Which one of the following statement is incorrect about ecological py…

The correct answer is Option (2) → Saprophytes are given top place in ecological pyramids.

Option (1) Pyramids of energy is always upright. — A correct statement. Energy is lost as heat at every step, so each trophic level always has less energy than the one below it. The pyramid of energy can never be inverted.

Option (2) Saprophytes are given top place in ecological pyramids. — The incorrect statement. Saprophytes (decomposers) feed on dead matter from every level. They get no place at all in an ecological pyramid, let alone the top place, even though they play an important role in the ecosystem.

Option (3) Pyramids of number can be inverted in the terrestrial ecosystem. — A correct statement. On a single big tree, one producer supports a very large number of insects, and these support fewer birds. Counted by numbers, such a pyramid stands on a narrow base.

Option (4) It doesn’t take into account the same species belonging to two or more trophic levels. — A correct statement. A pyramid puts each species at one level only. But a species can feed at two levels at the same time, as a sparrow does when it eats seeds and also insects. This is one of the limitations of ecological pyramids.

Note: The same question was also asked in CUET (UG) 2025 on 03-06-2025 (Slot 1).

NCERT Extract:
Ecological Pyramids – “… However, there are certain limitations of ecological pyramids such as it does not take into account the same species belonging to two or more trophic levels. It assumes a simple food chain, something that almost never exists in nature; it does not accommodate a food web. Moreover, saprophytes are not given any place in ecological pyramids even though they play a vital role in the ecosystem.”