1. An energy pyramid shows the distribution of energy among trophic levels

o Ecosystems get their energy from sunlight, which feeds producers and then flows up the food chain
o 90% of energy is lost as heat each trophic level
LOSS OF AVAILABLE ENERGY
o Biomass- measure of the total dry mass of organisms in a given area
o The conversion of biomass from a producer into biomass of the consumer is inefficient
ENERGY PYRIMIDS
o The longer a food chain is, the less energy there is at the top. Therefore, most are only three or four trophic levels
o Energy pyramid- a diagram that compares energy used by producers, primary consumers, and other trophic levels
o Illustrates how available energy is distributed among trophic levels in an ecosystem, measured in kilocalories
o Most energy pyramids have a large selection at the base that becomes progressively smaller