Taxis vs. Kinesis — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Fiza Rafique — Updated on May 8, 2024
Taxis is a directional response to stimuli, guiding organisms towards or away from stimuli, while kinesis is a non-directional, random movement influenced by stimuli intensity.
Difference Between Taxis and Kinesis
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Taxis involves a directional movement where an organism moves towards or away from a stimulus, such as light or chemicals, while kinesis results in increased or random movement as a response to the intensity of a stimulus, rather than its direction.
Organisms exhibiting taxis respond specifically to the gradient of the stimulus, moving methodically towards or away to either approach beneficial environments or avoid harmful ones. On the other hand, kinesis does not involve movement towards or away from the source but is rather a change in the rate of movement when encountering different environmental conditions.
Positive taxis directs an organism to move towards a favorable stimulus, such as food or light, whereas negative taxis causes it to move away from an adverse stimulus like toxins or predators. In contrast, with kinesis, an increase in stimulus intensity might just increase an organism's movement speed or turn rate, without a specific direction.
Taxis is observed in organisms that are capable of detecting the direction of the stimulus source, enabling structured navigation. Conversely, kinesis often occurs in simpler organisms that might only be capable of random, yet adaptive, changes in activity in response to environmental changes.
Examples of taxis include moths flying towards a light (positive phototaxis) or earthworms burrowing away from light (negative phototaxis). Examples of kinesis could be woodlice increasing their movement speed in dry areas (orthokinesis) to find a humid environment more quickly.
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Comparison Chart
Directionality
Directional, towards or away from stimulus
Non-directional, random
Stimulus response
Movement based on stimulus gradient
Movement based on stimulus intensity
Type of movement
Structured and purposeful
Random and variable
Behavioral trigger
Specific directional cue (e.g., light, chemicals)
Environmental conditions affecting activity levels
Examples
Moths to light (positive phototaxis), earthworms from light (negative phototaxis)
Woodlice in dry conditions (orthokinesis)
Compare with Definitions
Taxis
Involves sensors and receptors to detect stimulus direction.
Plant roots show positive gravitaxis by growing towards gravitational pull.
Kinesis
Often observed in simpler or smaller organisms.
Bacteria display kinesis as they randomly move until finding favorable conditions.
Taxis
Can be positive (towards) or negative (away) depending on the stimulus.
Positive chemotaxis is observed when bacteria move towards nutrients.
Kinesis
Random movement that does not have a fixed direction relative to a stimulus.
Insects increase movement speed when exposed to higher light intensities.
Taxis
An organismal movement influenced by the direction of an external stimulus.
Cockroaches exhibit negative phototaxis by moving away from light.
Kinesis
Does not involve direct guidance by stimulus direction.
Amoebae exhibit kinesis by changing their movement patterns in varying chemical environments.
Taxis
Seen in both unicellular and multicellular organisms.
Sperm cells exhibit positive chemotaxis towards the egg during fertilization.
Kinesis
Adapted for varying and exploring environments.
Increased random movements in nematodes allow them to explore soil efficiently.
Taxis
Directed movement towards or away from a stimulus.
Fish swimming upstream in response to water currents is an example of positive rheotaxis.
Kinesis
Changes in speed or turning frequency in response to stimulus intensity.
Increased humidity can cause a decrease in the speed of movement in some terrestrial isopods.
Taxis
A taxis (plural taxes , from Ancient Greek τάξις (taxis) 'arrangement') is the movement of an organism in response to a stimulus such as light or the presence of food. Taxes are innate behavioural responses.
Kinesis
Movement or activity of an organism in response to a stimulus such as light.
Taxis
(Biology) The responsive movement of a free-moving organism or cell toward or away from an external stimulus, such as light.
Kinesis
(biology) The movement of an organism in response to an external stimulus.
Taxis
(Medicine) The moving of a body part by manipulation into normal position, as after a dislocation, fracture, or hernia.
Kinesis
(physics) Any energy that creates/controls movement.
Taxis
(biology) The directional movement of an organism in response to a stimulus.
Kinesis
(philosophy) The force driving life forward.
Taxis
(medicine) The manipulation of a body part into its normal position after dislocation or fracture.
Kinesis
A movement that is a response to a stimulus but is not oriented with respect to the source of stimulation
Taxis
(rhetoric) The arrangement of the parts of a topic.
Taxis
Arrangement or ordering generally, as in architecture or grammar
Taxis
(historical) A brigade in an Ancient Greek army.
Taxis
Plural of taxi
Taxis
Manipulation applied to a hernial tumor, or to an intestinal obstruction, for the purpose of reducing it.
Taxis
In technical uses, as in architecture, biology, grammar, etc., arrangement; order; ordonnance.
Taxis
A reflexive movement by a motile organism by which it moves or orients itself in relation to some source of stimulation; as, chemotaxis, the motion toward or away from gradients of certain chemical compounds.
Taxis
A locomotor response toward or away from an external stimulus by a motile (and usually simple) organism
Taxis
The surgical procedure of manually restoring a displaced body part
Common Curiosities
Can you give an example of positive taxis?
An example of positive taxis is moths flying towards a light source, exhibiting positive phototaxis.
What is an example of kinesis in animals?
Woodlice altering their movement speed in dry versus moist environments is an example of kinesis.
Is taxis a more advanced behavior than kinesis?
Yes, taxis generally involves more complex sensory mechanisms to detect and respond to stimulus direction, compared to the more general response in kinesis.
How does kinesis differ from taxis in terms of movement?
Unlike taxis, kinesis involves random or increased movement that does not necessarily direct the organism toward or away from the stimulus.
Does kinesis lead to a specific destination?
Kinesis does not lead to a specific destination but rather results in random movement that increases the chance of encountering favorable conditions.
What exactly is taxis?
Taxis is the movement of an organism in response to a stimulus gradient, either towards (positive) or away (negative) from the source.
Why might an organism display negative taxis?
Organisms display negative taxis to avoid harmful stimuli, such as predators or toxic substances.
What environmental factors influence kinesis?
Environmental factors like temperature, light intensity, and humidity can influence the rate and pattern of kinesis.
What type of stimuli can induce taxis?
Stimuli such as light, chemicals, and sound can induce taxis in various organisms.
How do organisms benefit from kinesis?
Kinesis allows organisms to randomly explore their environments, potentially leading them to more favorable conditions without specific direction.
Are humans capable of taxis?
Humans exhibit forms of taxis, such as moving towards a food source based on smell (olfactory taxis).
How is taxis detected in microorganisms?
Microorganisms have specialized receptors that allow them to detect chemical gradients or light, guiding their movement towards or away from these stimuli.
How does phototaxis differ from chemotaxis?
Phototaxis is movement directed by light, whereas chemotaxis is movement directed by chemical stimuli.
Can taxis and kinesis occur simultaneously in an organism?
Yes, an organism might display both taxis and kinesis simultaneously, reacting to different types of stimuli.
What roles do taxis and kinesis play in ecological systems?
Taxis and kinesis help organisms navigate and adapt to their environments, influencing ecological interactions and survival strategies.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
