1. Label the pyramid levels in Model 1 with the following: primary producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers.
- Oak tree leaves (producer) → Primary producers
- Caterpillars (herbivore) → Primary consumers
- Blue jays (omnivore) → Secondary consumers
- Hawk (carnivore) → Tertiary consumers
2. The arrows in Model 1 represent the energy available to the next level of the pyramid.
a. What percentage of the source energy from Question 1 is absorbed by the oak leaves in Model 1?
25,000 / 3,190,000 × 100 = ~0.8%
b. By what process do the oak leaves harness this energy?
Photosynthesis
3. Describe how the consumers in one level of the pyramid obtain energy from the organisms at the previous level of the pyramid.
They eat them to obtain the energy.
4. Refer to Model 1.
a. How much energy per year do the caterpillars in Model 1 obtain from eating the leaves in a square meter of the oak tree?
4,000 kcal
b. What percentage of the energy that was originally absorbed by the oak leaves is passed to the caterpillars?
4,000 / 25,000 × 100 = 16%
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of ecological pyramids worksheet.
