Which of the following is categorized as a biotic factor?

Biotic factors are living components of an ecosystem that can affect the organisms within it. Competition is categorized as a biotic factor because it involves interactions between organisms, specifically regarding the struggle for resources such as food, space, and mates. This interaction can influence population dynamics, species distribution, and community structure, illustrating how living organisms impact one another.

In contrast, water quality, sunlight, and soil composition are examples of abiotic factors. Water quality pertains to the chemical and physical characteristics of water, which influence the health and habitat of organisms but do not involve direct interaction between living beings. Sunlight is a crucial abiotic factor that provides energy and influences photosynthesis but does not involve living components directly interacting. Soil composition affects the type of vegetation that can grow in an area and thus influences the biotic community indirectly, but again, it does not involve the living interactions characteristic of biotic factors.