Essential Knowledge 2.C.2

Organisms respond to changes in their external environments.

Organisms respond to changes in their environments through behavioral and physiological mechanisms.

Examples:

• Photoperiodism and phototropism in plants
• Hibernation and migration in animals
• Taxis and kinesis in animals
• Chemotaxis in bacteria, sexual reproduction in fungi
• Nocturnal and diurnal activity: circadian rhythms
• Shivering and sweating in human

Students should be able to:

LO 2.21 Justify the selection of the kind of data needed to answer scientific questions about the relevant mechanisms that organisms use to respond to changes in their external environment.

LO 2.42 Pose a scientific question concerning the behavior or physiological response of an organism to a change in its environment.