Final answer:
The statement is true; cooperation among organisms leads to greater complexity by allowing for greater efficiency in energy and matter usage, as evidenced by the evolution of multicellularity from single-celled organisms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that greater complexity arises from greater cooperation amongst previously independent organisms is true. In biology, cooperative interactions among organisms have led to increased efficiency in the use of energy and matter, which is evident in the evolution of multicellularity from cooperative groups of single-celled organisms. The Colonial Theory supports this by suggesting that multicellularity arose through cooperation between many organisms of the same species, leading to organisms such as the colonial amoeba and Volvox. As these organisms became more coordinated, their complexity increased, allowing for the specialization of cells and ultimately, the development of complex multicellular organisms that share nutrients and resources efficiently.
Such cooperation not only applies to multicellular organisms but also to social systems in which individuals work together to increase the success of the group. This mirrors the way in which cells communicate within an organism, using structures such as plasmodesmata and gap junctions to regulate and maintain harmony in the system. Therefore, the interplay of competition and cooperation is an essential component in the biological systems that govern both cellular and social interactions.