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Population worksheet for your prep.

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Quizizz - The world's most engaging learning platform

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Find and create gamified quizzes, lessons, presentations, and flashcards for students, employees, and everyone else. Get started for free!

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Be honorable and only open this after you have attempted the questions

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Very good resource on energy flow in different ecosystems

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1. What is an Energy Pyramid Diagram?

Also known as the Pyramid of Energy or the Trophic Pyramid, it provides a graphical representation of how energy (or biomass) is transferred through different levels in an ecosystem.

The concept was initially introduced by Charles Elton in 1927 as an Eltonian Pyramid and was later expressed for biomass by Bodenheimer in 1938. Though, as of now, the concept is conceived as a flow of energy, and it was first interpreted by G. Evelyn Hutchinson and Raymond Lindeman in 1942.

As you can see from the overall representation of an energy pyramid, various trophic levels are depicted in the diagram on how they consume or produce energy. The sun is the initial source of the energy, and it is harvested by primary producers (plants). Ideally, 10% of the energy is being transferred from one trophic level to another (like primary to secondary consumers).

Source: EdrawMax Online

One of the major benefits of an energy pyramid diagram is that it helps us explain how energy is transferred from one level of the ecosystem to another.

2. The 5 Major Levels in an Energy Pyramid

As listed above, an energy pyramid mostly consists of 5 different levels. While the producers and decomposers form the initial layers, the top 4 layers are depicted by consumers. Also, a pyramid of energy follows a general rule in which around 10 of the energy that is harvested at the bottom level is transferred to the higher level (and so on).

Producers and Decomposers

This is the first and the most important layer in an energy pyramid diagram that is represented by the major producers of biomass. In this, plants, algae, and phytoplankton would absorb the sunlight to produce energy. A lower layer is also depicted by decomposers (that could be bacteria, fungi, or earthworms).

Primary Consumers

This is the second layer in the diagram that depicts direct consumers of the energy-producing units. In this, mostly herbivorous animals are covered as they rely on plants as their energy source.

Secondary Consumers

The third layer is depicted by secondary consumers (carnivorous) that rely on herbivorous animals (the secondary consumers) as their energy source.

Tertiary Consumers

In this, we have high-level consumers (omnivorous and carnivorous) that can consume carnivorous or herbivorous beings as their energy source.

Apex Predators

The top level of the pyramid is depicted by the most apex predators like snakes, eagles, alligators, humans, etc. that are present at the top of their ecosystem.

Source: EdrawMax Online

3. The Key Benefits of Energy Pyramid Diagrams

Ideally, an energy pyramid can help us provide vital pieces of information and understand the overall ecosystem, with the following benefits:

Most importantly, it helps us understand the flow of energy at various trophic levels in an ecosystem.

Apart from energy, it can also help us study the flow of biomass and the dependency of various trophic levels.

We can understand the available energy value at different levels and how it is produced, consumed, or transferred.

A pyramid of energy can also help you distinguish consumers and predators at different levels.

Furthermore, getting to know about the decomposition of biomass and the wastage of energy is a vital part of the diagram.

4. How to Create an Energy Pyramid Diagram?

If you also want to come up with a visually appealing energy diagram, then you can simply take the assistance of Wondershare EdrawMax Online. It is a user-friendly professional tool that can help you create 280+ different styles of diagrams.

Without any prior design experience, you can come up with visually appealing diagrams via drag and drop actions on EdrawMax. You can use its freely available online tool or can simply download its desktop application to meet all your diagramming needs in one place. Here's how you can also come up with an informative energy pyramid diagram with EdrawMax in a jiffy.

Go to EdrawMax and Start Working

To start with, you can just go to the official website of EdrawMax Online and simply sign in to your Wondershare account. From its home, you can choose to work on any blank canvas by clicking on the "+" button or search for any existing project type.

Besides that, you can also go to the "Templates" section from the side to browse the wide range of user-generated content and load any customizable template to your canvas.

Draw any Energy Pyramid Diagram on EdrawMax

Now, using the inbuilt features of EdrawMax, you can come up with an energy pyramid diagram. You can drag and drop any design element from the side and can further work on any existing template however you like.

Customize the Appearance of the Diagram

Once you have worked on the overall structure of the energy pyramid, you can select any element. On the side, you will get dedicated options to change the overall look and feel of the energy pyramid diagram.

Export the Energy Pyramid Diagram from EdrawMax

That's it! Once you are done working with the pyramid of energy diagram, you can go to its File > Export feature, and save your diagram in a preferred format.

