What are the shortcomings of ecological pyramids in the study of ecosystem?

Explanation

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Ecological Pyramids**: Ecological pyramids are graphical representations that show the distribution of biomass, numbers, or energy among different trophic levels in an ecosystem.

2. **Shortcoming 1: Overlapping Species**: One major shortcoming of ecological pyramids is that they do not account for species that can occupy multiple trophic levels. For example, certain species may act as primary consumers in one context and as secondary consumers in another. This overlapping is not represented in the pyramids.

3. **Shortcoming 2: Simplistic Food Chain Assumption**: Ecological pyramids typically assume a simple food chain structure. However, ecosystems are often more complex, involving various interconnections and interactions that form food webs. Ecological pyramids fail to represent these intricate relationships.

...