Different Types of Ecological Pyramids

Different Types of Ecological Pyramids : Graphical representation of different ecological pyramids at different trophic levels in the ecosystem is known pyramids. Number, biomass and energy are different parameters. Charls Elton formed first pyramid. It is known as Eltonian pyramids.

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Food Chain

• First trophic level includes the producers.
• Second trophic level includes the primary consumers.
• Third trophic level includes the secondary consumers.
• Fourth trophic level includes top consumers.

• Flow of energy in a food chain is unidirectional.
• Shorter food chains will give more energy.
• Decomposers are not the member of food chain.

Digestive Enzymes

Types of Food Chain

Grazing food chain/predator food chain

• Most common food chain.
• Chain begins from producers (plants), and smaller organisms are then in successive order from small to big organisms.
• For example, the Aquatic ecosystem and the Grassland ecosystem.

Parasitic food chain

• This type of food chain starts from producers but goes from big organisms to smaller organisms in successive order.
• For example, the Tree ecosystem.

Detritus food chain/saprophytic food chain

• This type of food chain begins when dead organic matter decompose.
• Bacteria and fungi are primary producers in detritus food chain.
• Energy flow is very slow in the detritus food chain.

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Food Web

Types of Ecological Pyramids

Pyramid of number

• In the pyramid of numbers, each trophic level represents the number of individuals.
• Pyramid of numbers is mostly upright as producers are maximum in number.
• As we move to the next trophic level, herbivore and carnivore, the number of organisms decreases.
• In grassland and aquatic ecosystems, the pyramid of numbers is upright.
• But in the tree ecosystem, the pyramid of numbers is inverted. This is also known as a parasitic ecosystem as birds (herbivores) depend on the tree (producer), and parasites (consumer) depend on birds, so with increase in the number of trophic levels, the number of the organisms increases.
• Maximum number of producers are found in aquatic ecosystems. Availability of food determines the number of organisms at each trophic level.

Pyramid of Biomass

• Total amount of biomass present at each trophic level represents the pyramid of biomass.
• In the forest and tree ecosystem, biomass pyramids are upright or erect.
• Pyramid of biomass in the aquatic ecosystem is inverted as producers are microorganisms and they produce very little biomass.

Diffusion Means Of Transport

Pyramid of energy

• It represents the energy at different trophic levels.
• Pyramid of energy is always upright or erect as the energy decreases at each trophic level.
• Pyramids of energy follow the 10 percent law of Lindeman. According to this law, 90 percent of energy obtained by organisms at each trophic level is utilised in different metabolic reactions, and only 10 percent is passed to the next trophic level. So, 90 percent is consumed at each trophic level, and therefore top consumers like lions, etc., are ecologically weakest but physically very strong.
• Pyramids of energy represent an ecosystem's productivity and the transfer of production in the ecosystem.

Limitations of Ecological Pyramids

• The same species is not considered if it is present in two or more trophic levels.
• It does not include the food web.
• Saprophytes are not included in ecological pyramids.

Standing Crop

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Standing State