Ecological Pyramids: Producers Outnumber Consumers?

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In summary, according to ecological pyramid of numbers there are far more producers than consumers.How?I mean nowadays human population has increased so much and deforestation is also taking place in spite of all these how producers are far ahead from consumers in terms of numbers?Have i interpreted ecological pyramid correctly?Is it correct that there are far more producers than consumers?in terms of numbers?Numbers? Or, mass?Numbers? Or, mass? There are far more producers than consumers in terms of numbers. However, when it comes to mass, consumers will eat between two and three times their mass per year depending upon their activity level.
  • #1
gracy
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According to ecological pyramid of numbers there are far more producers than consumers.How?I mean nowadays human population has increased so much and deforestation is also taking place in spite of all these how producers are far ahead from consumers in terms of numbers?Have i interpreted ecological pyramid correctly?Is it correct that there are far more producers than consumers?
 
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  • #2
gracy said:
in terms of numbers?
Numbers? Or, mass?
 
  • #3
Bystander said:
Numbers? Or, mass?
actually,both.
 
  • #4
Compare numbers of blue whales to numbers of whatever little critters they consume, and then compare masses (total and individual) of blue whales to masses (total and individual) of critters.

Compare numbers and masses of termites to numbers and masses of cellulose producing plants.

Compare "consumption" in terms of mass consumed to mass of consumer per year. Can the consumers live on nothing if their total mass exceeds the mass of producers necessary to support that mass?
 
  • #5
Bystander said:
Numbers? Or, mass?
I must mention it is not just mass it is biomass.So in terms of biomass and numbers.
 
  • #6
Bystander said:
Compare numbers of blue whales to numbers of whatever little critters they consume, and then compare masses (total and individual) of blue whales to masses (total and individual) of critters.

Compare numbers and masses of termites to numbers and masses of cellulose producing plants.

Compare "consumption" in terms of mass consumed to mass of consumer per year. Can the consumers live on nothing if their total mass exceeds the mass of producers necessary to support that mass?
I am really not getting anything.Tomorrow is my test, can you please directly answer my question or make your point much clearer.I have to prepare for my test,there is no much time left.
 
  • #7
Consumers can't eat food that isn't being produced. Consumer mass is never going to exceed producer mass.
 
  • #8
Bystander said:
Consumers can't eat food that isn't being produced. Consumer mass is never going to exceed producer mass.
What's the difference between mass and biomass?
 
  • #9
Biomass is any living (or once living) material derived originally from photosynthesis.
 
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  • #10
Bystander said:
Biomass is any living (or once living) material derived originally from photosynthesis.
If we talk about our mass ,is it greater or lesser than biomass?or just the same?i think mass is greater than biomass,as our mass include water which is not product of photosynthesis.right?
 
  • #11
The geochemical "rules of thumb" I learned measured "dry" mass, about 30 % of the mass of living organisms, or the actual organic material minus water. Different fields may look at total, organic mass plus water mass, but the ratios between producers and consumers will be very close to the same.
 
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  • #12
Bystander said:
but the ratios between producers and consumers will be very close to the same.
ratio of what?
 
  • #13
Masses, whether wet or dry. Hundred kilograms of producers support ten kilograms of consumers, for example , that's a fifty year old rule of thumb, so use whatever ratio is being used in your class.
 
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  • #14
Bystander said:
Masses, whether wet or dry. Hundred kilograms of producers support ten kilograms of consumers, for example , that's a fifty year old rule of thumb, so use whatever ratio is being used in your class.
is dry mass and biomass same thing?
 
  • #15
Bystander said:
Hundred kilograms of producers support ten kilograms of consumers,
Here supports mean?
 
  • #16
Biomass is anything of biological origin. "Dry" biomass is about 30% of wet biomass or living biomass.
 
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  • #17
"To support," to feed, keep alive.
 
  • #18
Bystander said:
Biomass is anything of biological origin. "Dry" biomass is about 30% of wet biomass or living biomass.
wet biomass?I thought dry mass(or dry biomass ?)is mass excluding water .And biomass is anything we obtain from photosynthesis.As water is not obtained from photosynthesis ,i thought dry mass is just same as biomass.But what is wet biomass now?
 
  • #19
Bystander said:
Hundred kilograms of producers support ten kilograms of consumers,
for how long?I mean we eat on daily basis so.....
 
  • #20
Geochemists talk about "dry mass." I do not know whether biologists or other life scientists define biomass as being "wet" or "dry." The grass that grows in the sun is biomass. The cow that eats the grass is biomass. The people who eat the cow are biomass.You will eat between two and three times your mass per year depending upon your activity level.
 
  • #21
Bystander said:
The cow that eats the grass is biomass. The people who eat the cow are biomass.
Whole cow ,whole person is considered to be biomass?i thought some fraction or percentage of their masses is considered to be biomass.
 
  • #22
Your choice, wet or dry, not mine.
 
  • #23
Bystander said:
Your choice, wet or dry, not mine.
Is it really about choice ?I mean there must be some concept behind this terms.
 
  • #24
The definition used in the textbook or course materials is the definition you should use.
 
