Question

On what does the number of individuals in each trophic level depend on?

(a) Number of individuals at upper trophic level

(b) Number of individuals at top-most trophic level

(c) Number of individuals at lower trophic level

(d) Amount of sunlight reaching the Earth’s surface

I had been asked this question in a national level competition.

My question is taken from Ecosystem in section Ecosystem of Biology – Class 12

Answer 1

The correct choice is (c) Number of individuals at lower trophic level

Easy explanation: The number of individuals in each trophic level depends on the number of individuals at present in the lower trophic level. Producers are always more in number than all the consumers. Tertiary consumers are present in the least number.