Read the sentence.
taking great care to select a safe nest site, alligators build large nests made of decaying plants and mud.
which type of sentence is this?
compound
complex
simple
compound/complex

The sentence is a complex type of sentence

A sentence basically has a subject, the object of the sentence or doer of the action and predicate, the verb, the adjective, etc. Sentence structures could be simple (one independent clause), compound (two independent clause with coordinating conjunction), complex (a subordinate & independent clause) and compound-complex sentences (subordinate & two independent clause). These include clauses, conjunctions, coherence and balance and even to the number of words you use in your subject and predicate. The benefit of complex or compound sentences is that it could give you more explanation on the subject or topic of the sentence. This gives you a much more understanding on what the sentence is trying to portray or to message to give.  

for those of you copying rebbeccas paragraph, at least make some of it up in your own words because teachers can still find you through