Context

Ecology is a science that studies the relationships that living beings maintain with each other and with the environment in which they live. Within ecology, we have a very important concept called Ecological Pyramids, structures that help us visualize how organisms interact in an ecosystem. And this interaction is based on a basic unit - energy.

The flow of energy and matter between trophic levels is represented by Ecological Pyramids, which can be of three types: energy, biomass, and numbers. Understanding them is essential to comprehend ecosystem dynamics and how humans can impact these systems.

Importance

Understanding Ecological Pyramids and their transition of energy, biomass, and numbers is profoundly significant. Humans, like any other species, depend on solar energy that is initially captured by plants and, after passing through food chains, reaches us. Each step of the Ecological Pyramid is a stage in this flow of energy and matter that sustains life on Earth.

Moreover, by understanding Ecological Pyramids, it is possible to comprehend the impacts of human actions on ecosystem balance. For example, overfishing a certain type of fish can have repercussions throughout the food chain, affecting both the predators of that fish and its prey, altering the pyramid's structure.

Practical Activity - Create Your Own Ecological Pyramid

Project Objective

The objective of this project is to empower students to understand in a playful and practical way the composition and functioning of Ecological Pyramids, addressing the concepts of energy flow, biomass, and number of individuals across different trophic levels.

The working group consists of 3 to 5 students, and the execution time should be between 5 to 10 hours spread over a month.

Detailed Project Description

Students will create a three-dimensional representation of an Ecological Pyramid, representing an ecosystem of their choice. The pyramid will have three sections: energy, biomass, and number of individuals.

Required Materials

• A solid base of cardboard, wood, or any other available material.
• Paint, pens, or colored pencils.
• Paper, preferably recycled.
• Scissors.
• Glue.
• Cutouts of images or drawings of organisms to represent each trophic level.

Step by Step

1. Choose the Ecosystem: Choose an ecosystem for which you will create the pyramid. Research the different trophic levels existing in this ecosystem.

2. Draw the Pyramid: Draw the pyramid structure on a piece of paper, dividing it into three sections: energy, biomass, and numbers. Cut out the structure.

3. Representation of Trophic Levels: In each section of the pyramid, draw or paste images representing the organisms present in each trophic level of the chosen ecosystem.

4. Representation of Energy, Biomass, and Numbers Flow: Visually indicate the flow of energy, biomass, and number of individuals that occurs at each trophic level.

5. Discussion and Reflection: Discuss how energy is transferred from one trophic level to another and how this impacts the number of organisms and biomass available at each level. Also, reflect on how human activities can impact this flow and discuss possible actions to minimize these impacts.

Project Delivery

Students must present the ecological pyramid in a 10 to 15-minute presentation explaining the chosen ecosystem, trophic levels, and the flow of energy, biomass, and numbers.

Additionally, the final project must include a Written Document containing:

1. Introduction: Provide context on the topic, its relevance and real-world application, as well as the objective of this project.
2. Development: Explain the theory of ecological pyramids, describe the chosen ecosystem, and detail the activity carried out. Indicate the methodology used and present and discuss the results obtained.
3. Conclusion: Conclude the work by summarizing its main points, explaining the learnings obtained, and drawing conclusions about the project.
4. Bibliography: List the sources used to work on the project such as books, web pages, videos, etc.