ecological pyramid

Fig. 141 Ecological pyramid . A hypothetical elcological pyramid for standing crop ontropical grassland. Figures in kcal m^-2yr^-1.

ecological pyramid

a graphical means of illustrating the trophic structure or trophic function of communities. They are of three general types:

the PYRAMID OF NUMBERS, which illustrates the numbers of organisms at each TROPHIC LEVEL (see Fig. 263 ).
the pyramid of BIOMASS, based on DRY WEIGHT (or occasionally live weight) at each level at a given time.
the pyramid of energy which shows the energy flow between each level. See FOOD CHAIN.

Collins Dictionary of Biology, 3rd ed. © W. G. Hale, V. A. Saunders, J. P. Margham 2005

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The obtained values of factor loadings served as the basis for constructing an ecological pyramid (26).

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They now understand that the entire industrial growth-worshipping society has brought us to the brink of ecological disaster and must be replaced by a new model that removes humans and their needs from the top of the ecological pyramid and places them on an equal footing with non-humans and the earth's natural systems.