What is the Difference Between Pyramid of Biomass and Pyramid of Energy?

The main difference between a pyramid of biomass and a pyramid of energy lies in what they represent and how they are measured. Here are the key differences:

Biomass Pyramid: This shows the amount of living matter (biomass) at each trophic level in an ecosystem. Trophic levels are the positions that organisms occupy in a food chain, like producers (plants), primary consumers (herbivores), and secondary consumers (carnivores). Biomass pyramids can be upright or inverted, depending on the ecosystem being studied. For example, biomass pyramids in aquatic ecosystems like lakes are often inverted due to the abundance of microscopic producers like phytoplankton.
Energy Pyramid: This shows the flow of energy from one trophic level to the next in an ecosystem. Energy pyramids are always upright, as energy is lost at each level of the food chain. Only about 10-20% of the energy is transferred from one level to the next. Energy pyramids are measured in units of kilojoules per square meter (kJ/m²).

In summary, a biomass pyramid represents the amount of living matter at each trophic level, while an energy pyramid represents the flow of energy and the amount of energy transferred between trophic levels in an ecosystem.

On this page

What is the Difference Between Pyramid of Biomass and Pyramid of Energy?

Comparative Table: Pyramid of Biomass vs Pyramid of Energy

The main difference between the pyramid of biomass and the pyramid of energy lies in what they represent. Here is a table comparing the two:

Feature	Pyramid of Biomass	Pyramid of Energy
Definition	Represents the total dry mass of organisms at each trophic level.	Shows the flow of energy at each trophic level.
Shape	Generally upright, with a large base of primary producers and decreasing biomass at higher trophic levels. However, inverted biomass pyramids can be seen in marine ecosystems.	Always upright, with a wide base of primary producers and decreasing energy at higher trophic levels.
Energy Transfer	In general, only 10-20% of biomass is transferred from one trophic level to the next.	Energy transfer between trophic levels is generally insufficient, with only about 10% of energy being transferred from one level to the next.
Examples	Upright biomass pyramids are common in terrestrial ecosystems, while inverted biomass pyramids can be found in aquatic ecosystems like lakes.	Inverted energy pyramids can be observed in some ecosystems, such as an orchard where large trees support a large number of consumers like insects and birds.

In summary, the pyramid of biomass focuses on the total mass of living organisms at each trophic level, while the pyramid of energy illustrates the flow of energy and its decrease from lower to higher trophic levels.

Guilherme Mazui

Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.