Key differences, features, and comparative analysis of Pyramid and What each bar shows.
| Pyramid | What each bar shows | Can it be inverted? | NCERT's example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pyramid of NUMBERS | Number of individuals at each trophic level | YES — in a TREE ecosystem | Grassland: nearly 6 million plants support only 3 top carnivores (upright) |
| Pyramid of BIOMASS | Standing crop (mass of living material) at each level | YES — in the SEA | Inverted in the sea: a small standing crop of phytoplankton supports a large standing crop of zooplankton / the biomass of fishes far exceeds that of phytoplankton |
| Pyramid of ENERGY | Amount of energy present at each trophic level in a given time or annually per unit area | NEVER. ALWAYS UPRIGHT. | Ideal energy pyramid: primary producers convert only 1% of the sunlight available to them into NPP |
This comparison table is part of the chapter notes for Ecosystem. Get complete notes, flashcards, active recall sheets, and test prep modes:
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