The web of life concept demonstrates that all living things are connected. Air, water, soil, plants and animals function together in a balanced web of life, no matter how independent the organisms may seem. Organisms in nature depend on each other for life. For instance, in the forest, plants use sunlight and soil nutrients to grow.
Animals eat the plants for food, spread the seed and fertilize the soil with their droppings.
When plants and animals die, they decay with the help of microorganisms and insects and return important nutrients to the soil. New plants benefit from this decay. This food chain represents the flow of energy. Sunlight enters the forest and is used by trees and other plants to grow and produce food. Animals obtain energy by eating the plants leaves, fruits and bark.