5. Energy Pyramid Diagram Examples to Learn From

To further understand the concept of the energy pyramid, you can explore the following examples:

Example 1: Flow of Energy

In this energy pyramid diagram, you can simply see the flow of energy across different levels in the ecosystem. The amount of energy at the base level is more and it keeps on decreasing as we move up. Similarly, when we consider the size of the population, it also decreases as we climb different levels in the pyramid.

Source: EdrawMax Online

Example 2: Energy Pyramid Trophic Classification

This is another simplistic energy pyramid diagram that depicts the classification of various trophic levels. While soil consists of decomposers, primary producers can form energy via photosynthesis. The energy is subsequently transferred to herbivorous, carnivorous, and other predators.

Source: EdrawMax Online

Example 3: Realistic Energy Pyramid Definition

Lastly, you can also go through this pyramid of energy in which various levels are explained by their examples. Each level of the energy pyramid is depicted by various producers and consumers to help us understand their role in the ecosystem and the flow of energy across various trophic levels.

Source: EdrawMax Online

6. FAQs About Energy Pyramid

Which energy pyramid cannot be inverted?

The Pyramid of Energy diagram can't be inverted as it depicts the flow of energy that is always upright. At every trophic level, the value of energy is lost, and the population size is also shrunk.

Which environmental factor does the pyramid of energy incorporate that inhibits it from being inverted?

The population size across various trophic levels is the most vital parameter in the energy pyramid. The population size decreases as we go up in the pyramid that prevents it from being inverted.

Why do quaternary consumers occupy the top position in the energy pyramid diagram?

In an energy pyramid, quaternary consumers occupy the top position as they are at the top level of their ecosystem and are mostly not consumed by other entities. They also consume the least amount of energy in the system.

7. Key Takeaways

This brings us to the end of this extensive guide on energy pyramid diagrams, their meaning, usage, trophic levels, and so much more. To help you come up with a stunning pyramid of energy diagram, I have also listed a stepwise tutorial. As you can see, with an interactive tool like Wondershare EdrawMax Online, anyone can come up with an informative energy pyramid. The online diagramming tool is extremely easy to use and features a wide range of options to come up with hundreds of diagram types without any unwanted hassle.

Create and share 280+ diagrams with EdrawMax Online

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What is an Energy Pyramid Diagram | EdrawMax Online

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Also known as the Pyramid of Energy or the Trophic Pyramid, it provides a graphical representation of how energy (or biomass) is transferred through different levels in an ecosystem. The concept was initially introduced by Charles Elton in 1927 as an Eltonian Pyramid and was later expressed for biomass by Bodenheimer in 1938.

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This map is a visual to help you mentally locate the major biomes globally. Remember, there are more than 200 biomes in the world.

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This is a good resource for content on Energy flow and the food chain/web.

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Trophic levels provide a structure for understanding food chains and how energy flows through an ecosystem. At the base of the pyramid are the producers, who use photosynthesis or chemosynthesis to make their own food. Herbivores or primary consumers, make up the second level. Secondary and tertiary consumers, omnivores and carnivores, follow in the subsequent sections of the pyramid. At each step up the food chain, only 10 percent of the energy is passed on to the next level, while approximately 90 percent of the energy is lost as heat.

Subjects

Biology, Ecology, Geography, Physical Geography

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Trophic levels provide a structure for understanding food chains and how energy flows through an ecosystem. At the base of the pyramid are the producers, who use photosynthesis or chemosynthesis to make their own food. Herbivores or primary consumers, make up the second level.

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Use this guided notes created by Kessler science to prep for the review

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This is a great review tool to help you master the vocabulary. Better if you memorise as you enjoy the music....

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Here is a song I created to help my 6th grade students study. I hope you enjoy.

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Use this to investigate and examine more facts about how to differentiate environments

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This is a good resource for content on adaptation. Although it is written for 6th grade, it is still okay for 7th grade as well as for differentiation to engage slower learners too.

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An adaptation is any heritable trait that helps an organism, such as a plant or animal, survive and reproduce in its environment.

Image

Koalas Climb a Eucalyptus Tree

Picture of a koala with baby koala

Photograph by Anne Keiser

Any number of characteristics can vary among individuals of a given species - some may be larger, hairier, fight off infections better, or have smaller ears. These characteristics are largely determined by their genes, which are passed down from their parents and subsequently passed down to their own offspring. Some of these characteristics, or traits, provide competitive advantages like speed, strength, or attractiveness. If those traits are particularly helpful, individuals with those traits will produce more offspring than those without. Over generations, the number of individuals with that advantageous trait, or adaptation, will increase until it becomes a general attribute of the species.

