[Dimensio]

It is natural selection at ground zero.

I don't quite understand. Natural selection deals with living organisms. If there aren't any living organisms there isn't any natural selection.

Evolution itself (by the most basic definition) actually is less than natural selection -- but it still requires living organisms. Abiogenesis deals with what happens before there are living organisms. No living organisms == no evolution.

Evolution is a theory that works on life. How that life came into being isn't relevant.

[BMCDA]

As far as I can tell all that is necessary for evolution to take place are imperfect self-replicators in a restrictive environment.