The non-living environment is not just weather. Altitude, the saltiness of water, the amount of light: all these also contribute to the adaptations an organism will need to survive. For example, animals that live high in the mountains where oxygen is scarce are more efficient at using the oxygen that is available. Plants that live in the desert often sprout only after heavy rains. Insects that live on windy islands will often not have wings. Bacteria that live deep inside caves will sometimes suck the minerals they need from rocks instead of getting their energy from the sun.
