biomass is a graphical representation of the total mass of organisms at each trophic level in a terrestrial ecosystem over a unit area.

• High mass in trees as well as other plants which are further followed a step down by lesser mass of herbivores and then lesser mass of carnivores.

• In some aquatic ecosystems, an inverted pyramid can be seen. Here the biomass of phytoplankton is less than that of zooplankton.

Diagram

Pyramid Of Energy

A pyramid of energy is a diagrammatic representation of energy flow through the trophic levels of an ecosystem over a given period. It normally assumes a pyramid shape because of the loss of energy at each trophic level.

The forest ecosystem may have a large input energy at the base of the pyramid due to sunlight trapped by trees, but the aquatic ecosystem can have a different pattern in the flow of energy.

Diagram

Comparison Of Various Types Of Pyramids

Pyramid of Numbers

• Simple construction clearly shows the number of individuals at each trophic level.

• No method to show the sizes of biotic constituents could be inverted.

Pyramid of Biomass

• It highlights the mass of living matter and thus can be compared to the productivity of different ecosystems.

• Seasonal variation may cause errors in measurement. In some ecosystems, it may be inverted, as in the case of aquatic systems.

Pyramid of Energy

• The closest representation for the flow of energy, considering the loss of energy at every level of age.

• Data collection can be very laborious and time-consuming and does not consider the quality of energy, only the quantity.

Mutually exclusive pyramids support each other and provide an all-round view of the ecosystem dynamics. It indicates the directions in which diversion of attention must be done to detect areas of energy wastage, distribution of biomass, and population structure.

Laws of Thermodynamics And Ecological Pyramids

The laws are explained below:

First Law Of Thermodynamics (Conservation of Energy)

In general, it is applied in an ecosystem where energy can neither be created nor destroyed but is converted into another form. Ecological pyramids depict the way through which the conversion of solar energy into chemical energy occurs in producers and is sent through the trophic level.

Second Law Of Thermodynamics (Entropy)

As energy transfer between different trophic levels is a very inefficient process especially when almost 80% of the food consumed is expended in moving and other metabolic processes, a lot of energy is wasted in the form of heat only a decreasing amount of energy is left to be transferred to the rest of the tropic levels, hence causing the energy available in the pyramid of energy to be decreasing as the

Modifications in ecological pyramid structure due to human activities, like pollution and habitat destruction, having reduced numbers of producers and consumers, can lead to an imbalance in an ecosystem.

Human Impact On Ecological Pyramids

There is going to be an impact on the energy flow and distribution of biomass due to climate change, which is very sensitive to the stability and structure of ecological pyramids. Climate change can bring about changes in a population of species and disturbances in food webs.

Conservation policies strive to restore and maintain ecological pyramids in a balanced form through habitat protection, restraining pollution, and application of sustainable resource management practices.

Drawbacks Of Ecological Pyramids

The limitations of each type of pyramid include:

Pyramid of Numbers

• Drawing a pyramid of this is deceptive as the size of animals isn't considered.

• In parasitic chains or in several other ecosystems where the organisms are small, the pyramid can be inverted.

Pyramid of Biomass

• Seasonally fluctuating biomass.

• Inverted pyramids can be found in some ecosystems, such as aquatic systems where the biomass of primary consumers can be much larger than that of producers.

Pyramid of Energy

• Is difficult, tedious, and time-consuming to collect data for energy transfer.

• Only measures the quantity of energy rather than quality or usability.

The Recommended Video On Ecological Pyramids: