Which term describes the living components of the environment that interact with organisms?

• A. Abiotic Factor
• B. Biotic Factor
• C. Climate
• D. Carrying Capacity

Answer: (B)

Biotic factors are the living components of the environment that interact with organisms. This includes other organisms such as plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms, as well as the interactions among them—competition, predation, parasitism, mutualism, and symbiosis. These living elements directly influence how an organism survives, grows, and reproduces.

In contrast, abiotic factors are non-living elements like temperature, water availability, soil nutrients, and light. Climate refers to the long-term patterns of weather in a region, which sets the backdrop for these factors. Carrying capacity is about the maximum population size an environment can sustain given resource limits, not about the living components themselves.