ecological pyramids

Ecological pyramids are visual representations that show the balance of living organisms across different levels in an ecosystem. They illustrate how energy, biomass (total weight of living matter), or numbers of organisms decrease as you move from producers (like plants) to consumers (animals). Each level, called a trophic level, depends on the level below for energy. The pyramids can be shaped differently depending on the ecosystem, but generally, energy and biomass decrease at higher levels. They help us understand how energy flows and why there are fewer top predators compared to primary producers.