In a food pyramid, there is typically less biomass at the top (i.e., there are very few individual tertiary consumers, whereas there are numerous individual producers). In three to five sentences, explain this phenomenon, citing evidence relating to energy flow and how plants support ecosystems.(4 points)
The phenomenon of less biomass at the top of a food pyramid can be explained by the inefficiency of energy transfer between trophic levels. Energy flow in ecosystems follows the 10% rule, where only about 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next. This means that less energy is available to support higher trophic levels, leading to a smaller population size of tertiary consumers.
Plants, as primary producers, play a crucial role in supporting ecosystems. They convert solar energy into organic compounds through photosynthesis, making them the main energy source for all other organisms. Additionally, plants provide food and shelter for a wide range of organisms, including insects, birds, and herbivores.
The high abundance of individual producers compared to tertiary consumers can be attributed to the fact that energy is lost at each trophic level. As energy is transferred from one trophic level to another, some of it is lost as heat or used for the organisms' metabolic activities, leaving less energy available for growth and reproduction.