Why the pyramid of numbers is not a true pyramid shape?

Answer 1

The pyramid of numbers is not a true pyramid shape because it represents the number of organisms at each trophic level rather than biomass or energy. In many ecosystems, the number of individual organisms can be greater at lower trophic levels while higher levels may contain fewer, larger organisms, leading to an irregular shape. Additionally, some ecosystems, such as those with a few large producers and many small consumers, can result in inverted pyramids. Thus, the pyramid of numbers can be skewed and does not always reflect a true pyramidal structure.