Energy Pyramids

Organisms are divided into trophic levels

based on the type of energy they require.

Trophic Lvl 1

Trophic Lvl 2

Trophic Lvl 3

Trophic Lvl 4

Trophic Lvl 4

Trophic Level 1PRODUCERS (the lowest trophic level)

The organisms of the first trophic level are called producers because they produce the food for all of the trophic levels.

Ex. A plant.

Trophic Level 2HERBIVORES

Eat plants for energy.

Ex. An insect that consumed a plant.

Trophic Level 3PRIMARY CARNIVORES

Animals that eat herbivores for energy.

Ex. A spider that ate an insect that consumed a plant.

Trophic Level 4SECONDARY CARNIVORES

Animals that eat primary carnivores for energy.

Ex. A frog that ate a spider that ate an insect that consumed a plant.

Trophic Level 5TERTIARY CARNIVORES

Animals that eat secondary carnivores for energy.

Ex. A fish that ate a frog that ate a spider that ate an insect that consumed a plant.

Trophic Level 5QUATERNARY CARNIVORES

Animals that eat tertiary carnivores for energy.

Ex. A human that ate a fish that ate a frog that ate a spider that ate an insect that consumed a plant.

Biomass

BIOMASS (the amount of living material) found in trophic levels as you move upwards on the energy pyramid decreases by 90% at each level.

If you were to weigh all of the producer organisms on earth along with all of the herbivores -- the total herbivore weight would be 90% less than the weight of all of the producers.

Trophic Lvl 1

Trophic Lvl 2

Trophic Lvl 3

Trophic Lvl 4

Trophic Lvl 4