The ability of organisms to detect and respond to changes in their environment
Behavioral mechanisms
Organisms can change their behavior in response to environmental cues, such as changes in temperature, light, or food availability
Physiological mechanisms
Involve changes in the activity of genes, enzymes, and hormones in response to environmental cues
Photoperiodism
The ability of plants to sense changes in the length of daylight and to use this information to regulate growth and development
Phototropism
The ability of plants to sense changes in the direction of light and to use this information to orient their growth
Taxis
The directed movement of an organism towards or away from a stimulus such as light, heat, or gravity
Kinesis
A non-directional response where an organism's speed or activity level changes due to changes in their environment
Nocturnal activity
The behavior of animals that are active at night and sleep during the day
Diurnal activity
The behavior of animals that are active during the day and sleep at night
Fight-or-flight response
A physiological response to a perceived threat or danger, characterized by the release of adrenaline and other hormones
Predator warnings
The communication of danger by one organism to others of the same species
Communication in organisms
The transfer of information from one organism to another through signals or behaviors
Cooperative behavior
Actions taken by organisms that benefit others in their group, often at a cost to themselves
Innate behaviors
Behaviors that occur naturally without any need for learning, instinctual and present at birth
Learned behaviors
Actions or behaviors that animals acquire through experience or observing others within their environment
Long-day plants
Plants that flower when nights are short, typically blooming in late spring or early summer
Short-day plants
Plants that require a long period of darkness (shorter daylight) in each 24-hour cycle to induce flowering
Mutualistic relationships
Relationships where both organisms involved benefit from their interaction with each other
Natural selection
The process where organisms possessing certain genotypic characteristics that make them better adjusted to their environment tend to survive, reproduce, and pass on these favorable genetic traits
Sympathetic nervous system
The part of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for action by triggering the fight-or-flight response