In which type of pyramid can a single tree support thousands of organisms?
An inverted pyramid of numbers occurs when very few large producers support many smaller consumers. A single mature tree can feed or house thousands of insects, mites, birds, epiphytes, and parasites, so numerical abundance rises from the producer level even though available energy does not. Counting individuals weights a tree and an insect equally and therefore ignores enormous size differences. Biomass and energy measures give different shapes, demonstrating that pyramid type determines what ecological property is being represented. Higher trophic levels are often vulnerable because low ener
Ref: Fundamentals of Ecology, Odum & Barrett, 5th Ed., Ch. 3
