Response to Stimuli Flashcards
Stimulus
a detectable change in the internal or external environment of an organism which leads to a response.
Response
an action taken as a result of a stimulus
What is the advantage of responding appropriately to stimuli?
There is a selection pressure favouring organisms with more appropriate responses, as they are more likely to survive and reproduce, and pass their alleles on to the next generation.
What is a taxis?
a simple response, the direction of which is determined by the direction of the stimulus
Which type of organisms can show taxis?
Motile organisms
Taxis towards stimuls=
Taxis away from stimulus =
Positive taxis
Negative taxis
types of taxis:
light
chemical
heat
Phototaxis
Chemotaxis
Thermotaxis
What type of response is taxis?
Directional - organisms move towards or away from the stimulus.
What is kinesis?
A type of response in which the speed and rate of direction change of the organism changes.
What type of stimuli does kinesis involve?
less directional stimuli, eg humidity and temperature
Explain what happens in kinesis and why
Speed and rate of direction change increase when an organism crosses a division between a favourable and unfavourable environment. This raises the chances that the organism will return to a favourable environment more quickly.
Which organisms show kinesis
woodlice
tropism
the growth of part of a flowering plant in response to a directional stimulus
What do plants respond to?
Light, water, gravity
What types of tropisms do plants show?
phototropis, gravitropism, hydrotropism
What are tropisms controlled by?
Plant growth factors such as indoleacetic acid.
Explain positive phototropism in a plant shoot
- Cells in the tip of the shoot produce IAA, which is transported down the shoot.
- IAA is initially transported evenly down the shoot, but light causes the movement of IAA from the light side to the shaded side of the of the shoot.
- IAA causes elongation of shoot cells and as its concentration on the shaded side is greater, the cells on this side elongate more.
- The shaded side of the shoot elongates faster than the light side, so the shoot bends towards the light.
Which part of a plant shows negative phototropism?
The root
Which part of a plant shows positive phototropism?
The shoot
Exlain positive grapitropism in a plant root
- Cells in the root tip produce IAA, which is initially transported evenly through the root.
- Gravity causes IAAA to move from the upper side to the lower side of the root, so a greater concentration of IAA builds up on the lower side.
- IAA inhibits elongation of root cells, so cells on the lower side elongate less than cells on the upper side.
- The greater elongation of the upper side causes the root to bend downwards, towards the force of gravity.
Does IAA in the root promote or inhibit cell elongation?
inhibit
Describe the stages in a reflex arc.
⇒ stimulus ⇒ receptor ⇒ sensory neurone ⇒intermediate neurone ⇒ motor neurone ⇒ effector ⇒ response
Why are reflex arcs important?
involuntary, rapid, protect the body from harm. concious thought in the brain is not required, so the brain is free to carry out more complex responses.
What does a receptor do?
detect and respond to a specific stimulus