In Ecology Verde we want to teach you a little more about the world of plants and, above all, how they relate to the environment. In this article we will answer the question about whether The plants move Or no and we already clarify that, they do. In fact, they only make movements in response to an alien or external stimulus and are known as nastias. In this article we will talk about What are the nastias of plants and examples of these, so some of the characteristics of the nastias will also be indicated. Keep reading to expand your knowledge of botany and so that, in addition, this helps you to value the environment even more.
What are Nastias
It is called the passenger movement that can occur in the different organs that make up the plant and that are produced by an external stimulus. Therefore, we can say that the definition of nastias can be summarized in that movement that occurs in response to an external stimulus and that, therefore, it does not have to be directly related to its growth. We must also point out that the term “nastias” comes from “nastos” which means in Greek tighten or close with pressure. Hence, many of them are related to the opening and closing of the flowers or the expansion of the leaves in search of sunlight.
But what function does the nastias? The answer is simple: nastias are necessary for the plant to be able to adapt to different external agents to protect and strengthen in search of optimal growth.
Examples of nastias
The best way to understand what and how are the movements of plants that define nastias is simply to know How the nastias are classified. Within this classification we will find examples of plants with nastias, as with carnivorous or mimosa plants.
Fotonastia
As indicated by its name, this type of nastia is given as a response from the plant itself to light intensity. A clear example is how flowers open or close depending on sunlight. Starting from this base we can understand that there are, therefore, positive and negative nastias. The sunflowers perform a positive photonastia when looking down when sunlight disappears while the night doego, which opens its flowers with darkness, performs a negative photonastia.
Chimionastia
Carnivorous plants when catching insects perform this type of nastia. The one that derives from a stimulus produced by a chemical.
Traumatonastia
As indicated by its name, this type of nastia is a movement produced as a consequence of the damage that the plant itself has suffered. We recommend you read this other post about doubt: do plants feel pain?
SISMONASTIA
This is one of the characteristic types of nastias of plants such as púdica mimosa. This nastia occurs due to a mechanical stimulus or produced by the contact that is made immediately and visible when closing the leaflets of the plant.
Gravinastia
As with fotonastia we find positive and negative taxinasties. Gravinastia is temporary and reversible movement that occurs in some plants in response to the action of gravity. An example of positive gravinastia is when the leaves of the plant moved down in response to the gravitational attraction of the Earth. And negative when the movement is growing and always in the opposite direction the action of gravity. They are also known as geonastias.
Hydronsotia
It is the movement made in response of plants to the presence of moisture in the environment. The ferns show a clear example of this type of nastia when their sporangios open.
Terminastia
It is the movement that occurs in response to thermal variation. Hence many flowers close or open as a response. A clear example is tulip.
NICTINASTIA
This type of nastia is related to the movement that occurs under the stimulus of the variation between night and day. A clear example is the response of legumes to sunlight, expanding and how these are folded during their absence.
Differences and similarities between tropisms and nastias
Finally, we tell you the relationship and difference between nastias and tropisms.
Differences between tropisms and nastias
Tropisms are movements of plants that happen in response to an external stimulus and is performed in a single direction and permanently. This is achieved thanks to the growth of the plant. However, in the case of nastias, we talk about rapid and reversible movements in response an external stimulus and that has no influence on the direction in which the movement occurs or where it comes from.
For this reason, it also differs in the time and speed of movement. Tropism is a movement that extends over time and is done slowly, while nastias are sudden movements that remain for much less time.
Similarly, tropisms are an irreversible movement, when talking about a movement made in response to the action of plant growth, so you cannot return to the previous point, while nastias are temporary and reversible movements before the action of an external factor.
Similarities between tropisms and nastias
What the nastias and tropism have in common is that both are movements made by the different organs of the plants as a result to an external agent.
Learn more about tropism: what is, types and examples with this other article. We also advise you to read this other post about how plants communicate.
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