Final answer:
Producers use photosynthesis to convert sunlight into glucose, providing energy for the ecosystem, while consumers depend on eating producers or other consumers for energy. The correct relationship is that producers use sunlight in photosynthesis, and consumers rely on the energy from plants.
Step-by-step explanation:
Some producers and consumers each rely on light from the sun in different, but interconnected ways. Producers, mainly plants, use photosynthesis to convert light energy from the sun into chemical energy, in the form of glucose. This process requires water and carbon dioxide, and oxygen is released as a byproduct. Consumers, such as animals, do not directly use sunlight; instead, they rely on the energy stored in producers or other consumers they eat. This energy originates from the sun and is essential for all life forms that consume plant material either directly or indirectly.
So, the correct answer to the question is: c) Producers use sunlight in photosynthesis, and consumers rely on plant-derived energy. Producers, also known as autotrophs, are vital to an ecosystem because they form the base of the food web, converting sunlight into energy that is accessible for consumers, who cannot make their own food.
Without sunlight, photosynthetic producers would not be able to create food, affecting the entire food chain. Autotrophs like plants and some bacteria are essential as they form the primary source of energy for all other living organisms through the eating process.