Those at the top of the food pyramid contain consumers with the smallest number and therefore, with the least total biomass compared to the layers below them.
The top level of the food pyramid, which includes tertiary consumers like apex predators, contains the least amount of original energy from the sun. This is because energy is lost as it moves up trophic levels through the process of heat loss, respiration, and waste production.
Microorganisms, such as bacteria and archaea, typically have the least biomass compared to other groups of organisms like plants and animals due to their small individual size. Although they are abundant and play crucial roles in ecosystems, their individual biomass is relatively low.
Say, for example, you have a basic food pyramid consisting of two levels. A tree and caterpillars. The dry mass of the caterpillars mentioned on the level, which could be any amount of caterpillars, is the weight of the caterpillars minus any water. It's the same for all of the levels, but the number tends to be greater on the lower levels. The only two ways to work this out is to "Dry out" the organisms, which would kill them, or by estimating it using an average dry mass for the organism mentioned.
The desert biome typically has the least biomass in a specified area due to its arid conditions and limited vegetation cover. The scarce water and extreme temperatures in deserts make it challenging for plants and animals to thrive, resulting in lower overall biomass compared to other biomes.
Terrestrial ecosystems - in order, from most to least productive:1. Swamps, marshes, tropical rain forests (most productive)2. Temperate forest3. Northern coniferous forest (taiga)4. Savanna5. Agricultural land6. Woodland and shrubland7. Temperate grassland8. Tundra (arctic and alpine)9. Desert scrub10. Extreme desert (least productive)Aquatic ecosystems - in order, from most to least productive:1. Estuaries (most productive)2. Lakes and streams3. Continental shelf4. Open ocean (least productive)
Those at the top of the food pyramid contain consumers with the smallest number and therefore, with the least total biomass compared to the layers below them.
The top level, which consists of tertiary consumers, contains the least energy in the energy pyramid because energy is lost as heat as it moves up the trophic levels.
A biomass pyramid looks like an energy pyramid, in that the largest biomass is contained in the producer level, and the least biomass is contained in the level of the highest order consumer. Basically, as you move up the energy pyramid, there is less energy available to support the biomass at each subsequent level.
it contains the least amount of the total energy.
it contains the least amount of the total energy.
it contains the least amount of the total energy.
The top level of the food pyramid, which includes tertiary consumers like apex predators, contains the least amount of original energy from the sun. This is because energy is lost as it moves up trophic levels through the process of heat loss, respiration, and waste production.
Microorganisms, such as bacteria and archaea, typically have the least biomass compared to other groups of organisms like plants and animals due to their small individual size. Although they are abundant and play crucial roles in ecosystems, their individual biomass is relatively low.
A pyramid of biomass is narrow at the top because there is less biomass in higher trophic levels compared to lower ones. This occurs because energy is lost at each trophic level due to metabolic processes, heat production, and inefficiencies in energy transfer, typically around 90% is lost. As a result, fewer organisms can be supported at higher levels, leading to a decrease in biomass as you move up the pyramid. Consequently, the base, which represents producers, has the most biomass, while the apex, representing top predators, has the least.
The last level of the energy pyramid...secondary,tertiary...
On an ecological pyramid or in a food chain, typically, the highest trophic levels have the least amount of energy from the sun available for the next highest level. In a typical food chain, this would be the tertiary consumer level.
The food pyramid begins with producers (plants) on the first level, it then goes to primary consumers (eat producers) on the second level, the third level is made up of secondary consumers and so on. All of these levels come together to make the food pyramid. There must be the most producers and the least top order consumers in order to maintain a balanced ecosystem.