AIAS

Food chain and food web

and
Ecological pyramids
19.Oct.20

By:
DR. KARUNENDRA
ASST. PROFESSOR
AMITY INSTITUTE OF APPLIED SCIENCES
AMITY UNIVERSITY, NOIDA CAMPUS, UTTAR-
PRADESH
 Food chain AIAS

The transfer of food energy from the plants through a series of

organisms by repeated eating and being eaten up is referred to as
food chain.
 Types of Food Chain
AIAS

There are two types of food chains:

(i)Grazing food chain &
(ii)Detritus food chain

Grazing food chain: In a grazing food

chain, energy in the lowest trophic
level is acquired from photosynthesis.
It started from plants to herbivores and
then to carnivores
Detritus food chain: The detritus food
chain begins with dead organic
material. The food energy passes into
decomposers and detritivores, which
are further eaten by smaller organisms
like carnivores. The detritus food chain
includes algae, bacteria, fungi,
protozoa, mites, insects, worms and so
on

3
 Food web AIAS

 A food web is like a food

chain but is quite complexed
than a food chain.

 In food web single organism

is consumed by many
predators or it consumes
several other organisms.

 Because of this, many trophic

levels get interconnected, and
the food chain fails to
showcase the flow of energy
in the right way.
 Ecological Pyramid AIAS

The graphical representations of different trophic levels in an

ecosystem where producers occupy the base and the top consumer
occupy the apex of the pyramid, is known as ecological pyramid .

Types of Ecological Pyramids:

Pyramid of number

Pyramid of biomass

Pyramid of energy
 ECOLOGICAL PYRAMIDS AIAS

 Food chains and food webs do not give any

information about the numbers of organisms
involved.

 This information can be shown through

ecological pyramids.
 Pyramid of Number AIAS

Pyramid of number is used to show the number of individuals in

each trophic level. It is upright in case of grassland and pond
ecosystems.
 AIAS
Pyramid of Biomass

Pyramid of biomass records the total dry organic matter of organisms at

each trophic level in a given area of an ecosystem.

The pyramid of biomass is used to

show the total biomass of individuals at each trophic
level.

It is better than the pyramid of number for showing the

relationships between organisms.
AIAS
 Pyramid of energy AIAS

 Pyramid of energy is used to show the amount of energy

transferred between trophic levels. It provides the best
representation of the overall nature of an ecosystem.

 The pyramid of energy flow is always upright because

there is always loss of energy while moving from lower
trophic level to higher trophic level.

 The energy reaching the next trophic level is always less

compared to that in the previous trophic level.
 Energy Pyramid
AIAS

is
Audio-Video on Ecological paramids
AIAS

12
 QUESTIONS AIAS

Q.1 Why is pyramid of energy always upright? Explain the limitations of an

ecological pyramid

Q.2 Construct the pyramid of a grass land and a pond system based on
pyramid mass and number.

13
 REFERENCE AIAS

[1] Ecosystem; chapter.3; DK Asthana;Schand; Environmental studies;14-15.\

[2] Food chain,the circle of life and the flow of energy;Free school; Youtube channel.

14