1. Draw a pyramid of numbers for this food chain
Starter
I have 1 lion, 3 antelopes and a 20 large plants to get from the quarantine area to different sections of the safari park – how could I transport them around the park safely? I can only have room for one species in my trailer at a time. I can’t leave the antelopes alone with the lion or the plants or something will get eaten!

2. Solution take the antelopes first then come back with an empty trailer
then take the plants and bring the antelopes back
then take the lion (leave the antelopes there)
then come back with and empty trailer
then take the antelopes
All arrive safely!

3. 1 lion
3 antelopes
20 large plants

4. Pyramid of Biomass Lesson Objectives: To know where biomass comes from
To know what a pyramid of biomass shows
To know where energy is lost

5. Pyramid of numbers do not always look like pyramids
Oak tree aphid ladybird ladybird parasites
What would be a better way of showing the flow of energy? s s s

6. Oak tree aphid ladybird ladybird parasites
Pyramid of Biomass
Oak tree aphid ladybird ladybird parasites
These show the total dry mass of the organisms at each trophic level. They are always pyramid shape.
Parasites
Ladybird
Aphids
Oak Tree

7. biomass are the mass of material in living organisms Ultimately all biomass is built up using energy from the sun. Biomass is often measured as the dry mass of blogical material in gram’s. The biomass made by plants is passed on through food chains or food webs. it goes into the animals that eet the plants. The amownt of biomass at each stage of a food chain is less than it was at the privious stage.

8. Biomass is the mass of material in living organisms
Biomass is the mass of material in living organisms. Ultimately all biomass is built up using energy from the Sun. Biomass is often measured as the dry mass of biological material in grams. The biomass made by plants is passed on through food chains or food webs. It goes into the animals that eat the plants. The amount of biomass at each stage of a food chain is less than it was at the previous stage.

9. How to construct a pyramid of biomass
Construct a pyramid of biomass for the following food chain. Use the graph paper below where 1 small square will represent 100kg:
Grass  Rabbit  Fox
50, ,
0.1kg kg 5kg
3,600kg
5000kg
2,500kg

10. How to construct a pyramid of biomass
Construct a pyramid of biomass for the following food chain. Use the graph paper below where 1 small square will represent 100kg:
Grass  Rabbit  Fox
100
5000kg
3,600kg
100
2,500kg
100
50 squares
36 squares
25 squares
Foxes
Rabbits
Grass

11. Findings from our pyramid of biomass
Q1. What is happening to the biomass as we go up the food chain? Q2. What is happening to the energy as we go up the food chain?

12. Energy is reduced at each trophic level
WHY?
Respiration
Heat loss
Growth
Moving
Excretion
Not all material consumed
Not all material digested
Parasites
Ladybird
Aphids
Oak Tree

13. Only 10% of energy is passed on to the next trophic level1%
Oak tree aphid ladybird ladybird parasites
10%
0.1%
90% *energy lost (reflection off leaf)
90% *energy lost
90% *energy lost

14. Use graph paper to draw your pyramids of biomass to scale
Tasks
Complete the worksheet
Answer question 2 and 3 on Page 95
Create your own pyramid of biomass (ask for the worksheet)
Extension
Draw out the pyramid of biomass to scale and then answer question 1 on Page 104

15. Plenary
The amounts of ______ and _______ contained in living things always gets less at each stage of a food _______ from ________ onwards. Biomass is lost as ________ products and used to release energy in _______. This is used for _______ and to control body __________. Only a small amount is used for _________. biomass temperature energy chain growth movement producers respiration waste

16. Plenary
The amounts of biomass and energy contained in living things always gets less at each stage of a food chain, from producers onwards. Biomass is lost as waste products and used to release energy in respiration. This is used for movement and to control body temperature. Only a small amount is used for growth.