The correct answer is: c) Producers and consumers store and produce carbon compounds.
Producers, such as plants, take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during photosynthesis and convert it into carbon compounds, which are stored in their tissues. Consumers, such as animals, obtain these carbon compounds by consuming producers or other consumers. When producers and consumers respire, they release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. This continuous cycle of carbon being stored and released by producers and consumers is essential for maintaining balance in the carbon cycle and regulating the Earth's climate.