Question

2 d Q4.12. Examine the image on the right, and read the caption. In the four-link food chain depicted, plants are infested by caterpillars, caterpillars are parasitized by braconid wasps, and braconid wasps are parasitized by tiny iridescent wasps. Which of the following options best predicts whether the 3 Eltonian pyramids (energy, biomass, and numbers) describing this system are 'regular' or 'inverted"? (Hint: Use the figure below to review 'regular and 'inverted' pyramid structures.) Regular Pyramid Inverted Pyramid 3°C 3°C 2c 2°C PP PP Energy, regular Biomass: regular Numbers: Inverted ac it Energy: inverted Biomass: regular Numbers: regular Energy: regular Biomass: inverted Numbers: regular This hornworm caterpillar has been parasitized by a braconid wasp. Each of the white sacks is a wasp cocoon. Surprisingly, another even smaller iridescent wasp-a hyperparasitoid-is parasitizing the braconid wasp by laying its eggs in one of the cocoons! C Energy: inverted Biomass: Inverted Numbers: inverted d za age Lisa Forehand, North Carolina Steve

Answer 1

Option 2 is the answer.

Pyramid of energy is regular.(It will never be inverted,because energy is lost when moving from producers to concumers,so it's value decreases with increasing trophic level)

Pyramid of biomass is regular

Pyramid of number is inverted.(Because,a small number of plants supports life of huge number of primary consumers)