Ecological pyramid – A graphical representation is the shape of a pyramid to show the feeding relationship of groups of organisms, and the flow of energy or biomass through the different trophic levels in a given ecosystem.
Ecological pyramids are organized with the productivity of plants on the bottom, that of herbivores above the plants, and carnivores above the herbivores.
Three types of ecological pyramids can usually be distinguished namely.
Number pyramid – the number pyramid shows the number of organisms in each trophic level and does not take into consideration the size of the organisms and over – emphasizes the importance of small organisms.
Biomass pyramid – This pyramid indicates the total mass of the organisms in each trophic level.
Energy pyramid – the energy pyramid indicates the total amount of energy present in each trophic level. It also shows the loss of energy from one trophic level to the next. An energy pyramid shows clearly that the energy transfer from one trophic level to the next is accompanied by a decrease due to waste and the conversion of potential energy into kinetic energy and heat energy.