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Ecosystems – transferring energy – WJECPyramids of biomass

Food chains and webs show the transfer of energy between trophic levels. They can be represented as pyramids of number and biomass and the efficiency of these transfers can be calculated.

Part of Biology (Single Science)Cells, organ systems and ecosystems

Pyramids of biomass

is the of living organisms in an area (habitat) at a particular time. A pyramid of biomass represents the mass of organisms at each .

An 'oak tree-caterpillar-blue tit-sparrowhawk' pyramid of biomass

Question

This is an Arctic food chain.

phytoplankton → zooplankton → Arctic whale

The biomasses in this chain are shown here, but are not in order.

  • 75 tonnes
  • 750 tonnes
  • 200 tonnes

Place the organisms and their biomasses into the pyramid of biomass.

An unlabelled pyramid of biomass.