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This is a food chain for organisms in a forest - OCR Gateway - GCSE Biology - Question 4 - 2020 - Paper 2
Question 4
This is a food chain for organisms in a forest. Oak tree → Greenfly → Ladybird → Blackbird Which is the correct shape for a pyramid of biomass for this food chain?... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:This is a food chain for organisms in a forest - OCR Gateway - GCSE Biology - Question 4 - 2020 - Paper 2
Step 1
Which is the correct shape for a pyramid of biomass for this food chain?
Answer
To determine the correct shape for a pyramid of biomass in this food chain, we need to understand the concept of biomass. The biomass pyramid represents the amount of living matter at each trophic level in an ecosystem.
In this food chain, the base level is the Oak tree, which is a primary producer. It has the largest biomass. Next, we have the Greenfly, followed by the Ladybird, and finally, the Blackbird as the top predator. As we move up trophic levels, the biomass decreases because energy is lost at each stage through metabolic processes.
Therefore, the correct shape of the pyramid of biomass will be broad at the base (oak tree) and decrease in width as it ascends to the tip (blackbird). Based on this reasoning, option A is the appropriate answer as it depicts this decreasing biomass trend accurately.