TROPISM
Charles François (2004). TROPISM, International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(2): 3651.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 3651 ▶ |
| Object type | General information, Methodology or model |
The adaptive growth or movement response of an organism toward or away of some stimulus.
This classical definition acquires new shades of meaning through the systemic viewpoint.
Tropism is not purely reactive and indistinct. D. Mc NEIL, for instance, writes: “A tree is a heliotrope and an hydrotrope, a structure and a process of substance and organization” (1993 b. p.8).
In systems, a tropism becomes more or less governed by the systems general controls: The tree reacts in an adaptive and variable way to sunshine and to soil moisture by regulating “global flows and counterflows” (Ibid).