The Ecological pyramids may have an ‘upright’ or an ‘inverted’
shape. Justify with the help of suitable examples.
Ans.
Upright Pyramid:
-
Most ecosystems exhibit an upright pyramid shape.
-
Each successive trophic level has less energy or biomass than the one below it.
-
Example: Pyramid of numbers in a terrestrial ecosystem shows decreasing numbers of organisms from producers to top carnivores.
Inverted Pyramid:
-
Some aquatic ecosystems may show an inverted pyramid shape.
-
Higher trophic levels have more biomass or energy than lower trophic levels.
-
Example: Biomass of phytoplankton may be lower than zooplankton biomass in marine ecosystems.
-
Inversion occurs due to rapid reproduction and turnover at lower trophic levels or in parasitic ecosystems where a small number of parasites support a larger number of hosts.
