Question

2.3 review

1. sequence list the types of organisms in order from the top to the bottom of an ecological pyramid.

• producer
• secondary consumer
• tertiary/consumer
• primary consumer

1. explain why is less energy available to organisms higher in an energy pyramid than is available to organisms at the base of an energy pyramid?
2. predict how might a fire affect the shape of a forest ecosystems biomass pyramid?
3. represent data build an energy pyramid using the data in the table.

species energy (joules)
a 4,982,000
b 5200
c 500,738
d 47.033

1. identify in your model, label each species with its ecological role in the ecosystem.

Explanation:

Step1: Answer question 1

Producer is at the bottom, followed by primary consumer, secondary consumer, and tertiary consumer at the top.

Step2: Answer question 2

Energy is lost as heat and for metabolic processes at each trophic level. So less energy is available to organisms higher in the energy pyramid.

Step3: Answer question 3

A fire would reduce the biomass of producers at the base. This would lead to a narrower - based biomass pyramid as there is less energy available to support higher trophic levels.

Step4: Answer question 4

Draw a pyramid with four levels. Label the bottom level with the energy value of species A (4,982,000 joules), the next level with species B (5200 joules), then species C (500,738 joules), and the top level with species D (47.033 joules).

Step5: Answer question 5

Species A is a producer as it has the highest energy. Species B, C, and D are consumers. B is likely a primary consumer, C a secondary consumer, and D a tertiary consumer based on decreasing energy levels.

Answer:

1. Producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer
2. Energy is lost at each trophic level as heat and for metabolic processes.
3. A fire would lead to a narrower - based biomass pyramid due to reduced producer biomass.
4. Draw a pyramid with four levels labeled with the given energy values for each species.
5. Species A: Producer; Species B: Primary consumer; Species C: Secondary consumer; Species D: Tertiary consumer