ecological pyramid
Also found in: Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.


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