1. Unit 3 Part 2
Food Pyramids p

2. 10. a) Define Food Pyramid Food Pyramid =
Diagram showing each trophic level as a horizontal bar
Producers are located on bottom & higher trophic levels are placed on top of each other
Each bar is drawn in proportion to the mass of organisms giving the triangle shape

3. 10. b) Why are there fewer organisms at each trophic level? P. 97
Less energy available at each level
Fewer organisms can obtain energy to live
Therefore fewer organisms at increasing levels

4. 11. Farmer question about energy efficiency P. 97
Wheat would be far more efficient than cattle.
Wheat is a producer and producers contain more energy than primary consumers (like cows) as is seen in the food pyramid. The energy flow diagram shows that each trophic level loses energy as heat.
Farmers would have many other real concerns. Price, growing conditions, markets etc.

5. 12. How do food pyramids help explain DDT amplification? P. 97
DDT is fat soluble and stays in an animals fat. (compare to alcohol)
Higher order organisms eat such large numbers of lower order organisms. A small amount in a frog becomes a large in a hawk that eats 100 frogs.

6. 13. Blue gill sunfish question . 98
This is a sample question. Any question could be asked where we have to predict possible outcomes.
Sun fish move to reeds
Plankton pop. Decrease
Sun fish decrease in size
Larvae pop. increase

7. More on Food Pyramids & Ecology
Question #14, 15 & #16 p. 98 make perfect review questions for the test.
Ecology is a career growth area.
Many web sites with a variety of information.