
Number of trophic levels in ecological communities
Publication
, Journal Article
Pimm, SL; Lawton, JH
Published in: Nature
December 1, 1977
ECOLOGICAL food chains are typically short, consisting of not more than four or five trophic levels. This is usually explained by a reduction in the energy which is available to successive links in the food chain1,2. In contrast, we believe that the number of trophic levels is constrained by population dynamics and not by ecological energetics. © 1977 Nature Publishing Group.
Duke Scholars
Published In
Nature
DOI
ISSN
0028-0836
Publication Date
December 1, 1977
Volume
268
Issue
5618
Start / End Page
329 / 331
Related Subject Headings
- General Science & Technology
Citation
APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Pimm, S. L., & Lawton, J. H. (1977). Number of trophic levels in ecological communities. Nature, 268(5618), 329–331. https://doi.org/10.1038/268329a0
Pimm, S. L., and J. H. Lawton. “Number of trophic levels in ecological communities.” Nature 268, no. 5618 (December 1, 1977): 329–31. https://doi.org/10.1038/268329a0.
Pimm SL, Lawton JH. Number of trophic levels in ecological communities. Nature. 1977 Dec 1;268(5618):329–31.
Pimm, S. L., and J. H. Lawton. “Number of trophic levels in ecological communities.” Nature, vol. 268, no. 5618, Dec. 1977, pp. 329–31. Scopus, doi:10.1038/268329a0.
Pimm SL, Lawton JH. Number of trophic levels in ecological communities. Nature. 1977 Dec 1;268(5618):329–331.

Published In
Nature
DOI
ISSN
0028-0836
Publication Date
December 1, 1977
Volume
268
Issue
5618
Start / End Page
329 / 331
Related Subject Headings
- General Science & Technology