Consider the following statements regarding 'Ecological Pyramids' and energy flow under Environmental Studies (EVS):
- 1. The 'Pyramid of Energy' is always upright because the '10% Law', propounded by Lindeman, applies during the transfer of energy from one trophic level to another in an ecosystem.
- 2. The 'Pyramid of Biomass' is upright in most terrestrial ecosystems, but it is inverted in aquatic (pond or ocean) ecosystems because the total biomass of producers (phytoplankton) there is much less compared to consumers (zooplankton and fish).
- 3. The 'Pyramid of Number' is always upright, whether it is a grassland, a forest ecosystem, or a parasitic food chain based on a large single tree.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation & Solution
Statement 1 is correct: The pyramid of energy is always upright because, according to the second law of thermodynamics, energy is lost at each higher trophic level, and according to Lindeman's 10% law, only 10% of energy reaches the next level.
Statement 2 is correct: In aquatic ecosystems, the pyramid of biomass is inverted because the weight of small phytoplankton is less than the weight of large fish.
Statement 3 is incorrect because in a parasitic food chain based on a large tree (Tree Ecosystem), the 'pyramid of numbers' is inverted, as a single giant tree supports many birds, and numerous parasites (lice, insects, etc.) depend on those birds, increasing the numbers from bottom to top.