PYRAMIDS OF BIOMASS

What does a food chain show

The feeding relationships between organisms and the biomass transfer

What are trophic levels

The stages in a food chain

How are trophic levels represented

Trophic levels are represented by numbers, starting from 1

What is trophic level 1

Producers

What are producers

plants/algae that make their own food through photosynthesis

What is trophic level 2

Primary Consumers

What are primary consumers

Herbivores which eat producers

What is trophic level 3

Secondary Consumers

What are secondary consumers

Carnivores which eat herbivores

What is trophic level 4

Tertiary Consumers

What are tertiary consumers

Carnivores that eat other carnivores

What is an apex predator

A carnivore with no predators

How do decomposers break down dead matter

Release enzymes

Catalyse breakdown of dead material into soluble small materials

Molecules then diffuse into microorganisms

What is a biomass pyramid

A pyramid that shows the total biomass of organisms at each trophic level

What is biomass

Mass of all of the living organisms in an area