IMO, the Drake equation assumes that any extraterrestrial life would need to meet human standards to exist... but since humans have no extra terrestrial reference for life, that is still an assumption.

It could be correct assumption, but it is a pretty major assumption.

It could just as easily be that life will take hold anywhere that the conditions for life to exist are present and that the life would adapt from there to the ecosystem in which it is found. If that were true, it might be closer to be using the Drake equation to try and figure where life is NOT.

Regardless, it's interesting to theorize, but nobody knows.