Final answer:
The characteristics of a community are best described by the interactions and relationships of different species living in a particular environment. Communities are complex systems with varying structures and dynamics that ecologists study to manage ecosystems and biodiversity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best description of the characteristics of a community is lives and interacts with one another in a particular environment. This encompasses the idea that a community is not just a group of organisms living together, but also includes the interactions between different populations and the dynamics of how these relationships change over time. In biology, the term community refers to all the populations of different species that live and interact within a particular ecosystem. These interactions are complex and involve various relationships such as symbiosis, predation, and competition.
Understanding the structure and dynamics of communities allows ecologists to manage ecosystems effectively and preserve biodiversity, which varies globally and is influenced by factors including latitude, island size, and distance from the mainland.