Question

Briefly explain the ecological pyramid which is always upright.

Answer 1

Hint: The graphical representation of the number of organisms of the successive trophic levels of an ecosystem in the form of a pyramid is called the pyramid of numbers. In most of the ecosystems, the pyramid of numbers is upright.

Complete answer:
Pyramid of numbers is upright in most ecosystems because the number of producers is more when compared to the number of herbivores. The number of herbivores is more than the number of carnivores and the number of carnivores will be more than the number of top carnivores. Examples for upright ecological pyramids are seen in forest ecosystems, grassland ecosystems, etc.

This is a figure of an upright pyramid in a grassland ecosystem.

-Producers occupy the base of the pyramid in these ecosystems. And top carnivores will be at the peak of the pyramid.
-An inverted ecological pyramid is seen in a tree dominated ecosystem. It is because many birds may live on a single tree and several ectoparasites may live on the birds living in the tree. Here, a single tree can occupy many birds which are herbivores.
-Ectoparasites on the birds are the carnivores. So, the pyramid will be inverted as the carnivores will be more in number and the producers will be the least in number.
-In a tree ecosystem, a spindle-shaped pyramid is obtained when a large tree supports several herbivorous birds and the birds are eaten by carnivorous birds like a hawk.

Note: Biomass is the total weight of organisms per unit area. In most ecosystems, the pyramid of biomass is upright, whereas the pyramid of numbers can be upright, inverted, or even be spindle in shape.