Question

Pyramid of numbers is?
(a)Always upright
(b)Always inverted
(c)Either upright or inverted
(d)Neither upright nor inverted

Answer 1

An ecological pyramid is a graphical presentation of the connection between the various livings being at various trophic levels. In this sort of ecological pyramid, the amount of organisms in each trophic level is taken into account as a level within the pyramid.

Complete answer:
The pyramid of numbers is either upright or inverted. An upright pyramid of numbers is found in the grassland ecosystem. This ecosystem is featured through various autotrophs that support lesser herbivores. The herbivores, in return, help a smaller number of carnivores. Therefore, this pyramid is upright. Namely, with every higher trophic level, the number of organisms decreases. For example, the grasses occupy the lowest trophic level or the bottom of the number pyramid as of their abundance. The primary consumer, like a grasshopper, settled on the next higher trophic level. Grasshoppers are fewer in number than grass. The next trophic level is a primary carnivore, like a rat. There are fewer rats than grasshoppers because they consume grasshoppers. Secondary carnivores, such as snakes, occupy the next higher trophic level. Snakes eat rats and snakes are fed by hawks, which settle on the highest trophic level and are the least in number.
An inverted number pyramid is seen in parasitic food chains. In these food chains, there’s generally a single producer that provides sustenance for numerous parasites. The parasites, in turn, help more hyper-parasites. In short, in this pyramid, the number of particulars at every level is increased from lower level to higher level.

Additional information:
A pyramid of numbers exhibits graphically the population, or abundance, in terms of the number of particular organisms contained at each level in a food chain. This shows the number of organisms in each trophic level with no consideration for his or her individual sizes or biomass. The pyramid is not necessarily upright. For example, it'll be inverted if beetles are feeding on the output of forest trees, or parasites are feeding on large host animals.

So, the correct answer is 'Either upright or inverted'.

Note:
An ecological pyramid was given by G.Evelyn Hutchinson and Raymond Lindeman. The importance of ecological pyramid is often explained within the following points-
-They exhibit the feeding of various organisms in various ecosystems.
-It exhibits the efficiency of energy transfer.
-The condition of the ecosystem could be monitored, and any further damage could be prevented.