Is a pyramid of biomass the same as a food pyramid?
1 Answer
No, the two are not the same.
Explanation:
When we refer to the food pyramid, we are referring to guidelines for healthy eating for humans. You can see an example of what a food pyramid traditionally looks like below.
Whereas a biomass pyramid or an energy pyramid refers to the amount of biomass, the total mass of organisms within a certain area, available for consumption.
Producers are found on the bottom of the pyramid because there are the most of them. There are a huge number of photosynthetic vegetation that relies on the sun for energy. These plants then support the animals that consume them, primary consumers or herbivores. There are fewer herbivores than there are producers. Next up the pyramid, there are even fewer predators who consume the herbivores.
Below we have an example of a biomass pyramid for a terrestrial ecosystem:
