The correct answer is: B. The pyramid of biomass is inverted in aquatic ecosystem.
An ecological pyramid is a graphical representation showing the relative abundance of organisms at each trophic level in a food chain. There are three types of ecological pyramids: pyramids of numbers, pyramids of biomass, and pyramids of energy.
A pyramid of numbers is a graphical representation showing the number of individuals at each trophic level in a food chain. The base of the pyramid is always the producer trophic level, which is the largest in terms of number of individuals. The apex of the pyramid is always the top consumer trophic level, which is the smallest in terms of number of individuals.
A pyramid of biomass is a graphical representation showing the total mass of organisms at each trophic level in a food chain. The base of the pyramid is always the producer trophic level, which is the largest in terms of biomass. The apex of the pyramid is always the top consumer trophic level, which is the smallest in terms of biomass.
A pyramid of energy is a graphical representation showing the total amount of energy at each trophic level in a food chain. The base of the pyramid is always the producer trophic level, which is the largest in terms of energy. The apex of the pyramid is always the top consumer trophic level, which is the smallest in terms of energy.
In most ecosystems, the pyramid of numbers is upright, meaning that there are more individuals at the lower trophic levels than at the higher trophic levels. This is because it takes many plants to support a few herbivores, and it takes many herbivores to support a few carnivores.
The pyramid of biomass is usually upright, but it can be inverted in some ecosystems. For example, in an aquatic ecosystem, the biomass of phytoplankton (the primary producers) is much smaller than the biomass of zooplankton (the primary consumers). This is because phytoplankton are very small and have a short lifespan, while zooplankton are larger and have a longer lifespan.
The pyramid of energy is always upright, meaning that there is more energy at the lower trophic levels than at the higher trophic levels. This is because energy is lost at each trophic level as heat. When a plant is eaten by an herbivore, only about 10% of the plant’s energy is transferred to the herbivore. When an herbivore is eaten by a carnivore, only about 10% of the herbivore’s energy is transferred to the carnivore. This means that the amount of energy at each trophic level decreases as you move up the food chain.
The statement “The pyramid of biomass is inverted in aquatic ecosystem” is incorrect because the pyramid of biomass is usually upright in aquatic ecosystems.