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Energy & Biomass Pyramids definitions

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  • Energy Pyramid
    A graphical representation showing energy transfer between trophic levels over time, always upright due to decreasing energy at higher levels.
  • Biomass Pyramid
    A snapshot diagram displaying the mass of living organisms at each trophic level, which can be upright, inverted, or diamond-shaped.
  • Trophic Efficiency
    The proportion of energy transferred from one trophic level to the next, typically averaging around 10% due to various losses.
  • Trophic Level
    A position in a food chain or pyramid occupied by organisms sharing the same function in the ecosystem's energy flow.
  • Incomplete Ingestion
    A factor limiting energy transfer, where not all available energy in one level is consumed by the next.
  • Incomplete Digestion
    A process where not all consumed energy is assimilated, with some lost as waste, reducing energy transfer.
  • Metabolism
    The sum of all chemical processes in organisms, requiring energy that is not passed to higher trophic levels.
  • Heat Loss
    The dissipation of energy as thermal energy during transfer between trophic levels, contributing to low efficiency.
  • Biomagnification
    The increasing concentration of pollutants in organisms at higher trophic levels, impacting top consumers most.
  • Primary Producer
    An organism, such as phytoplankton, that forms the base of the food chain by generating biomass from inorganic sources.
  • Primary Consumer
    An organism that feeds directly on primary producers, occupying the second trophic level in a food chain.
  • Secondary Consumer
    An organism that preys on primary consumers, occupying a higher trophic level in the ecosystem.
  • Tertiary Consumer
    A top-level organism in a food chain that feeds on secondary consumers, often most affected by biomagnification.
  • Phytoplankton
    Microscopic aquatic producers with high reproduction rates, supporting larger masses of consumers in some biomass pyramids.
  • Zooplankton
    Small aquatic animals that consume phytoplankton, sometimes exceeding their biomass due to rapid producer turnover.