Question

Suppose that the biomass of a producer was reduced. What would happen to the biomass of the primary consumers?

a) The biomass of the primary consumers would increase.
b) The biomass of the primary consumers would decrease.
c) The biomass of the primary consumers would remain the same.
d) The biomass of the primary consumers would fluctuate.

Answer 1

The decrease in biomass of producers would likely lead to a decrease in the biomass of primary consumers, as they directly rely on producers for energy and nutrition.

Step-by-step explanation:

If the biomass of a producer was reduced, the biomass of the primary consumers would likely decrease . This is because primary consumers depend directly on the producers for their energy and nutrition. In an ecological pyramid model, producers form the base and have the largest biomass, supporting the trophic levels above them. If producers' biomass is reduced, there will be less energy available to primary consumers, which can lead to a decrease in their population size and biomass. Moreover, if primary consumers do not have enough food, their net primary productivity would also decrease, impacting the entire food web.