Animal Movement

Rucete ✏ Biology In a Nutshell

1. Kinesis

• A non-directional movement in response to a stimulus.
• The rate of movement (speed) changes depending on the intensity or quality of the stimulus.
• Example: An organism moves faster in a harmful environment and slower in a favorable environment.

2. Taxis

• A directional movement in response to a stimulus.
• Organism moves toward (positive taxis) or away from (negative taxis) a stimulus.
• Example: Bacteria moving toward glucose (positive chemotaxis).

3. Migration

• A cyclical movement of animals over long distances.
• Usually occurs seasonally and is often guided by environmental cues such as temperature or day length.
• Example: Birds flying south for winter or whales migrating to warmer waters to breed.