What does an energy pyramid illustrate?

An energy pyramid illustrates the flow of energy through different trophic levels in an ecosystem, highlighting the energy loss that occurs at each level. At the base of the pyramid, producers, such as plants, capture energy from the sun through photosynthesis. As energy moves up through the levels—from producers to primary consumers to secondary consumers and so on—there is a significant decrease in the amount of energy available. This is due to energy being used for metabolic processes, lost as heat, and not all parts of an organism being consumed.

The structure of the energy pyramid usually shows that each successive level has less energy available than the level below it, reflecting the efficiency of energy transfer, which is typically around 10%. This concept is crucial for understanding ecosystem dynamics, including population sizes, food webs, and the overall health of the environment. The energy pyramid serves to visually represent these relationships and the inefficiency of energy transfer, which is vital for grasping ecological principles.