The pyramid shows how biomass changes between trophic levels of an ecosystem.

Question

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Which explains how the biomass at the top of the pyramid will change if a fire destroys a large percentage of the grasses in this ecosystem?

a
It will increase because the amount of energy lost as heat between the first trophic level and second trophic level will decrease.
b
It will increase because the fire increases the efficiency of energy transfer and prey aquisition at higher trophic levels.
c
It will decrease because there will be a greater number of organisms at the second trophic level to support the higher trophic levels.
d
It will decrease because the amount of chemical energy photosynthesis generates will not be enough to support higher trophic levels.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

d It will decrease because the amount of chemical energy photosynthesis generates will not be enough to support higher trophic levels.

When a large percentage of the grasses (primary producers) are destroyed by fire, the overall biomass available for the primary consumers (the second trophic level) is reduced. This reduction in primary production leads to less available energy for higher trophic levels (e.g., primary consumers and secondary consumers), ultimately causing a decrease in biomass at the top of the pyramid.