Rankings in the Food Pyramid
Organisms at the first trophic level are usually the most abundant, while organisms at the second, third, and later trophic levels are increasingly reduced.
In normal communities, the number of plants is always greater than herbivorous organisms.
The number of herbivores is always greater than the number of level 1 carnivores. Carnivores of level 1 are also always more than level 2 carnivores.
In a balanced ecosystem the number of producers is greater than the number of level I consumers, the number of level II consumers is more than level III consumers, and so on. This is caused by loss of energy at every level of food. If the food chain is depicted from producers to high-level consumers, a food pyramid will form.
Food pyramid can also be used to predict population balance in an ecosystem. Increasingly, the population of the pyramid will reduce food.
In ecosystems there are often two or more consumers who occupy the top of the pyramid, so there is a food pyramid with one peak and a food pyramid with two peaks. A food pyramid with a peak means that there is only one type of carnivore that occupies the top of the pyramid (top consumer). Food pyramid with two peaks means that at the top of the pyramid is occupied by two types of carnivores which both do not eat each other.
Rankings in the Food Pyramid
The Indonesian version of the Food Pyramid consists of 5 levels of food and drink according to the needs of the human body and 1 level of the foundation of a healthy life such as regular exercise and maintaining an ideal body weight. The following is a picture of the Food Pyramid to maintain the balance of nutrients needed by our body
First level
First level or basic level is in the pyramid of healthy food is maintaining ideal body weight and regular exercise. Both of these elements greatly affect the quality of our healthy lives. One reason for the importance of sports is to use simple rules as below:
"Change in Body Weight is the same as incoming Calories reduced by outgoing Calories"
By exercising we can burn the calories we consume and keep the body at an ideal body weight. Eating more than you burn will cause you to gain fat and weight, leading to diseases associated with being overweight.
Second level
Water holds a very important role in the human body. In the human body, water functions as a cell-forming and body fluid, regulating body temperature, solvents of other nutrients and as an aid in the digestion process. In one day, our body needs 8 glasses of water, equivalent to 2 liters of water.
Third level
The third level is foods which are high carbohydrate sources such as Rice, Potatoes, Bread, Biscuits, Corn and Sweet Potatoes. These foods are usually referred to as staple foods which are usually consumed 3 to 8 servings a day.
Fourth level
The fourth level of the Food Pyramid is vegetables and fruits which are a source of fiber, vitamins and minerals. Vegetables should be consumed 3 to 5 servings while fruits can be consumed 2 to 3 servings a day.
Fifth Level
The fifth level is foods that are good sources of protein, vegetable protein and animal protein. Vegetable Protein is a protein derived from plants such as beans and processed foods (tempeh, tofu).
While Animal Protein is Protein obtained from animals such as beef, fish, chicken, eggs and milk products. Protein foods (vegetable and animal) should be consumed 2 to 3 servings every day.
Highest Level (Peak)
The highest level or peak position are foods whose consumption level must be limited. This is because the level of need for these foods is very low. These foods include salt, sugar and oil.
Examples of the Food Pyramid
Phytoplankton
that is, as a producer because in these plankton waters it can photosynthesize and produce a food reserve.
Fish
that is, as consumers of level 1 water, fish will eat all phytoplankton as food.
Seals
that is, as a level 2 consumer in the waters, these seals will eat fish as food.
killer whale
namely as a consumer level 3 or final level, one of the food is seal. So this type of whale can be classified as a final consumer.