Ecological Pyramids Flashcards
How are the different trophic levels represented?
As ecological pyramids
What always makes up the base of an ecological pyramid?
The producers
How many types of ecological pyramids are there?
Three
What are the three types of ecological pyramids?
Numbers
Biomass
Energy
What does a pyramid of numbers show?
The actual number of individuals on each trophic level
How is a pyramid of numbers supposed to be structured?
Wide base tapering to a point
What happens when the number of organisms in an ecosystem is unbalanced?
The pyramid levels with have varying widths
What does a pyramid of biomass indicate?
The total mass of the organisms at each trophic level
When can an ecosystem support a large amount of living material?
When its productivity is high
What does a pyramid of energy represent?
The amount of energy that occurs on each trophic level
What is the usual structure of a pyramid of energy?
Wide at the base then tapers to a point
Why is the structure of an energy pyramid generally wide at the base and thin at the top?
Energy is lost at each level
What happens to a pyramid of energy when the ecosystem is not balanced?
The levels will have varying widths
