Which of the following best defines a herbivore?

A herbivore is best defined as a plant-eating animal. This classification is based on the animal's primary source of nutrition, which comes solely from plant materials, such as leaves, stems, fruits, and roots. Herbivores play a crucial role in ecosystems as they contribute to the food chain by serving as a primary consumer, directly utilizing the energy harnessed by plants (producers) through photosynthesis.

Understanding this definition is essential as it allows for a clearer comprehension of ecological relationships. In contrast, meat-eating animals are defined as carnivores, while omnivorous animals consume both plants and animals. Producers, on the other hand, are organisms like plants that create their own food through photosynthesis, and thus these categories remain distinct in the broader context of ecological interactions.