Question

Pyramid of energy is always upright, it represents

• A. There is increase in energy of ecosystem.
• B. There is decrease in energy due to concentration in successive levels.
• C. There is decrease in energy due to loss in form of heat in each trophic level.
• D. There is increase in energy due to gain of heat in each trophic level.

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

There is decrease in energy due to loss in form of heat in each trophic level.

The flow of energy moves through the layers of the energy pyramid from the bottom-up, and is gradually reduced as energy is used up by the organisms at each level. Energy is used up for all life processes such as respiration, movement, metabolic processes, and reproduction. So, of the 100% total energy available to the plants, only around 10% is made into plant tissues, while 90% is used up and is lost as heat. At each of the subsequent trophic levels, the same amount of energy (90%) is lost as heat, while 10% is turned into available biomatter.

So, the correct answer is 'C'.