- Ecological pyramids represent the trophic structure of an ecosystem based on energy, biomass, or number of organisms. - A pyramid of biomass is usually upright, with the biomass decreasing at successive trophic levels (producers > primary consumers > secondary consumers, etc.). - An inverted pyramid of biomass occurs when the biomass of producers is less than the biomass of primary consumers at a given time. - In some aquatic ecosystems, such as the open ocean, the primary producers (phytoplankton) have a very low standing crop (biomass) at any point in time compared to the zooplankton (primary consumers) they support. This is because phytoplankton reproduce very rapidly, and a small biomass can support a larger biomass of consumers due to high turnover rate.
An inverted pyramid of biomass can be found in which ecosystem?
Asked in RPSC RAS Prelims 2021 · Topic: Ecology (Food Chains, Food Webs, and Ecological Pyramids)
More Environment and Ecology questions
- Choose the correct answer from the codes given below. Assertion (A) : The pyramid of grassland ecosystem is upright. Reason (R) : The producers are maximum in number and tertiary consumers are least in number.
- Which of the following ecological Pyramid is always upright?
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- Assertion (A) : Grazing food chain begins with dead leaves via herbivores to carnivores. Reason (R) : In grazing food chain autotrophs capture energy and transfer to herbivores.
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- Food chain in which microorganisms breakdown the food formed by primary producers is
- Consider the following statements regarding ecological pyramids: 1. In a parasitic food chain, the pyramid of numbers is always upright, 2. Pyramids of biomass are always inverted in marine ecosystems. 3. Pyramids of energy are never inverted. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?