food pyramid

food pyramid

n.

1. A graphic representation of the structure of a food chain, depicted as a pyramid having a broad base formed by producers and tapering to a point formed by end consumers. Between successive levels, total biomass decreases as energy is lost from the system.

2. A diagrammatic representation of recommended portions of basic food groups. Also called diet pyramid.

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food pyramid

1. A graphic representation of the structure of a food chain, depicted as a pyramid having a broad base formed by producers and tapering to a point formed by end consumers. Between successive trophic levels, total biomass decreases as energy is lost from the system. See more at trophic level.

2. A pyramid-shaped diagram representing a set of dietary guidelines for humans, typically based on a recommended number of servings from each of several food groups. Foods along the broadest row, at the bottom, are considered basic to human nutrition and have the highest recommended number of servings. Foods in the narrowest part, at the top, are considered to be nonessential and have the fewest number of recommended servings. In the middle row or rows are foods whose recommended servings fall between those two groups.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

food pyramid - (ecology) a hierarchy of food chains with the principal predator at the top; each level preys on the level below bionomics, environmental science, ecology - the branch of biology concerned with the relations between organisms and their environment organic phenomenon - (biology) a natural phenomenon involving living plants and animals