Solar Energy

In most of the world's ecosystems, plants are a crucial, foundational component to animal life: Through photosynthesis, they convert the Sun's energy into a form usable by the biotic community---carbohydrates.

Nutrients

Many of the nutrients essential to animal development, like nitrogen, are obtained either from consuming plants directly or preying on herbivores that have.

Oxygen

Oxygen is a byproduct of photosynthesis, produced when plants break down water molecules. Vegetation has significantly increased the proportion of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere, aiding (along with other photosynthetic organisms) the evolution of air-breathing animals.

Food Webs

A vast array of animals, classified as herbivores, eat plants for sustenance---from insects to the largest terrestrial creatures on Earth. These herbivores, in turn, support communities of carnivorous animals. Thus, even the purest of meat-eating animals---like African wild dogs or golden eagles---rely on vegetation.

Habitat

Plants comprise some of the major terrestrial shelter on Earth: from immediate habitat (a songbird nesting in leafy foliage) to the biome level (jungles, woodlands, prairies).

Source:

"Physical Geography"; Tom L. McKnight; 1999

More Information:

Importance of Plants