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.
The two basic communities on Earth are terrestrial (land-based) communities and aquatic (water-based) communities. Terrestrial communities include forests, grasslands, deserts, and tundra, while aquatic communities include marine and freshwater ecosystems.
In an ecological pyramid, the least abundant organisms are typically the top predators or tertiary consumers. This is because energy diminishes at each trophic level, leading to fewer individuals that can be supported at higher levels. Consequently, as you move up the pyramid, the population sizes decrease, making top predators the least numerous in most ecosystems.
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.
Tertiary consumers receive the least amount of available energy because energy is lost as it moves up the food chain. Each trophic level only retains about 10% of the energy from the level below it.
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.
Freshwater ecosystems contain the least amount of saltwater compared to other aquatic ecosystems, such as marine and brackish water ecosystems. Examples of freshwater ecosystems include rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams.
The abiotic factor with the least effect on aquatic ecosystems is likely topography. While topography can influence factors like water flow and depth in aquatic systems, it has a lesser direct impact on climate compared to factors like temperature, precipitation, and sunlight.
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.
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)
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.
No, oceans are not the least stable aquatic environment. While they can experience storms, currents, and other disturbances, freshwater ecosystems such as lakes and rivers can be more easily impacted by changes in temperature, pollution, and human activities. Oceans are vast and have more buffering capacity to absorb and recover from disturbances.
3rd or 4th
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 two basic communities on Earth are terrestrial (land-based) communities and aquatic (water-based) communities. Terrestrial communities include forests, grasslands, deserts, and tundra, while aquatic communities include marine and freshwater ecosystems.
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.
The highest level, which is the top level of the food pyramid, contains consumers with the least biomass. This level typically consists of tertiary consumers or apex predators, which have a relatively small population size and biomass compared to primary and secondary consumers in lower levels of the food chain.