Asked by Dominique Jordan on Jul 02, 2024
Verified
Which pyramid illustrates that at each successive trophic level there is a decreasing amount of energy available?
A) a pyramid representing the number of organisms at each level
B) biomass pyramid of organisms at each level
C) ecological pyramid
D) food chain
E) food web
Successive Trophic Level
A hierarchical position in a food chain or food web, higher levels are progressively further from primary producers in terms of their source of food.
Decreasing Amount
A reduction in quantity, volume, or number over time or in a particular process.
Ecological Pyramid
A graphical representation showing the relationship between different trophic levels in an ecosystem regarding energy, biomass, or numbers.
- Identify the different elements and mechanisms involved in the distribution of energy across food webs and ecological structures.
- Recognize the features and operational aspects of various trophic stages in ecological pyramids.
Verified Answer
MG
Maria G Danylak6 days ago
Final Answer :
C
Explanation :
Ecological pyramids represent the amount of energy or biomass transferred from one trophic level to another, with each successive level having a smaller amount of energy available. This is due to the second law of thermodynamics, which states that with each energy transfer, some energy is lost as heat. Pyramids representing the number of organisms or the specific pathways of a food chain or web do not necessarily show a decrease in energy availability. Biomass pyramids can show a decrease in energy, but not always, as some ecosystems may have a high biomass of primary producers that supports a smaller biomass of consumers.
Learning Objectives
- Identify the different elements and mechanisms involved in the distribution of energy across food webs and ecological structures.
- Recognize the features and operational aspects of various trophic stages in ecological pyramids.