Download Ecological Pyramids Notes

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Energy Pyramids Show
Ecological Pyramids
Graphic Representations Of The
Relative Amounts of Energy or
Matter At Each Trophic Level
May be:
Energy Pyramid
Biomass Pyramid
Pyramid of Numbers
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•  Amount of available
energy decreases for
higher consumers
•  Amount of available
energy decreases down
the food chain
•  It takes a large number
of producers to support
a small number of
primary consumers
•  It takes a large number
of primary consumers to
support a small number
of secondary consumers
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Energy Pyramid
Energy Pyramid
Shows the relative amount of energy available at
each trophic level. Organisms use about 10 percent of
this energy for life processes. The rest is lost as heat.
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Biomass Pyramid
Pyramid of Numbers
Biomass Pyramid
Represents the amount of living organic matter at each
trophic level. Typically, the greatest biomass is at the base of
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the pyramid.
Pyramid of Numbers
Shows the relative number of individual organisms at each
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trophic level.
Understanding Pyramids
Drawing
Fig. 2.14, 2.15 & 2.16 Write and answer the following questions
on the back of the drawing.
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1. An ecological pyramid can
• Draw
• Label
• Color
• Descriptions
show how ____ flows through
an ecosystem.
2. Only ___% of energy is
transferred to the next trophic
level.
3. What is the total weight of
living matter at each trophic
level?
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