Which of the ecological pyramid is always upright?a)pyramid of numbersb)pyramid of biomassc)pyramid of energyd)none of theseCorrect answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Question

Answer

Pyramid of energy, showing the rate of energy flow and/or productivity at successive trophic levels. The pyramids of numbers and biomass may be upright or inverted depending upon the nature of the food chain in the particular ecosystem, whereas pyramids of energy are always upright.

Answer

Pyramid of energy, showing the rate of energy flow and/or productivity at successive trophic levels. The pyramids of numbers and biomass may be upright or inverted depending upon the nature of the food chain in the particular ecosystem, whereas pyramids of energy are always upright.

Answer

Pyramid of biomass..... ..

Answer

The correct answer is option 'C' - pyramid of energy.

Explanation:
Ecological pyramids are graphical representations of the trophic structure and energy flow in an ecosystem. They show the relationships between different trophic levels and depict the flow of energy, biomass, or number of organisms at each trophic level.

1. Pyramid of numbers:
- The pyramid of numbers represents the number of organisms at each trophic level in an ecosystem.
- In some cases, the pyramid of numbers may not always be upright. This is because the number of organisms at each trophic level can vary greatly.
- For example, in a grassland ecosystem, there may be a large number of primary producers (such as grass) but a relatively smaller number of herbivores that feed on the grass. Similarly, the number of carnivores that feed on herbivores may be even smaller.
- As a result, the pyramid of numbers may not always be upright, and it can be inverted or irregular in shape.

2. Pyramid of biomass:
- The pyramid of biomass represents the total dry mass of organisms at each trophic level in an ecosystem.
- In most cases, the pyramid of biomass is upright, meaning that the biomass decreases at higher trophic levels.
- However, there can be exceptions where the pyramid of biomass is inverted. This can occur when the biomass of primary producers (e.g., phytoplankton in aquatic ecosystems) is smaller than the biomass of the primary consumers (e.g., zooplankton) that feed on them.
- In such cases, the biomass of the primary consumers exceeds the biomass of primary producers, resulting in an inverted pyramid of biomass.

3. Pyramid of energy:
- The pyramid of energy represents the flow of energy through different trophic levels in an ecosystem.
- It is always upright and never inverted. This is because energy transfer is unidirectional and decreases at each higher trophic level.
- Only a fraction of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next due to energy loss in the form of heat, metabolic processes, and incomplete digestion.
- As a result, the energy available to higher trophic levels is always less than the energy available to lower trophic levels.
- Thus, the pyramid of energy is always upright, with energy decreasing from the producer level to the consumer levels.

In summary, while the pyramid of numbers and the pyramid of biomass can sometimes be inverted or irregular, the pyramid of energy is always upright, depicting the decrease in energy transfer at each trophic level.

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