Tag: the energy pyramid

Questions Related to the energy pyramid

If the energy produced at the level of producers is 1000 J, the energy available for the secondary consumers is

zoology energy flow in an ecosystem the energy pyramid ecological pyramid ecological pyramids

  1. 1000 J

  2. 100 J

  3. 10 J

  4. 1 J

Show answer
Correct Option: C
Explanation:

In a food chain, only 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to another trophic level. If the energy produced at the producer level is 1000 J, then the energy available at the primary consumer level will be 100 J and energy available at the secondary consumer level will be 10 J.

Thus, the correct answer is '10 J'.

Pyramid of energy is always upright. This is in accordance with the law of 

zoology energy flow in an ecosystem the energy pyramid ecological pyramid ecological pyramids

  1. Thermodynamics

  2. Tolerance

  3. Limiting factors

  4. Evolution

Show answer
Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Flow of energy declines as it passes from lower to higher trophic level. This is explained by second law of thermodynamics. According to this law, the energy decreases from one trophic level to the next trophic level because energy is lost as metabolic heat during transfer of energy. When food energy passes from producers to herbivores to carnivores, only 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to another trophic level. Hence, the pyramid of energy is always upright.

Thus, the correct answer is 'Thermodynamics.'

According to Charles Elton, which is not correct?

zoology energy flow in an ecosystem the energy pyramid ecological pyramid ecological pyramids

  1. Carnivores are at the top of the pyramid.

  2. Energy trapping is high at the top of the pyramid.

  3. Producers at the top of the pyramid.

  4. Both B and C.

Show answer
Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Correct answer-(D)

Charles Elton, an English biologist, developed the idea of ecological pyramids. These pyramids are therefore also termed as Eltonian pyramids. An ecological pyramid may be defined as a graphic representation of the numbers or biomass or status of accumulated energy at different trophic levels in a food chain in an ecosystem. The Eltonian pyramid is a concept which relates to food consumption efficiency. According to Charles Elton, carnivores are at the top of the pyramid. Producers are at the bottom of the pyramid. They manufacture food and provide nutrition for the next level. Energy trapping is high at the base of the pyramid, i.e., producer level. The energy is highest at the producer level as it traps energy from the sun. It gradually decreases as one moves to subsequent levels, i.e. herbivores and different carnivores.

Choose the correct answers from the alternatives given :
One of the lessons from an energy pyramid is that

zoology energy flow in an ecosystem the energy pyramid ecological pyramid ecological pyramids

  1. only one-half of the energy in one trophic level is passed on to the next level

  2. the energy lost as heat or in cellular respiration is 10% of the available energy of each trophic level

  3. ecological efficiency is highest for primary consumers

  4. eating grain-fed beef is an inefficient means of obtaining the energy trapped by photosynthesis

Show answer
Correct Option: D
Explanation:

An energy pyramid is the graphical representation of energy flow in a particular community. The different trophic levels represent a different group of animals. Here only ten percent of the energy is passed on to the next trophic level. As the organism of one trophic level is consumed by the organism of the next trophic level, energy decreases as it goes up the trophic level. So, the correct answer is "eating grain-fed beef is an inefficient means of obtaining the energy trapped by photosynthesis".

The pyramid of energy is always upright

zoology energy flow in an ecosystem the energy pyramid ecological pyramid ecological pyramids

  1. True

  2. False

Show answer
Correct Option: A
Explanation:

An energy pyramid is a graphical representation designed to show the biomass or bio productivity at each trophic level in a given ecosystem. An energy pyramid is always upright because when energy flows from a particular trophic level, some energy is lost as heat at each step. Thus, the total amount of energy available for utilisation in the top levels is always less than the energy available in the lower levels. Therefore in the pyramid of energy in which each bar indicates the amount of energy present at each trophic level in a given time

So the given statement is true.

The graphic presentation of various aspects of ecosystems are in the form of pyramids. When such a presentation is made with reference to energy at different trophic levels, it will make

zoology energy flow in an ecosystem the energy pyramid ecological pyramid ecological pyramids

  1. An erect pyramid

  2. An inverted pyramid

  3. A cylinder

  4. A pyramid of variable shape

Show answer
Correct Option: A
Explanation:
The pyramidal representation of trophic levels of different organisms based on their ecological position [producer to final consumer] is called as an ecological pyramid. The food producer forms the base of the pyramid and the top carnivore forms the tip. An energy pyramid represents the amount of energy at each trophic level and loss of energy at each transfer to another trophic level. Hence the pyramid is always upward, with a large energy base at the bottom.
So the correct option is 'an erect pyramid'.

Which of the following statement is incorrect regarding ecological pyramids

zoology energy flow in an ecosystem the energy pyramid ecological pyramid ecological pyramids

  1. The pyramid of energy is inverted in ocean ecosystem

  2. The pyramid of biomass is inverted in aquatic ecosystem

  3. The pyramid of numbers is upright in grass land ecosystem

  4. The pyramid of biomass is upright in grass land ecosystem

Show answer
Correct Option: A

Which one of the following statements for pyramid of energy is incorrect, whereas the remaining three are correct?

zoology energy flow in an ecosystem the energy pyramid ecological pyramid ecological pyramids

  1. It is upright in shape.

  2. Its base is broad.

  3. It shows energy content of different trophic level organisms.

  4. It is inverted in shape.

Show answer
Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Pyramid of energy is always upright and can never be inverted, because when energy flows from a trophic level to the next trophic level some energy is always lost as heat at each step. 

The energy pyramid is always _________-.

zoology energy flow in an ecosystem the energy pyramid ecological pyramid ecological pyramids

  1. Upright

  2. Inverse

  3. Horizontal

  4. Flat

Show answer
Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The flow of energy is always unidirectional. The energy passes from primary producers to primary consumers. From primary consumer the energy passed to secondary consumers and then to teritary consumers. Thus the energy pyramid is always upright.

In a food chain, if the grasses produce 1000 kcal of energy, how many kcal are theoretically available to the frogs?

zoology energy flow in an ecosystem the energy pyramid ecological pyramid ecological pyramids

  1. 1000

  2. 100

  3. 10

  4. 1

  5. 0.5

Show answer
Correct Option: C
Explanation:

When energy is passed in an ecosystem from one trophic level to the next, only ten percent (10%) of the energy will be passed on. We can consider a typical food chain in the environment. It can be written as follows. Sun -----> Green Plants -----> Insects -----> Frogs -----> Snakes. The sun provides the energy that is used by the green plants. The green plants are the primary producers for the food chain. The energy from the sun is converted by the plants into food. The insects are the primary consumers. They are the first animals to eat the plants. When they eat the plants and obtain some of the energy (10%) they stored when making food. The rest of the energy is lost and dissipated as heat. Insects are eaten by frogs. The frogs are the secondary consumers in this food chain. They obtain part of the energy stored by the insects. The remaining energy stored by the insects is lost. Thus, the correct answer is option C.