Which statement about survival is most accurate?

A) Survival is based on individual fitness, not on situational constraints.
B) Survival depends totally on circumstances, not on individual fitness.
C) Survival depends in part on both individual fitness and on environmental circumstances.
D) Survival depends on gene mutation.

Survival in the natural world is influenced by a combination of individual fitness, which includes physical health, strength, and adaptability, as well as environmental circumstances, such as availability of food, presence of predators, and climate conditions. Neither individual fitness nor environmental circumstances alone can fully determine survival outcomes.