Question

Describe pyramid of energy with the help of diagram.

Answer 1

1. A pyramid of energy is always upright. It can never be inverted because when energy flows from a particular trophic level, only 10% passes on as net energy to the next trophic level, and a large amount of energy is always lost as heat at each step.
2. In smaller food chains, more energy is available than in the longer food chains.
   
3. There are chain limitations of ecological pyramids. It assumes a simple food chain, something that almost never exists in nature.
4. It does not accommodate a food web. Moreover, saprophytes are not given any place in ecological pyramids, even though they play a vital role in the ecosystem.