Question

What are ecological pyramids? Explain with reference to pyramid of number in grassland ecosystem.

Answer 1

Ecological pyramids are also called as food pyramids or energy pyramids. They are graphical representations to show the biomass or bioproductivity at each tropical level in a given ecosysytem.

Pyramid of numbers is a graphical representation showing the population at each tropical level or each level of food chain. The producers are usually high in number in any ecosystem and hence it is upright pyramid.

In a grassland ecosystem, the producers which are mainly grass are high in number and followed by the decrease in population at each tropical level. The second tropical level is of herbivores, the third is of carnivores and the least number is of apex predators. Thus, a pyramid of numbers in a grassland is upright.