Seems to me that concepts are a result of ability to think. But concepts are not necessary for acting on, or reacting to environmental pressures.
A perfect example may be found in Daniel Dennett’s “Intentional Systems Theory” where an evolved system has an inherent intent to survive, when using that particular “stance” (perspective), even if that system is brainless.
Quorum sensing is such a (chemically based) system used by bacteria to “decide” when to become virulent in synchrony.