In Quinn’s experiment, he put mutant flies into a countercurrent machine with two smells: octanol which is relatively bad, and methylcyclohexanol which is relatively good. When the flies went toward the light with octanol, Quinn gave them a chock. When the flies went toward the light with methylcyclohexanol, he did not give them a shock. After a couple of repeated experiments in a new test tube, Quinn concluded that the flies were learning from their own experience. This is similar to what we have learned in the animal behavior chapters. This experiment is related to a taxis or kinesis movement where organisms learn from repeated mistakes or experiments. The flies have learned after countless of experiments to move away from the light in an octanol environment and move toward the methlcyclohexanol environment.
As mentioned in the book, Time, Love, Memory, flies tend to form chains with each other. On pg. 126, it states that if there is good food and a nice warm constant temperature, it encourages the flies to start chaining. Food is rather important to these flies. This relates to what we are learning because all organisms require an adequate amount of food, a good temperature range, and a good social environment that helps flies become more active and therefore, allowing them to reproduce.
Throughout this book, clocks have been mentioned several times about having specific timings which they function. Clocks control the rhythmic behavior of life. This relates to photosynthesis. Just like how in photosynthesis, C3, C4 and CAM plants, some of these plants function at nighttime whereas some work during the daylight. CAM plants open their stomata at night and close them during the day, the reverse way of when other plants open their stomata during daylight. It is also similar as to when we humans have clocks in our bodies, requiring us to wake up, eat our three daily meals, and sleep around the same specific times.
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