How Plants and Animals Help Each Other
Plants and animals are tightly intertwined in coexistence. They both need each other for survival. Animals rely on plants for oxygen, shelter, shade and food. Plants need the carbon dioxide produced from animals and benefit from their wastes and seed dispersal. Learn about the fascinating relationship of how plants and animals help each other for survival.
Using the process of photosynthesis, plants produce oxygen for humans and animals to breath. During photosynthesis green plants take in water, carbon dioxide and sunlight to produce oxygen. Oxygen is actually a by-product of this process, but it is necessary to sustain life. Animals inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Plants must have carbon dioxide to perform their photosynthesis function. This is a case where plants and animals help each other inadvertently.
Looking for shelter or a place to spend the night, animals frequently rely on plants once again. Large trees provide protection during storms and bushes can easily conceal small animals from predators as well a providing a cozy warm spot for the night. Thick hedges of plants provide protection from the wind and sun. The majority of bird nests are constructed of branches and twigs that all come from plants and trees. Trees and shrubs provide the limbs to hold bird nests safely and securely.
Searching for food on the plains, in the forests and deserts, animals survive on plants. Desert rabbits eat dried grasses while bears munch on berries from berry bushes. Some animals do not drink water, but actually survive on moisture from the seeds produced by some plants. Saguaro cacti in the desert provide shade, water and food to animals. Hummingbirds survive on the nectar produced from flowers. Many animals find themselves foraging for plant roots during lean times. Birds live on seeds and several types of berries produced from plants. Animal wastes are a bi-product of eating, but put to good use as plant fertilizers.
- Spreading seeds and pollen from plants, results when animals come in direct contact with flowers. Seeds are easily attached to the fur of many animals and transported long distances where they will fall to the ground and eventually germinate into new plants. Pollen from flowers is spread from one flower to another when animals brush up against the flowers. Pollination is necessary to produce seeds and fruit. Animals benefit from pollinating flowers by eating the seeds and fruits produced from plants and plants will continue to reproduce because of animals.