Question

Following are limitations of ecological pyramids, except

• A. Saprophytes are not included
• B. Only a simple food chain is considered
• C. Animals occupying multiple trophic levels are not discussed
• D. Only food web is accommodated, giving less importance to the simple food chain

Answer 1

The correct option is D Only food web is accommodated, giving less importance to the simple food chain

The concept of ecological pyramid was developed by Charles Elton (1927) which depicts the relationship between producers and consumers in the ecosystem in the form of pyramids. Graphical representation as pyramids made the understanding of interaction between different trophic levels easier. It shows the efficiency of energy transfer, feeding of different organisms in different ecosystems, which gives a scope for monitoring the condition of the ecosystem.

However, there are certain limitations of ecological pyramids such as it does not take into the account the same species belonging to two or more trophic levels. It assumes a simple food chain, something that almost never exists in nature. It does not accommodate a complex food web. Moreover, saprophytes are not given any place in ecological pyramids even though they play a vital role in the ecosystem.