[From Bruce Abbott (2000.09.21.1730 EST)]
Rick Marken (2000.09.21.0730)]
Here are some of the reviewer comments on the _Chemotaxis_
paper. . . .
Thanks, Rick. Do you happen to have the reviewer comments from _Behavioral
Neuroscience_? It would be just as interesting to hear the reasons for
acceptance.
Oh, and here's a nit to pick: E. coli's behavior is an example of a
kinesis, not a taxis. In a kinesis, the organism does not make use of
directional cues to orient or move itself with respect to some source of
stimulation, and yet those movements do result in some position or
orientation with respect to that source. An example is the wood louse's
behavior of moving about at random until it reaches a suitably damp place,
then stopping. As a result, most wood lice are found in damp places, such
as under rotting logs.
In a true chemotaxis, the organism would orient itself directly with respect
to the chemical gradient (say, directly toward the source) and move so as to
maintain that orientation. So I guess e. coli's behavior should be called a
"chemokinesis."
Bruce A.