Intelligence; Inherent or Integrated

Is intelligence inherent and based on genetic instinctual capabilities?

Or is it integrated, learned throughout life and based on life circumstances?

This is basically the question of nature vs nurture, regarding intelligence. I’ll venture a wild guess, that it requires both. But if so, what degree of variance is there for either? 

The technical definition of intelligence is a fairly simple 1, which seems to cover the concept well.
Intelligence: the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills.
It should be fairly obvious that an individual must be born with certain capabilities to be intelligent. If something is born without a brain, it has no ability to acquire or apply knowledge or skills. If an animal is born with a more advanced brain than a more simple species of animals, then it has a greater ability to acquire knowledge etc. For eg, if a bee’s brain only has the function and neurological storage capacity to remember the location of 100 flowers, it has less inherent ability to acquire and apply knowledge, than an elephant. An elephant's brain is many times the size of a bee’s, with many times more neurons, which includes a much higher capacity for storing knowledge and skills. It might be able to remember 100 different elephants + 100 trees + 100 water locations +.

Life circumstances may be more questionable, in its effect on intelligence. By the definition of intelligence, an individual only requires the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. It is possible that a person or animal could have the same ability whether or not they have the circumstances to apply it. On the other hand, it is fairly well known and proven in studies, that development of the brain during childhood has a relevant effect on capabilities later on in life. This proves that at least to some degree, intelligence can be integrated into an individual's life, as their brain is developed through use in their circumstances of childhood. If someone is born and raised in a pitch black room with no interactions with others, they will have less ability to gain and apply knowledge or skills in that moment of capability, than someone who has been brought up regularly, with friends and school. 

At least when it comes to humans, ability to acquire and apply knowledge can be dependant on concepts of knowledge previously gained. Concepts such as the various laws of physics, can increase someone's ability to apply new knowledge. For eg, if someone’s bike is slower than others, they can use the concepts of aerodynamics, friction, etc, to more effectively acquire and apply knowledge about the bike’s functional properties. As another aspect of knowledge previously gained, learning and saving memory of specific details would be less useful for general circumstances of new variables in life. Memorizing details could be applicable for future knowledge or skills gained, but only in situations involving those specific variables. 

The more generalized concept of conscious comprehension, should be another eg of a concept, which may increase the ability to apply knowledge in a high variety of potential new circumstances. In my previous post; Conscious Mindset, I questioned, and attempted to distinguish the potential significance of learning this concept effectively, and gaining the ability to apply it effectively to many situations in life. The generalized applicability of this concept is to awarefully analyse any situation, determine differences in the cause and effect of relevant variables, and make a more accurate prediction. The concept of making accurate predictions, allows the ability to make preferred and beneficial adjustments. In a post from 3+ yrs ago; Intellectual Intel, I described how an aspect of this concept seems to cause differences in intellect (as a category of intelligence). This concept  seems to have the potential to significantly increase any individual’s ability to acquire and apply varying knowledge and skills. If more applicable and useful concepts are learned and practiced, the concepts should be better routed into memory, for better application of future knowledge gained.

So it seems, for any given degree of intelligence, someone must be born with inherent brain functional capabilities, but also have development integrated into their circumstances, up to that degree. Higher levels of intelligence or intellect for humans, seem to require further knowledge of concepts to be learned and practiced, beyond basic average upbringing development of the brain. Both seem to be significant and required conceptual elements of Intelligence; Inherent, & Integrated