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 the ecosystems.
In a food pyramid, there is typically less biomass at the top because energy is lost as it moves up the trophic levels. Producers, such as plants, capture energy from the sun through photosynthesis and convert it into organic matter that can be consumed by primary consumers. As animals consume plants, only a fraction of the energy stored in the plant is transferred to the consumer, with the rest being lost as heat or used for metabolic processes. This energy loss continues as it moves up the food chain, resulting in fewer individual tertiary consumers compared to producers at the base of the pyramid. Plants play a crucial role in supporting ecosystems by providing the energy and nutrients that sustain the entire food web.
