Dictionary > Thigmonasty

Thigmonasty

Definition
noun
A form of nastic movement (of a plant or a fungus) as a response to touch or vibration
Supplement
Nastic movements pertain to the plant movements in response to a stimulus. There are many forms of nastic movements and one of them is called thigmonasty. Thigmonasty is a form of nastic movement by a plant or a fungus in response to touch or vibration.1
Thigmonasty is different from thigmotropism. Both of them are a response to the touch stimulus. However, thigmotropism is a directional movement response whereas thigmonasty is not. Furthermore, thigmotropism is one that involves the growth response of the plant rather than its movement. An example of thigmotropism is the coiling of tendrils or twiners upon contact to objects for support. In thigmonasty, an example is the shutting of a venus fly trap.
The drooping of leaflets of Mimosa pudica when touched is also a thigmonastic movement. It is because the response of this plant is not influenced by the direction of stimulus, which is a characteristic of thigmotrophic movements.
Another example is the shrinking and rebounding of the anthers when a pollinator lands on the flower of thistles. The insect is subsequently loaded with pollen.
Synonym(s):

  • seismonasty
  • haptonasty

Compare:

  • thigmotropism
  • See also:

    Reference(s):

    1 Stiles, W. (1994). Principles of Plant Physiology. Discovery Publishing House. pp. 520–


    You will also like...

    Freshwater aquatic plankton
    Freshwater Communities & Plankton

    Planktons are microscopic organisms that live suspended in aquatic habitats. There are two groups: the phytoplanktons an..

    Muscle
    Muscle

    Muscle cells are specialized to generate force and movement. Learn about the different types of muscle tissues in this t..

    Biosecurity and Biocontrol
    Biosecurity and Biocontrol

    This lesson explores the impact of biosecurity threats, and why they need to be identified and managed. Examples to incl..

    Hominid
    The Hominids

    The hominid family diversified from the apes around 6 to 8 million years ago. Since then, the evolutionary path has prov..

    squirrel
    Animal Water Regulation

    Animals adapt to their environment in aspects of anatomy, physiology, and behavior. This tutorial will help you understa..

    Bryophytes
    Bryophytes

    Bryophytes (nonvascular plants) are a plant group characterized by lacking vascular tissues. They include the mosses, th..

    Related Articles...

    No related articles found

    See all Related Topics