Answer:
If a fire destroys a large percentage of the grasses in an ecosystem, it will have an impact on the biomass at the top of the pyramid. The correct answer is option c: It will decrease because the amount of chemical energy photosynthesis generates will not be enough to support higher trophic levels.
Let's break it down:
In an ecosystem, the pyramid of biomass represents the amount of living material present at each trophic level. The trophic levels start with producers, such as plants or grasses, which convert sunlight energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis. The energy is then transferred to herbivores (primary consumers) that eat the producers, and subsequently to carnivores (secondary and higher-level consumers) that eat the herbivores.
In this case, a fire has destroyed a large percentage of the grasses, which are the primary producers in the ecosystem. As a result, the amount of chemical energy generated through photosynthesis will decrease because there are fewer grasses remaining. This reduction in available energy will have a cascading effect on the higher trophic levels.
Since the primary consumers (herbivores) rely on the grasses for their energy, their population will be impacted. With fewer grasses available, there will be less food to support a higher number of herbivores. Consequently, the biomass of the herbivores will decrease.
The decrease in the herbivore population will then affect the secondary and higher-level consumers, leading to a decrease in their biomass as well. This decrease in biomass at each trophic level is due to the reduction in available energy starting from the producers.
To summarize, if a fire destroys a large percentage of the grasses in an ecosystem, the biomass at the top of the pyramid will decrease because the amount of chemical energy generated through photosynthesis will not be enough to support higher trophic levels.
Explanation:
