What term refers to the concept that an organism's surroundings play a key role in its survival and development?

The term that captures the idea that an organism's surroundings significantly influence its survival and development is environmental determinism. This concept suggests that environmental factors dictate the biological traits and behaviors of organisms, shaping their evolution and adaptation to various habitats.

Environmental determinism emphasizes the relationship between an organism and its environment, proposing that environmental conditions, such as climate, resources, and competition, directly affect how organisms evolve and thrive. This aligns with the understanding that factors like food availability, climate conditions, and habitat structures are crucial for the survival and developmental success of species.

The other concepts listed, such as behavioral ecology, focus more on the interactions between organisms and their environments in terms of behavior rather than on the overarching influence of the environment itself. Adaptive radiation refers to the diversification of a group of organisms into forms filling different ecological niches, highlighting evolutionary processes rather than the mere influence of environmental factors. Niche construction involves how organisms alter their environments, but it does not specifically address the idea that the environment fundamentally dictates an organism's development and survival.