ecological pyramids

• Pyramid of numbers shows the relative number of each organism at each level of a food chain.
• Pyramids can have a non-pyramid like (irregular) shape.
• If a pyramid of energy has a much larger section at the top it often indicates a large number of a pest species living on a host species.
• If the pyramid has a very small base this often indicates 1 large producer supporting many small primary consumers.
• A pyramid of energy shows the energy available at each level of a food chain.
• These pyramids are always pyramid in shape as energy is lost at each level of the food chain.