• An Ecological Pyramid is a visual representation of the relationships between organisms in an ecosystem. Each bar represents a trophic level based on who consumes whom. The order of bars shows the flow of energy through the ecosystem
• Energy flow in an ecosystem is governed by two laws of thermodynamics
  • The first law states that energy can be transformed but not created or destroyed
  • The second law states that energy decreases as it’s transferred between organisms
• Food energy transfer results in significant energy loss due to metabolic activities. Only a small portion of energy is stored in living tissues or biomass.

Types of Ecological Pyramids:

• Ecological pyramids have different types:

• One of which is the Pyramid of Numbers. The Pyramid of Numbers shows the total number of individuals in each trophic level.Coined by Elton in 1972, it’s useful for counting organisms in an ecosystem. The Pyramid of Numbers has different forms based on the number of organisms

1. Upright Pyramid of Numbers: number of organisms mostly decreases from bottom to top.Found in pond and grassland ecosystems where plants form the base.Higher levels of the pyramid in Upright Pyramid of Numbers include consumers.
2. Ecological pyramids have different types, including the inverted pyramid. In the tree ecosystem, producers (trees) are fewer in number, while consumers (insects) increase at each trophic level. Another type of ecological pyramid is the spindle-shaped pyramid of numbers.
3. The spindle-shaped pyramid of numbers is partially upright with no sequential increase or decrease in the number of individuals. This type of pyramid is found in forest ecosystems without parasites.

As food is consumed and digested, energy is lost in the form of waste and used for respiration and physical activities. Therefore, the population of higher trophic level organisms becomes progressively lower. Among the three types of ecological pyramids, the pyramid of numbers is the most inaccurate, as it does not take into account the exact population of species. It also ignores biomass and energy transfer between trophic levels, and thus cannot provide a comprehensive understanding of the trophic structure in an ecosystem. In addition, pyramids of numbers do not indicate the specific effects of geometric, food chain, and organism size factors.

• The second, pyramid of biomass represents the total amount of living material present in an individual or group of individuals at a specific trophic level, per unit area. Typically, the pyramid is larger at the bottom and decreases in size as it moves up. This reduction in size is due to the decrease in biomass with each successive trophic level. Only about 10% to 20% of biomass is transferred from one trophic level to the next. The pyramid of biomass can take two forms: an inverted pyramid and an upright pyramid.

1. An inverted pyramid is typical of the aquatic ecosystem, where phytoplankton producers form the base of the pyramid, and the consumers with larger biomass are located at the top. 
2. In contrast, the terrestrial ecosystem has an upright pyramid with a large base consisting mainly of primary consumers and smaller trophic levels located at the top.

This pyramid can help address issues found in the pyramid of numbers because it accurately represents the amount of energy present at each trophic level. If there is a reduction of biomass with a rise in trophic levels, this indicates biomass wastage and consumption at every transfer level.

Drawbacks: Determining the mass of every single individual is unfeasible and therefore a sample is typically collected. However, this approach can introduce errors. Additionally, the season in which data is collected should be taken into account, as breeding seasons vary among different organisms.

• Thirdly the Pyramid of Energy is a graphical representation of energy flow from producers to consumers in an ecosystem. It depicts the roles of different organisms involved in the transfer of energy, and also shows the amount of energy required in the next trophic level as it moves up the pyramid. The concept of the Pyramid of Energy is based on Lindemann’s energy flow model, which suggests that only a small fraction (10%) of the total energy is transferred to the next trophic level and is used to create biomass.
• The energy transferred between trophic levels is not 100% efficient. Some of it is used for respiration, hunting, and other activities, while the rest is lost to the surroundings in the form of heat. This results in the Ten Percent Law of Energy, which states that only 10% of the energy available at one trophic level is passed on to the next level.
• As a consequence, each ecosystem exhibits an upright pyramid of energy, where the energy available is highest at the producer level and decreases as it moves up to the subsequent trophic levels, including primary consumers (herbivores) and secondary or tertiary consumers (carnivores).

The ecological pyramid provides valuable information about the feeding patterns of organisms in different ecosystems, as well as insights into the inefficiency of energy transfer. It also demonstrates the impact that changes in population numbers at one trophic level can have on the levels above and below it.

Over time, data collected from ecological pyramids can help researchers study the effects of environmental changes on organisms in an ecosystem by comparing data from different years. In cases where the ecosystem is deteriorating due to factors such as pollution or overhunting, ecological pyramids can be used to take appropriate action to prevent further damage and possibly reverse some of the existing harm.

Drawbacks: Ecological pyramids have limitations, such as excluding important organisms like fungi and microorganisms and only applying to simple food chains. They also do not account for seasonal and climatic variations or the possibility of a species existing at different levels.