Friday, June 29, 2012

What is an example of the difference between kinesis and taxis?

Kinesis and Taxis
are both terms that relate to how an organism responds to positive or
negative stimulation.  The difference between the two is that with kinesis the organism
responds by moving either toward or away from
the source of the stimulus.  Taxis has the organism just moving
randomly.


This concept is easier to understand when looking
at examples:


1) A big ugly bug is sitting there and you
shine a flashlight at it.  The bug, because of some instinct, walks toward the light (or
flies, like a moth.)  Its direction is based on where the light is coming from.  This is
kinesis.


2) Different ugly bug doesn't
like the smell of wet dog.  The bug's instinct will make it run around randomly trying
to find a spot where it doesn't have to smell wet dog.  This is
taxis.


Do you see the difference?  One
has movement directly toward or away from a stimulus, while the other one has movement
that is caused by the stimulus but the direction of which is
random.


Hope this helps!

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