Question

Ecologically what does standing crop means?

• A.
  Totality of all trophic levels, both animals and plants, comprising it
• B.
  The trophic level made up of primary producer only i.e. green plants only
• C.
  The trophic level made up of primary consumers only
• D.
  The trophic levels of consumers of all orders

Answer 1

The correct option is A

Totality of all trophic levels, both animals and plants, comprising it
The total amount or number of living things or of one kind of living thing (such as an uncut farm crop, the fish in a pond, or organisms in an ecosystem) in a particular area at any given time is the standing crop of that ecosystem.

Standing crop is the biomass or living matter of biotic components of an ecosystem at a particular time. It represents the entire living matter (biomass). It indicates the productivity of the ecosystem. Standing crops are present all over the ecosystem. Here, continuous synthesis and consumption of biomass are going on.

Standing crop biomass tends to be more readily noticeable in terrestrial ecosystems as compared to aquatic ecosystems.