Question

In an ecosystem, standing crop at any time consists of
A. Total living matter
B. Total detritus
C. Both detritus and living matter
D. Total nutrients

Answer 1

Hint: A crop has all the energy and living matter at a particular time. The total amount of matter can be of one kind. Each trophic level has a particular mass of living matter which will conclude its standing crop.

Complete solution:
Ecosystem consists of all the organic and inorganic matter which interact with each other in their environment. All are interrelated and their flow of energy.
Let us understand the term in the question first- Standing crop:- The total dried biomass of the living organisms present in the environment at any given time is standing crop. The standing crop may vary at different times such as monsoon, summer etc.
Other terms are: Total living matter – The sum of all the living bodies in this biosphere conclude the total living matter.
Total detritus – It is the dead particulate organic matter. It contains the faecal matter, dead bodies, leaf litter intermixed with soil.
Total nutrients – Nutrients are the substances providing the nourishment to the crops or plants. They help them in their growth and maintenance.
> So, the correct answer is option A) total living matter.

Note: Ten percent law states that during the transfer of food, energy from a trophic level is transferred to other trophic levels. Only 10 percent of energy is transferred at each trophic level. There is a food chain in our ecosystem that balances the overall working of nature. This starts from the very simpler organisms and is never-ending as it is a cycle. Any disturbance in this chain can prove to be dreadful for the whole ecosystem.