Answer:
1. <u>Highest population</u>: Primary producers (e<em>.g.</em> plants). In the case of animals: Primary consumers (<em>e.g</em>. grasshoppers).
2. <u>Lowest population</u>: Third-level consumers (Top predators). <em>E.g.</em> An eagle.
Explanation:
There are two types of ecological pyramids that illustrate the correlation between trophic levels and biomass in a healthy ecosystem:
- Energy pyramid: illustrates the <u>flow of energy at each trophic level</u>. That is, <em>energy is passed up from lower to higher.</em>
- Biomass pyramid: illustrates the amount of <u>biomass at each trophic level.</u><em> Less energy, less organisms.</em>
In a healthy ecosystem, plants are located at the bottom of the pyramid because they produce their own food; while top predators are located at the top.
<u>Plants (trees and bushes)</u>, for example, will have high population levels and will pass energy to the next level of the pyramid. <u>As we go up the trophic levels, organisms tend to be larger in size but fewer in numbers.</u> This means that the top predators or third-level consumers, such as <u>eagles, lions, or bears</u>, are indeed bigger but have lower biomass or population numbers.