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Pyramids of biomass: constructing and interpreting

Ecology • Trophic levels in an ecosystem (biology only)

Key concepts

What you'll likely be quizzed about

  • Biomass is the mass of living or recently dead organisms, measured in grams or kilograms.
  • Scientists primarily use dry mass for biomass calculations to account for variations in water content among organisms and over time.
  • Measuring dry mass typically involves drying samples before weighing, although field studies often use estimates to minimize harm to organisms.

Flashcards

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What is a trophic level?

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A trophic level refers to a position in a feeding relationship or food chain, indicating whether an organism is a producer or consumer.

Key notes

Important points to keep in mind

Biomass is living or recently dead tissue, typically measured as dry mass to remove water variability.

Total biomass = number of individuals × dry mass of one individual; ensure unit conversion beforehand.

Pyramids of biomass feature producers at the base, with consumers stacked above; bars represent total biomass proportionally.

Approximately 10% of biomass transfers between trophic levels; respiration and waste predominantly account for losses.

Sampling bias, seasonal variation, and mobile organisms limit the accuracy of biomass estimates, mitigated by random sampling and large sample sizes.

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