Which of the following best describes how animals and plants are organized and interact in a healthy ecosystem?

• A. Animals and plants exist independently without affecting each other, each occupying separate habitats.
• B. Only animals interact with each other, while plants remain unaffected by these interactions.
• C. Plants always outcompete animals for resources, leading to a decline in animal populations.
• D. They form interconnected food webs where energy flows from producers to consumers and decomposers, maintaining balance through various interactions.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the key components of an ecosystem. An ecosystem consists of biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components. Biotic components include producers (plants), consumers (animals), and decomposers (organisms like fungi and bacteria). Abiotic components include sunlight, water, and nutrients.
2. Step 2: Recognize the role of producers in the ecosystem. Plants, as producers, use sunlight to perform photosynthesis, converting light energy into chemical energy stored in glucose. This energy serves as the foundation for the food web.
3. Step 3: Understand the role of consumers. Animals, as consumers, depend on plants (producers) or other animals for energy. Primary consumers (herbivores) eat plants, secondary consumers (carnivores) eat herbivores, and tertiary consumers eat other carnivores.
4. Step 4: Learn about decomposers. Decomposers break down dead organisms and recycle nutrients back into the soil, which plants use to grow. This process ensures the continuous flow of nutrients in the ecosystem.
5. Step 5: Recognize the interconnectedness of food webs. In a healthy ecosystem, energy flows from producers to consumers and decomposers, creating a balance. This interconnectedness ensures that no species exists in isolation, and all organisms interact to maintain ecosystem stability.