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Lesson: Chapter 8 — Characteristics of Living Organisms

8.6. Movement 1 of 3

Why organisms move

Organisms use movement to meet various needs.

Food

Food is not all in one place, so it has to be gone after — or else brought to you.

Protection

Getting away from danger — from a predator, from fire, from extreme heat.

Reproduction

Finding a mate, or dispersing seeds and pollen.

It is not always the whole body that moves

Either the organism's entire body or a part of the body moves. A tree does not travel, but its leaves, flowers and shoot tips move. So saying that a tree does not move is wrong.

Assignment 8.4

  1. Name the different modes of locomotion seen in mammals and give two examples of each.
  2. For what needs do animals move about?
  3. Give examples of the different growth movements shown by plants.

The answer to the third question is on the third page of this section.