Temperature as an environmental factor for animals - experiment

Question:  What is the effect of temperature on isopods?

Equipment:  Light bulb heat source, ice chamber, aluminum foil tray (about 7cm wide x 40cm long x 3cm high sides); and 6+ isopods.

Procedure:  Set up your aluminum foil tray so that one end is in the ice chamber and the other is on the heat source.  Divide the tray into six sections and record the temperature at each section (you may have to wait a few minutes after you set it up for the temperatures to stabilize).  Place one isopod on each of the sections that you divided and record that below.  Then every minute record where they are for ten minutes.

Graph results.

Results:

Conclusions:

Did the animals move in a certain direction?

Did they move randomly?

Did they travel to the ends of the ramp?  Why or why not?

Did they stay in one temperature range?

Describe how they moved.

What advantages do animals have over plants?

If you were looking for one of these animals where would you look?

What was the optimum temperature range indicated by the class data?

 

Dr. Robert Sweetland's Notes ©