  • #25
Bystander said:
Your choice, wet or dry, not mine.
Ok let the mass be whatever dry/wet/bio .Can you please help me to get the answer of my 19th post.
 
  • #26
Bystander said:
The definition used in the textbook or course materials is the definition you should use.
I will be using biomass as mass without water. Although my book doesn't clarify what biomass really is !even wikipedia explanation is getting beyond my understanding.
 
  • #27
You will eat two to three times your mass per year. Other organisms? Some more, some less.
 
  • #28
Bystander said:
You will eat two to three times your mass per year. Other organisms? Some more, some less.
So 100 Kilograms of plant is required to feed a person( whose mass is 10 kg) throughout the year.Or 100 Kilograms of plant is required to make and retain 10 kilogram of consumers.
I know this post (of mine)doesn't make any sense.
Sorry just tolerate this.Actually i am totally blank in this concept.
 
Last edited:
  • #29
Bystander said:
You will eat two to three times your mass per year
Sorry .Not getting!Please help ..Tomorrow is my test and i want to understand this concept*(question of my original post)
 
  • #30
It depends on the metabolic rate of the specific consumer: you eat two to three times your mass per year; a shrew might eat two to three times its mass per day. If "producer" biomass is insufficient to feed you or the shrew, you starve, reducing "consumer" biomass to whatever level "producer" biomass can support.
 
  • #31
Bystander said:
you eat two to three times your mass per year;
say if my mass is 43 kg i will be eating 103 kg of biomass of plant per year?
 
  • #32
Give or take a chef's salad.
 
  • #33
Bystander said:
It depends on the metabolic rate of the specific consumer: you eat two to three times your mass per year; a shrew might eat two to three times its mass per day. If "producer" biomass is insufficient to feed you or the shrew, you starve, reducing "consumer" biomass to whatever level "producer" biomass can support.
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?
 
  • #34
Bystander said:
Give or take a chef's salad.
I didn't understand .Is this related with my question?
 
  • #35
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.
 
<h2>1. What is an ecological pyramid?</h2><p>An ecological pyramid is a graphical representation of the trophic levels within an ecosystem, with producers at the bottom and top-level consumers at the top. It shows the flow of energy through an ecosystem and the relationship between different organisms.</p><h2>2. What is the purpose of an ecological pyramid?</h2><p>The purpose of an ecological pyramid is to visually depict the distribution of energy and biomass within an ecosystem. It also helps to illustrate the interdependence and interconnectedness of different species within an ecosystem.</p><h2>3. How do producers outnumber consumers in an ecological pyramid?</h2><p>Producers, such as plants and algae, are able to capture energy from the sun through photosynthesis and convert it into organic compounds. This energy is then passed on to primary consumers, such as herbivores, and then to secondary and tertiary consumers. As energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next, there is a decrease in the amount of energy available, resulting in a larger number of producers compared to consumers in an ecological pyramid.</p><h2>4. What are the different types of ecological pyramids?</h2><p>There are three types of ecological pyramids: pyramid of numbers, pyramid of biomass, and pyramid of energy. The pyramid of numbers shows the number of organisms at each trophic level, the pyramid of biomass shows the total amount of living matter at each trophic level, and the pyramid of energy shows the amount of energy available at each trophic level.</p><h2>5. How do ecological pyramids change in different ecosystems?</h2><p>Ecological pyramids can vary in shape and size depending on the type of ecosystem. For example, in a marine ecosystem, the pyramid of numbers may be inverted, with a larger number of consumers than producers due to the high productivity of the ocean. In a forest ecosystem, the pyramid of biomass may be more evenly distributed, with a large amount of biomass at each trophic level due to the complex food web and recycling of nutrients.</p>

1. What is an ecological pyramid?

An ecological pyramid is a graphical representation of the trophic levels within an ecosystem, with producers at the bottom and top-level consumers at the top. It shows the flow of energy through an ecosystem and the relationship between different organisms.

2. What is the purpose of an ecological pyramid?

The purpose of an ecological pyramid is to visually depict the distribution of energy and biomass within an ecosystem. It also helps to illustrate the interdependence and interconnectedness of different species within an ecosystem.

3. How do producers outnumber consumers in an ecological pyramid?

Producers, such as plants and algae, are able to capture energy from the sun through photosynthesis and convert it into organic compounds. This energy is then passed on to primary consumers, such as herbivores, and then to secondary and tertiary consumers. As energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next, there is a decrease in the amount of energy available, resulting in a larger number of producers compared to consumers in an ecological pyramid.

4. What are the different types of ecological pyramids?

There are three types of ecological pyramids: pyramid of numbers, pyramid of biomass, and pyramid of energy. The pyramid of numbers shows the number of organisms at each trophic level, the pyramid of biomass shows the total amount of living matter at each trophic level, and the pyramid of energy shows the amount of energy available at each trophic level.

5. How do ecological pyramids change in different ecosystems?

Ecological pyramids can vary in shape and size depending on the type of ecosystem. For example, in a marine ecosystem, the pyramid of numbers may be inverted, with a larger number of consumers than producers due to the high productivity of the ocean. In a forest ecosystem, the pyramid of biomass may be more evenly distributed, with a large amount of biomass at each trophic level due to the complex food web and recycling of nutrients.

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