● In a food pyramid, there is typically less biomass at the top. Use evidence relating to energy flow and how plants support ecosystems to explain this pattern.

Answer 1

In an ecosystem, energy flows from the sun to producers (plants), then to primary consumers (herbivores), then to secondary consumers (carnivores) and so on. This flow of energy follows the 10% rule, where only 10% of the energy from one trophic level is transferred to the next trophic level.

Plants are the primary producers in an ecosystem and they are able to capture energy from the sun through photosynthesis. This energy is then passed on to herbivores that consume the plants. However, only a fraction of the energy from the plants is transferred to the herbivores, as some of it is used by the plant for growth, reproduction, and metabolic processes. This means that there is less biomass at each successive trophic level.

Additionally, plants play a crucial role in supporting ecosystems by providing food and habitat for a wide variety of organisms. Without plants, the entire ecosystem would collapse, as they are the foundation of the food chain. Because of their importance, there is typically a larger biomass of plants compared to herbivores and carnivores in a food pyramid.

Overall, the pattern of less biomass at the top of the food pyramid can be explained by the flow of energy through the ecosystem and the vital role that plants play in supporting the entire ecosystem.