Question

If a study demonstrates the relationship between sharks, aquatic prey, and phytoplankton in an ocean region using an inverted pyramid, what type of pyramid must be used, conveying what about predation in the area?

a) Pyramid of biomass; indicates an imbalance in the ecosystem
b) Pyramid of numbers; suggests a healthy predator-prey relationship
c) Pyramid of energy; reflects an overabundance of producers
d) All pyramid types can depict an inverted relationship

Answer 1

An inverted Pyramid of biomass is used in cases like the relationship between sharks, aquatic prey, and phytoplankton in an ocean region, indicating a high turnover rate of producers which support the ecosystem.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a study uses an inverted pyramid to demonstrate the relationship between sharks, their aquatic prey, and phytoplankton in an ocean region, a Pyramid of biomass must be used. An inverted Pyramid of biomass indicates that there is a high turnover rate of phytoplankton, which are consumed rapidly by primary consumers, thus minimizing the phytoplankton biomass at any given time. However, phytoplankton are able to support the rest of the ecosystem due to their quick reproduction rates.

This conveys that there is not an imbalance nor lack of productivity in the ecosystem; rather, it highlights the efficiency of energy transfer at the lower trophic levels and the rapid cycling of organic matter within the producer level. Since energy pyramids can never be inverted, this relationship highlights the unique dynamic of biomass distribution rather than energy flow.