Question

Short / Long Answer Type Questions :
(a) Why is pyramid of energy always upright? Explain. Mention the limitations of an ecological pyramid
(b) Construct a pyramid of biomass starting with phytoplanktons. Label three trophic levels. Is the pyramid upright or inverted ? Why?

Answer 1

a)Pyramid of energy is upright because when energy flows from a trophic level to the next trophic level, some energy is always lost as heat at each step.

Limitations ofEcological Pyramids:

(i) It never takes into account the same species belonging to two or more trophic levels.

(ii) It assumes a simple food chain, something that almost never exists in nature.

b)The pyramid of biomass of phytoplankton is inverted as the amount of biomass is lowest at the levels of phytoplankton.