Answer
A) Ancestry
Background
What is an environment?
The environment is the surrounding biotic and abiotic components that affect an organism and how they survive and function. The environment may shift and these shifts may affect the organism inhabiting it in a positive or negative manner.
It is important to note that in the case of this question, the environment is external
Some examples of environmental factors include air, water, plants, and animals
Answer Walkthrough
A) Ancestry
Ancestry affects an organism by dictating what genes the organism inherited, but this is an inner attribute, not an external one. It only affects the organism's self and offspring.
B) Air Quality
Air quality is an abiotic component of the environment because it is a non-living, external component that affects the organism's ability to use the air to function. Poor air quality could lead to death or sickness
C) Available water
Available water is an abiotic component of the environment because it is a non-living, external component that affects the organism's survival. Lack of available water may lead to a lack of proper components important for life. For example, humans, need water in order for their organs to function. The can not be in an environment without water or else they will die from dehydration.
D) Vegetation
Vegetation is a biotic component of the environment because it is a living, external component that changes the landscape and/or provides food/resources. Changes to vegetation could lead to an organism to changes in finding food, either as a primary source or as a secondary source, as well as changes in shelter
Key Words
- environment
- biotic: living things
- abiotic: non-living things
- ancestry
- air quality
- available water
- vegetation