Structural and Behavioral Adaptations

An adaptation can be structural, meaning it is a physical part of the organism. An adaptation can also be behavioral, affecting the way an organism responds to its environment.

An example of a structural adaptation is the way some plants have adapted to life in dry, hot deserts. Plants called succulents have adapted to this climate by storing water in their short, thick stems and leaves.

Seasonal migration is an example of a behavioral adaptation. Gray whales ( Eschrichtius robustus) migrate thousands of kilometers every year as they swim from the cold Arctic Ocean in summer to the warm waters off the coast of Mexico to winter. Grey whale calves are born in the warm southern water, and then travel in groups called pods to the nutrient-rich waters of the Arctic.

Adaptations that develop in response to one challenge sometimes help with or become co-opted for another. Feathers were probably first adaptations for tactile sense or regulating temperature. Later, feathers became longer and stiffer, allowing for gliding and then for flight. Such traits are called exaptations.

Some traits, on the other hand, lose their function when other adaptations become more important or when the environment changes. Evidence of these traits remain in a vestigial form - reduced or functionless. Whales and dolphins have vestigial leg bones, the remains of an adaptation (legs) that their ancestors used to walk.

Adaptations often develop in response to a change in the organisms' habitat.

A famous example of an animal adapting to a change in its environment is England's peppered moth ( Biston betularia). Prior to the 19th century, the most common type of this moth was cream-colored with darker spots. Few peppered moths were gray or black. Habitat

As the Industrial Revolution changed the environment, the appearance of the peppered moth changed. The darker-colored moths, which were rare, began to thrive in the urban atmosphere. Their sooty color blended in with the trees, which were stained by industrial pollution. Birds couldn't see the dark moths as well, so they ate the cream-colored moths instead. The cream-colored moths began to make a comeback after the United Kingdom passed laws that limited air pollution.

Sometimes, an adaptation or set of adaptations develops that splits one species into two. This process is known as speciation.

Speciation Marsupials in Oceania are an example of adaptive radiation, a type of speciation in which species develop to fill a variety of empty ecological niches. Marsupials, mammals that carry their developing young in pouches after a short pregnancy, arrived in Oceania before the land split from Asia. Placental mammals, animals that carry their young to term in the mother's womb, came to dominate every other continent, but not Oceania. Koalas ( Phascolarctos cinereus), for instance, adapted to feed on eucalyptus trees, which are native to Australia. The extinct Tasmanian tiger ( Thylacinus cynocephalus) was a carnivorous marsupial and adapted to the niche filled by big cats, like tigers, on other continents.

The cichlid fish found in many of Africa's lakes exhibit another type of speciation, sympatric speciation. Sympatric speciation is the opposite of physical isolation. It happens when species share the same habitat. Adaptations have allowed hundreds of varieties of cichlids to live in Lake Malawi. Each species of cichlid has a unique, specialized diet: One type of cichlid may eat only insects, another may eat only algae, another may feed only on other fish.

Organisms sometimes adapt with and to other organisms. This is called coadaptation. Certain flowers produce nectar to appeal to hummingbirds. Hummingbirds, in turn, have adapted long, thin beaks to extract the nectar from certain flowers. When a hummingbird goes to feed, it inadvertently picks up pollen from the anthers of the flowers, which is deposited on the stigma of the next flowers it visits. In this relationship, the hummingbird gets food, while the plant's pollen is distributed. The coadaptation is beneficial to both organisms.

Mimicry is another type of coadaptation. In mimicry, one organism has adapted to resemble another. The harmless king snake (sometimes called a milk snake) has adapted a color pattern that resembles the deadly coral snake. This mimicry keeps predators away from the king snake.

The mimic octopus ( Thaumoctopus mimicus) has behavioral as well as structural adaptations. This species of octopus can copy the look and movements of other animals, such as sea snakes, flatfish, jellyfish, and shrimp.

Coadaptation can also limit an organism's ability to adapt to new changes in their habitat. This can lead to co-extinction. In southern England, the large blue butterfly adapted to eat red ants. When human development reduced the red ants' habitat, the local extinction of the red ant led to the local extinction of the large blue butterfly.

Coadaptation

Media Credits

The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.

Director

Tyson Brown, National Geographic Society

Author

National Geographic Society

Production Managers

Gina Borgia, National Geographic Society

Jeanna Sullivan, National Geographic Society

Program Specialists

Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society, National Geographic Society

Margot Willis, National Geographic Society

other

Last Updated

October 19, 2023

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An adaptation is any heritable trait that helps an organism, such as a plant or animal, survive and reproduce in its environment.