Animals in Space

• receptor: an organ or cell able to respond to light, heat, or other external stimulus and transmit a signal to a sensory nerve
• Effector: A cell that responds to a stimulus and produces a response.
• Difference between effector and stimulus: effector is the response to the stimulus
• Innate Behaviour: Behaviour that is innate and not learned, it is also intrinsic (present in animals raised in isolation from others)

  Stereotypic - Perform the same way

  Inflexible - cannot be modified by exp
• Examples of Innate behaviour: hatching, nest building, migration, mating, feeding, predator avoidance, reproduction
• Learned behaviour: Behaviours acquired through experience rather than being inherited
• Learned behaviour: Behaviour that is acquired through experience and learning.

  Non heritable

  Extrinsic

  Adaptable

  Progressive
• Example OF learned behaviour: A child learns to walk by watching their parents.
• Taxis: the movement of an organism in response to stimuli in its environment
• Positive taxis: A directional force that pulls a cell towards a region of higher concentration.
• Negative taxis: A negative force that pulls the cell towards the bottom of the cell.
• Kinesis: The movement of a body part or the whole body in response to a stimulus.
• Kinesis- another innate behaviour response of an organism TO AN EXTERNAL NON-DIRECTIONAL stimulus.
• ORTHOKINESIS is where stimulus intensity determines the speed of movement. 

  For example: In slaters, the speed of movement is inversely proportional to humidity. Since the rate of movement decreases in damper air, the animals spend more of their time in damp areas. 
• Klinokineses

  KLINOKINESES is where stimulus intensity determines the rate of turning. 

  For example: Some flatworms turn more quickly in the light, so when a flatworm leaves a darkened area it turns more often, making it more likely to crawl back into the dark.
• THIGMOKINESIS is shown by many animals living in crevices, such as earwigs, which stop moving when they come into contact with a surface.
• What is the difference between Taxes and Kineses?

  
  

  In kinesis, movement happens in a RANDOM DIRECTION; no movement happens toward or away the stimulus. The stimulus creates a response that makes sure the animal spends more OR less time exposed to that stimulus. 

  
  

  However, in taxis, movement is DIRECTIONAL. If the stimulus is beneficial, the response will be towards it. If the stimulus is harmful, the response will be away from it.
• What is Navigation?

  NAVIGATION is the process by which an animal uses ENVIRONMENTAL cues to find a desired location or stay on a desired course. 
• Common methods of navigation:

  
  

  Solar navigation (Sun & Compass)

  Stellar navigation (Star compass)

  Earth's magnetic field (Magnetic compass)

  Landmass, Smells and sounds
• Homing: Ability of an animal to return to its home location after travelling away from it
• MIGRATION is the long distance movement of individuals from one place to another. BREEDING, or OVERWINTERING (i.e. to pass through or wait out the harsh winter conditions). 

  It usually occurs on a seasonal basis and for specific purposes: E.g. feeding, 

  Many animals move great distances at different times of the year or at certain stages in their life cycle. Migratory behaviour is INNATE, but there may be a LEARNED component for repeat migrants. The behaviour is triggered by an ENVIRONMENTAL cue, e.g. a change of season. 
• External migration cues for animals: food, water, shelter, mates, predators, and other animals, shifting seasons, Photoperiod (day length)
• Internal migration cues:

  Circadian rhythms

  Fat Reserves

  Sexual maturity