- #31
gracy
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say if my mass is 43 kg i will be eating 103 kg of biomass of plant per year?Bystander said:
Ecological Pyramids: Producers Outnumber Consumers?
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Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around the ecological pyramid of numbers, specifically questioning why there appear to be more producers than consumers despite factors like human population growth and deforestation. Participants explore the concepts of biomass and mass in relation to producers and consumers, and the implications of these relationships on ecological dynamics.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory
- Debate/contested
- Conceptual clarification
- Technical explanation
Main Points Raised
- Some participants question the interpretation of the ecological pyramid, asking whether the comparison should be based on numbers or mass.
- There is a discussion about the differences between mass and biomass, with some participants asserting that biomass refers to living or once-living material derived from photosynthesis.
- Participants propose comparisons between the numbers and masses of various organisms, such as blue whales and their prey, to illustrate the relationships between producers and consumers.
- One participant mentions that consumer mass cannot exceed producer mass, suggesting a fundamental ecological principle.
- There is confusion regarding the definitions of wet and dry biomass, with participants discussing how these terms are used in different scientific contexts.
- Some participants express a desire for clearer explanations, particularly in relation to the implications of biomass in ecological systems.
- One participant reflects on the paradox of having more producers than consumers despite environmental changes like deforestation.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants express various viewpoints on the definitions and implications of mass and biomass, with no consensus reached on the interpretations of these terms or their ecological significance. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the relationship between producers and consumers in the context of current environmental issues.
Contextual Notes
Participants highlight the complexity of defining biomass and mass, noting that different fields may have varying definitions. There is also uncertainty regarding the implications of these definitions on ecological relationships.
- #32
Bystander
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Give or take a chef's salad.
- #33
gracy
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O k i understood why Consumer mass is never going to exceed producer mass. But why can't biomass of both producer and consumers be equal?Why there is so much difference?Bystander said:
- #34
gracy
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I didn't understand .Is this related with my question?Bystander said:
- #35
Bystander
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Yes, you said that at 43 kg you'd be eating 103 kg per year, and I agreed, "Give or take a salad," or one or two meals.
- #36
gracy
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if my mass is 43 kg i will be eating 103 kg of biomass of plant per year if i will be eating ONLY salad,otherwise very much than 103 kg.Right?please answer to my 33rd post.Bystander said:
- #37
gracy
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This indicates that there are much producers than consumers.This imply to most of the cases(ecosystem)there are only some exceptions as in oak tree.That's what my question is .Even though population has increased so much,deforestation is on it's peak but still there are lot more producers than consumers.Right?
- #38
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In this context, yes, still more producers than consumers. Deforestation hasn't decreased number of producers, it's just changed what plants are producing. Population doesn't mean just human population, it includes other animals as well.
- #39
fedaykin
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There are usually a lot less consumers, heterotrophs, than producers, autotrophs, because a portion of the energy will always be lost with each transfer. Some of it will be due to heat loss while other parts will be due the energy required to digest and process the producer.
- #40
aroc91
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There can be cases in which consumer biomass is greater than producer biomass, but it's only a temporary situation. If producers are killed off, consumers will decline in population as a response because they won't have as much food to support them.