Definition and examples of a food pyramid – A food pyramid or often also called an ecological pyramid is a graphical representation of the relationship between various types of organisms that live in an ecosystem on earth. Each level in the food pyramid itself forms an arrangement that has different trophic levels based on who eats whom.
The movement of the food pyramid itself is upward, initiated by primary producers or autotrophs, such as plants and algae at the lowest level, followed by primary consumers or eaters of these lower level plants. Furthermore, there are secondary consumers who are eaten by primary consumers, and it continues repeatedly.
This article will discuss in more depth the meaning and examples of the food pyramid. Not only that, an explanation will also be presented regarding the types of the food pyramid as well as its levels. Let’s see the full review!
A. Definition and Examples of the Food Pyramid
A food pyramid is an illustration that explains the relationship between components of living things in an ecosystem. The food pyramid itself is different from the food chain, the food pyramid is known to better describe an interaction of each biotic component. This is certainly more than just an event of eating and being eaten which usually occurs in a food chain.
In an ecosystem, plants have levels as producers that have a larger population than those at other trophic levels. The producer population must have a larger number of consumers I, consumers II, consumers III and so on up to the peak consumers. Therefore, the food pyramid is a description of the differences in population levels that exist in an ecosystem.
This food pyramid is a picture of the relationships between organisms at each trophic level. The relationships or interactions that occur between each organism in the food pyramid are described as forming a cone, or more simply, that is like a pyramid shape.
If usually an event of who eats whom in the food chain describes the relationship or interaction of each organism’s predation with a straight or linear line. This is different from what happens in the food pyramid. The food pyramid describes the number of organisms in the trophic level in an ecosystem.
B. Types of Food Pyramids
After knowing the meaning of the food pyramid, this section will explain three types of food pyramids that you need to know, starting from the population or number pyramid, the biomass pyramid to the energy pyramid. Here’s the full review,
1. Population Pyramid
This first type of food pyramid illustrates that organisms at a lower trophic level have a larger number or population than other organisms at a higher trophic level. The population pyramid itself is occupied by organisms as producers that have a larger population.
Meanwhile, the tip of the population pyramid tends to be inhabited by several types of individuals as top consumers. Therefore, between the peak and the bottom there are several types of consumer levels. The total population of consumers I alone is known to be greater than the total population of consumers II. This also makes consumer II have a larger population than consumer III.
This population pyramid can be said to be a counterweight to the total population of each organism. This is because it is the nature of an organism that becomes prey to have a larger population than predatory organisms. As a result, the food source of predatory organisms will not run out. However, if the opposite happens where the number of predators is greater, of course it will make an organism become extinct or destroyed.
2. Pyramid of Biomass
If the population pyramid can describe the number of organisms at each trophic level, the biomass pyramid shows more of the total mass of organisms present at each trophic level. In this biomass pyramid, each trophic level can be calculated by multiplying the number of individuals at that trophic level by the average mass of one individual in a certain area.
This biomass pyramid can be said to be a type of food pyramid that is able to solve various problems from the population pyramid. This is because this pyramid is able to draw a more accurate representation based on the amount of energy possessed by each trophic level.
Even so, the pyramid of biomass still has its limitations. For example, the timing of data collection is critical because different species are known to have different breeding seasons. Not only that, these pyramids are also usually not possible to measure the mass of each organism, but only based on samples taken. This of course can lead to data inaccuracies.
An example that can be seen is that a grass as a producer is in the lowest position. Furthermore, on the grass there are the first consumers, namely several types of grass-eating herbivores, such as goats, cows, rabbits, and so on. Then, above the first consumer there is a second consumer which is a carnivorous animal, such as a fox. Next, come to the top of the pyramid occupied by tertiary consumers, namely lions or tigers.
In addition, there are two types of pyramids of biomass that need to be known, including the following:
a. An upright pyramid is a pyramid in which the combined mass of the various types of producers is greater than the combined mass of each level of consumers. The upright pyramid itself has a tendency to be a representation of a terrestrial ecosystem.
b. An inverted pyramid is a pyramid that describes the combined mass of the various types of producers which is smaller than the combined mass of its consumers. An example is the aquatic ecosystem.
3. Energy Pyramid
The energy pyramid can be said to be a more accurate type of pyramid compared to the two previous types of food pyramids. This pyramid, which is often also referred to as the productivity pyramid, looks at the total amount of energy that exists at each trophic level. Not only that, the energy pyramid also sees the loss of energy that exists between trophic levels.
