Which type of ecological pyramid is occasionally inverted (smaller at the base than at upper trophic levels) in marine open-ocean ecosystems?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. Pyramid of biomass
- Step 1: Examine marine trophic pyramids: phytoplankton vs zooplankton.
- Step 2: In open oceans, the standing biomass of primary producers (phytoplankton) at any single moment is smaller than the zooplankton biomass due to the phytoplankton's rapid turnover and high reproductive rate, creating an inverted biomass pyramid.
Answer
Pyramid of biomass.
Why not the others: Pyramids of energy can never be inverted due to the second law of thermodynamics; productivity pyramids reflect energy flow over time and remain upright.
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