Which is the correct statement with respect to ecological pyramids?

The correct answer is Option (4) → A given organism may occupy more than one trophic level simultaneously

Option (1) Pyramid of energy is always inverted — Incorrect. NCERT says the pyramid of energy is always upright and can never be inverted, because some energy is lost as heat at each step from one trophic level to the next.

Option (2) The base of each pyramid is always broad — Incorrect. The pyramid of biomass in the sea has a narrow base.

Option (3) Each trophic level represents a specific species — Incorrect. A trophic level is a functional level, not a species.

Option (4) A given organism may occupy more than one trophic level simultaneously — Correct. Of the options, only this one matches NCERT. An organism can feed at more than one level: a sparrow is a primary consumer when it eats seeds and a secondary consumer when it eats insects.

Note: A similar question was also asked in CUET (UG) 2023 on 15-06-2023 (Slot 1).

NCERT Extract:
Ecological Pyramids – “… Any calculations of energy content, biomass or numbers, has to include all organisms at that trophic level. No generalisations we make will be true if we take only a few individuals at any trophic level into account. Also a given organism may occupy more than one trophic level simultaneously. One must remember that the trophic level represents a functional level, not a species as such.”
Ecological Pyramids – “… Pyramid of energy is always upright, can never be inverted, because when energy flows from a particular trophic level to the next trophic level, some energy is always lost as heat at each step.”