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Energy Pyramid Explorer

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About This MicroSim

This MicroSim lets students manipulate an energy pyramid and immediately see how exponential losses constrain trophic levels. Sliders adjust the producer input and transfer efficiency, an Add Level button extends the chain to a maximum of six levels, and optional toggles overlay biomass (kg/ha) or organism-count (“ind”) values alongside the baseline kcal numbers. The right-hand info panel mirrors the currently selected level, showing energy transferred upward, heat/waste, and optional biomass/individuals notes. A heat-loss band and hover tooltips reinforce where the “missing” energy goes.

How to Use

  1. Set the baseline: Drag the Producer Input slider (default 20,000 kcal) and choose a realistic transfer efficiency (5–20%). The pyramid widths and values update instantly.
  2. Reveal exact values: Use the Show Numbers checkbox to toggle precise kcal/kg/individual labels on each level. Hovering over a band also pops up the transferred vs. lost amounts.
  3. Overlay alternate metrics: Use the Show Biomass and Show Individuals toggles (they can be active simultaneously) to add kg/ha and “ind” figures under each level while keeping the energy view as the baseline.
  4. Extend or trim the chain: Press Add Level to append quaternary or apex consumers and observe how little energy remains; use Remove Level to go back to four levels if needed. Discuss whether a sixth level is sustainable at the chosen efficiency.

Iframe Embed Code

You can add this MicroSim to any web page by adding this to your HTML:

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<iframe src="https://dmccreary.github.io/biology/sims/energy-pyramid/main.html"
        height="450px"
        width="100%"
        scrolling="no"></iframe>

Lesson Plan

Grade Level

Grades 9-12 Biology

Duration

10-15 minutes

Prerequisites

  • Understands the 10% rule for energy transfer.
  • Can differentiate producers, primary consumers, and higher trophic levels.
  • Familiar with units for energy (kcal) and biomass (kg/ha).

Activities

  1. Exploration (5 min): Students adjust producer input and efficiency, turning the number labels on to record the energy reaching each level.
  2. Guided Practice (5 min): Switch to biomass and numbers modes. Discuss why aquatic numbers pyramids invert and what it implies about individual organism size.
  3. Assessment (5 min): Challenge learners to add a sixth level and justify whether that apex predator could survive under different efficiency assumptions.

Assessment

  • Accurate calculations of energy/biomass at each trophic level given slider settings.
  • Explanation of why only a few trophic levels are viable at 10% efficiency.
  • Written comparison of energy vs. biomass vs. numbers pyramids for terrestrial vs. aquatic systems.

References

  1. Odum, E. & Barrett, G. (2005). Fundamentals of Ecology (5th ed.). Brooks Cole.
  2. U.S. EPA. (2024). Food Chain and Energy Pyramid. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/