0
Why is the movement of energy from plants to herbivores to carnivores represented by a pyramid?
The pyramid is a representation of the relative number of organisms of a type that can be supported by the underlying ecosytem. Plants are not only the most numerous they represent the organisms that have the lowest energy requirements (keeping the pyramid as simple as possible) as they are the producers. It requires 10X the energy needed by a plant to produce the same amount of mass in the herbivore that consumes it and 10X again the mass of the herbivore to sustain the predator that consumes it.
In the livestock industry the rule is 10 pounds of hay will product 1 pound of weight gain. Of course, much more energy is expended by animals in the
wild for various reasons. Predators expend the most energy and for that reason the number of predators that can be supported is substantially lower than the number of plants that can be supported by the ecosystem.
What else can I help you with?
Are consumers producers carnivores or herbivores the largest group in an energy pyramid?
In an energy pyramid, consumers are typically the largest group, and they can be categorized as herbivores (primary consumers) or carnivores (secondary and tertiary consumers). Herbivores, which feed on plants, usually form the largest section of the pyramid, as they directly obtain energy from producers (plants). Carnivores, being higher up in the food chain, are fewer in number compared to herbivores. Thus, herbivores are the largest group within the consumer category in an energy pyramid.
What is the lowest level of the energy pyramid that contains carnivores?
The lowest level of the energy pyramid that contains carnivores is the third trophic level. These carnivores consume herbivores from the second trophic level that feed on producers at the first trophic level.
It would be possible to construct a pyramid where the number of carnivores was more than the number of herbivores?
Yes, it is possible to construct a pyramid where the number of carnivores exceeds the number of herbivores, particularly in specific ecosystems or food webs. In such scenarios, a high density of carnivores could be supported by factors like abundant prey availability or a limited number of herbivore species. However, this would be atypical in most ecological pyramids, where herbivores generally outnumber carnivores due to energy transfer inefficiencies. Overall, while rare, certain conditions could allow for a carnivore-dominated pyramid.
What level of the energy pyramid are carnivores located?
Carnivores are typically located at the second or third level of the energy pyramid, depending on their specific dietary habits. Primary carnivores, or secondary consumers, occupy the second level, feeding on herbivores (primary consumers). Tertiary carnivores, which prey on other carnivores, are found at the third level. Each level represents a decrease in available energy as you move up the pyramid.
Which is larger in a energy pyramid consumers carnivores producers or herbivores?
There is a good reason why there are more herbivores than carnivores. When a carnivore eats an herbivore, it only absorbs a small amount of energy from the animal because herbivores only absorb a small amount of energy from the plants they eat. Therefore, a carnivore must eat more herbivores to receive the energy they need to survive.
Where on the energy pyramid will you find the following?
from top to bottom of the pyramid: tertiary consumers... and so on. secondary consumers (carnivores) primary consumers (herbivores) primary producers (like grass)
Why cant there be more carnivores than herbivores?
carnivores are animals which eat animals while herbivores are animals which eat plant and every one knows that plants are an easy source of food with this herbivores increase in numbers as there is plenty and easy to get food and carnivores stay at a low number as it is difficult to catch there food
What makes up the base of any energy pyramid?
eaither producer's carnivores herbivores or scavenger's
How can you describe an energy pyramid that could be presented in a small garden?
An energy pyramid for a small garden could display the flow of energy through different trophic levels in the ecosystem. At the base, primary producers like plants would be represented, followed by herbivores, then carnivores at the top. This visual representation would show how energy decreases as it moves up the pyramid, highlighting the interdependence of organisms in the garden ecosystem.
What are the components in an ecological pyramid?
Primary producers (plants, algae) decomposers (worms, fungi) Primary consumers (herbivores) Secondary consumers (carnivores) Trimary consumers (carnivores) usually stops there because of energy loss
Why are there more hebivores than carnivores in the ecosystem?
There are more herbivores than carnivores in ecosystems primarily due to the energy pyramid's structure. Energy transfer between trophic levels is inefficient, with only about 10% of the energy available at one level being passed on to the next. Since herbivores occupy the primary consumer level, they require a larger population to sustain the fewer carnivores that depend on them for energy. Additionally, the vast availability of plant biomass supports a greater number of herbivores in comparison to the limited food resources available for carnivores.
What is represented by am energy pyramid?
The energy in an ecosystem/food chain. The bottom is bigger because plants get the most energy, and they pass it on to herbivores when they are eaten, and so on and so on.
