Why is an energy pyramid broad at the bottom and narrow at the top?

Answer 1

An energy pyramid is broad at the bottom because it represents a large number of primary producers, such as plants, which capture energy from the sun and provide it to the ecosystem. As you move up the pyramid, the number of organisms decreases at each trophic level, reflecting the energy loss that occurs at each stage due to factors like metabolic processes and heat. Consequently, there are fewer consumers, such as herbivores and carnivores, at the top, resulting in a narrow structure. This illustrates the inefficiency of energy transfer through the food web.