Therefore, the energy pyramid itself can be understood that the higher the trophic level, the smaller the amount of energy. This of course means that producers as the first trophic level have more energy than some types of consumers who are at a higher trophic level.
It should be noted that the smaller the amount of energy in each trophic is caused by several things, including:
– Only certain foods can be eaten by the next trophic level.
– Not all food eaten can be digested but excreted as feces.
– Most of the food eaten is digested to become part of the organism’s body,
– while in the rest as a source of energy.
The idea of the energy pyramid itself refers to Lindeman’s Ten Percent Law. In Lindeman’s Ten Percent Law it can be said that there is about 10 percent of the energy at the trophic level that can be used in creating biomass. This means, there is about 10 percent of the energy that will be used to make tissues, starting from stems, leaves, muscles, and much more at the next trophic level.
Meanwhile, the rest of the energy is used in respiration, hunting, and various other activities or is lost in the environment as heat. This is certainly interesting, there is a poison that is passed up the pyramid very efficiently or similarly with the food pyramid.
The energy pyramid can be called the most widely used pyramid today compared to the previous two types of pyramids. The reason is of course because this pyramid is able to study the flow of energy in an ecosystem from time to time.
The sun as the main source of all energy has been included in the energy pyramid diagram. In addition, decomposers such as bacteria and fungi have also been included in the diagram as obtainers of nutrients and energy from all trophic levels. For example, like breaking down dead or decaying organisms. Nutrients from the sun or bacteria and fungi will eventually return to the soil and be taken up by plants.
C. Example of a Food Pyramid
The following is an example of a food pyramid in waters, namely:
1. Phytoplankton
Phytoplankton or also known as plankton has a role as a producer. This is because plankton can carry out photosynthesis as well as produce a food reserve in the waters.
2. Fish
Furthermore, fish are level 1 consumers in waters. Fish themselves can eat all the phytoplankton or plankton as food.
3. Seals
Then, seals occupy the second level of consumers in the waters. Seals themselves can eat fish as food.
4. Killer whales
And, killer whales can be referred to as level 3 or final consumers because they can make seals as one of their foods. Killer whales themselves are a satisfied species that belongs to the final or peak consumer class.
D. Levels in the Food Pyramid
The food pyramid commonly used in Indonesia consists of 5 levels of food and drink. These levels have basically been adapted to the needs of the human body and Level 1 is the foundation of a healthy life. For example, such as, exercise regularly and maintain an ideal body weight.
Well, here is a picture of the food pyramid to maintain the balance of nutrients needed by our body
1. First Level
The first or basic level in the healthy food pyramid is maintaining an ideal body weight and exercising regularly. Both of these elements greatly affect the quality of our healthy life. One of the reasons for the importance of exercise is to use simple rules such as the following:
“Weight Change equals Calories in minus Calories out”
By exercising we can burn the calories we consume and keep the body at an ideal weight. Eating more than you burn will cause fat and weight gain, causing diseases related to being overweight.
2. Second Level
Water plays a very important role in the human body. In the human body, water functions as a building block for cells and body fluids, a regulator of body temperature, a solvent for other nutrients and as an aid in the digestive process. In one day, our body needs 8 glasses of water or the equivalent of 2 liters of water.
3. Third Level
The third level is foods that are high sources of carbohydrates such as rice, potatoes, bread, biscuits, corn and sweet potatoes. These foods are usually referred to as staple foods which are usually consumed 3 to 8 servings a day.
4. Fourth Level
The fourth level of the Food Pyramid is vegetables and fruits which are a source of fiber, vitamins and minerals. Vegetables should be consumed 3 to 5 servings while fruits can be consumed 2 to 3 servings a day.
5. Fifth Level
The fifth level is foods that are a source of protein, both vegetable protein and animal protein. Vegetable Protein is protein that comes from plants such as beans and processed foods (tempeh, tofu).
While Animal Protein is protein obtained from animals such as beef, fish, chicken, eggs and dairy products. Protein foods (vegetable and animal) should be consumed 2 to 3 servings per day.
6. Highest Level (Peak)
The highest level or peak position are foods whose consumption level must be limited. This is because the level of the body’s need for these foods is very low. These foods include Salt, Sugar and Oil.