Can a Human Being Be Considered an Ecological Community

Question

Can a human being be considered an ecological community?
A)Yes; for example, a community of microorganisms lives within the human digestive system.
B)Yes; human beings live with other humans, own pets, and grow domesticated crops.
C)No; a community is formed from many populations and it takes more than one individual to make up a population.
D)No; human populations are artificial rather than natural, and are considered to fall outside of ecology.

Accepted Answer

A community is defined as a group of organisms living in the same area and interacting with each other. The human body harbors a large number of microorganisms, collectively known as the human microbiota, which interact with each other and with the host. Therefore, a human being can be considered an ecological community.