Final answer:
The correct answer is option b. The respiratory system maintains homeostatic levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide by coordinating with the cardiovascular system, which transports these gases between lung tissues and the rest of the body.
Step-by-step explanation:
In order for the respiratory system to maintain homeostatic tissue levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide, it must coordinate constantly with the cardiovascular system. The respiratory system is responsible for the exchange of gases between the blood and the outside air. It absorbs oxygen in the lungs, which then gets transported to cells all across the body via the cardiovascular system, and takes carbon dioxide from cells back to the lungs to be exhaled.
Oxygen must be delivered to body cells for aerobic cellular respiration, and carbon dioxide, the waste product of respiration, needs to be carried away from the cells. Therefore, without the extensive network of blood vessels and the pumping action of the heart provided by the cardiovascular system, the respiratory system would not be able to perform its essential function of gas exchange efficiently.