Which of the following statements is not correct?a)Pyramid of biomass ...
The pyramid of biomass and number may be upright or inverted. However, the pyramid of energy can never be inverted. The energy pyramid is always upright. The pyramid of biomass in the sea is generally inverted. This Inverted pyramid of biomass is due to the presence of a small standing crop of phytoplankton supporting a large standing crop of zooplankton.
Which of the following statements is not correct?a)Pyramid of biomass ...
Explanation:
The statement "Pyramid of biomass in the sea is generally upright" is not correct. The correct statement is that the pyramid of biomass in the sea is generally inverted.
Pyramid of Biomass:
- The pyramid of biomass represents the total amount of living organisms present at each trophic level in a given ecosystem.
- It shows the biomass (total mass of living organisms) at each trophic level, usually measured in grams per unit area (e.g., grams per square meter).
Pyramid of Biomass in the Sea:
- In a typical marine ecosystem, the pyramid of biomass is inverted compared to terrestrial ecosystems.
- This means that the biomass of producers (such as phytoplankton) is less than that of primary consumers (such as zooplankton), and so on.
- The reason for this inversion is that primary producers in the sea, like phytoplankton, are very small and have a short lifespan. They reproduce rapidly and are continuously consumed by grazers, leading to a high turnover rate and relatively low biomass.
- On the other hand, primary consumers like zooplankton have a longer lifespan and accumulate more biomass as they feed on the phytoplankton.
Pyramid of Energy:
- The pyramid of energy represents the flow of energy through various trophic levels in an ecosystem.
- It shows the amount of energy transferred from one trophic level to the next, usually measured in units of energy per unit area per unit time (e.g., joules per square meter per year).
Pyramid of Energy in the Sea:
- The pyramid of energy is always upright, meaning that the energy available at each trophic level decreases as we move up the food chain.
- This is because energy is lost as heat during metabolic processes and is not fully transferred from one organism to another.
- Therefore, there is less energy available to support higher trophic levels, resulting in a decrease in energy as we move up the pyramid.
Pyramid of Numbers:
- The pyramid of numbers represents the number of individuals at each trophic level in an ecosystem.
- It shows the number of organisms at each level, usually measured as the number of individuals per unit area.
Pyramid of Numbers in a Grassland Ecosystem:
- In a grassland ecosystem, the pyramid of numbers is generally upright, with the number of producers (grass) being the highest and the number of top predators (e.g., lions) being the lowest.
- This is because each trophic level depends on the level below it for food, and as we move up the food chain, the number of individuals typically decreases.
- However, it is important to note that the pyramid of numbers can be inverted in certain cases, such as in parasitic ecosystems, where a single parasite can have multiple hosts, leading to a higher number of parasites than hosts.
In summary, the correct statement is that the pyramid of biomass in the sea is generally inverted.
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