What is the Difference Between Tropic and Nastic Movement?

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Tropic and nastic movements are both plant responses to external stimuli, but they differ in their dependence on the direction of the stimulus and the type of stimuli they respond to. Here are the main differences between tropic and nastic movements:

  1. Directional response: Tropic movements are directional responses to stimuli arriving from one direction, while nastic movements are non-directional responses to stimuli.
  2. Relation to stimulus direction: Tropic movements are related to the direction of stimuli, whereas nastic movements are not related to the direction of stimuli.
  3. Type of stimuli: Tropic movements are induced by external stimuli such as light, gravity, and chemicals, while nastic movements are induced by factors like touch, temperature, light, and chemicals.
  4. Examples: Examples of tropic movements include geotropism (movement towards gravity) and phototropism (movement towards light). Examples of nastic movements include the movement of the Venus flytrap and thermonastic movements (movements induced by temperature).

In summary, tropic movements are directional responses to stimuli that depend on the direction of the stimulus, while nastic movements are non-directional responses to stimuli that do not depend on the direction of the stimulus. Both types of movements are induced by external stimuli, but they respond to different types of stimuli.

Comparative Table: Tropic vs Nastic Movement

Here is a table comparing the differences between tropic and nastic movements:

Characteristic Tropic Movement Nastic Movement
Direction Directional, response towards or away from the stimulus Non-directional, response not dependent on the stimulus direction
Speed Slow Fast
Examples Phototropism (response to light), Gravitropism (response to gravity) Venus flytrap's movement
Types 1. Phototropism
2. Gravitropism
3. Chemotropism
4. Thigmotropism
5. Hydrotropism
6. Thermotropism
Seismonastic (touch), Thermonastic (temperature), light, and chemicals

Tropic movements are directional responses to stimuli, such as light, gravity, or touch, and the response is towards or away from the direction of the stimulus. Nastic movements, on the other hand, are non-directional responses to stimuli like temperature, heat, light, or chemicals, and are not dependent on the direction of the stimulus.