Animal Behavior: Pillbugs and Their Preferences

Animal Behavior anovulatory drugbugs and Their PreferencesThe exis ten dollar billce used in this try is Armadillidium vulg argon which is commonly c all tolded a tabletbug, sowbug, or roly-poly. The lozengebug belongs to the Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Arthropoda, Class Crustacea, and Order Isopoda. To sympathize this experiment it is important to catch some knowledge of the organism existence play alongd. The anovulantbug is an isopod. The chitbug is made up of terce body business offices. They ar the head, thorax, and abdomen. This organism has deuce pairs of antennae ( iodine prominent and one inconspicuous), truthful eyes, seven pairs of legs, seven separate segments on the thorax, and paired app abateages at the end of the abdomen called uropods. The color varies from persistent gray to exsanguine with publication or white with bulge out pattern. Male and female person pillbugs differ in that a female has leaf- exchangeable induceths at the base of some of its legs. The purpose of these pouches is to hold enlargeing nut and embryos. Males differ in that the first two appendages on their abdomens ar linear copulatory organs. The immature isopod looks like an adult, save for its size, proportion, color, and sexual development. The pillbug is of the Order Isopoda. Isopods rust on dead or decaying plants or animals. Some isopods may expel living plants. They breathe with gills, and therefore their habitats are places of high humidity. During the day, pillbugs hide in break off places, such as under stone and bark. The organism being observed reproduces on land instead of in water. The eggs develop in a brood pouch filled with fluid. This organism produces betwixt one and two broods. This depends upon the females size and condition. The female may s conduce suppuration under stress. This decreases the likelihood of reproducing more than once. The pillbug society is patriarchal. The burrow in which a pillbug family snuff its is guar ded by the father. Both the father and m other(a)(a) gather the food. The undefiled pillbug family cleans the burrow. The young set out in February to create families of their own. chitbugs are cognise for their defense mechanism of curling up into a tight ball.As for the impact of isopods impact on the ecosystem, there are both supportive and negative effects. Isopods coif minimal soil improvement and provide a food source for other animals. life-sized populations of isopods can eat and cause damage to plants. The role of the pillbug in the ecosystem is breaking down dead plants and animals. Pillbugs that live in gardens help the circulation of soil, precisely its possible they will eat down in the mouth plants as they germinate. Overall, pillbugs take a leak a small impact on the ecosystem.To understand this experiment it is also important to be somewhat knowledgable on ethology, the acquire of animal behavior. Behavior is defined as an animals response to sensory input . there are two categories that a behavior can fall into. They are learned and innate. The behavior that places an animal in its favorite environment is called an druthers behavior. When an animal moves toward or away from a stimulus, it has exhibited taxis. Light, heat, moisture, sound, or chemicals are practically the stimuli that cause taxis. Random movement that does not result in taste with respect to a stimulus is known as kinesis. Another token of behavior is Agnostic behavior. This is exhibited when animals respond to one another by self-assertive or submissive responses.The pH of soil varies depending on the soils condition. There are plants that grow best when the soil is virulent, and there are some plants that grow best when the soil is prefatorial. Most plants, however, show the best growth in theater of operationss where the pH ranges from 6.5 to 7.2, 7 being indifferent. Hydrochloric blistering and Sodium Hydroxide nurture pHs at the extremes of the pH sca le. The pH of Hydrochloric acid, HCL, (0.1 M) is intimately 1.1. Sodium Hydroxide, KOH, (0.1 M) has a pH of rough 13.5. Detritus is what isopods feed on, and it as a more acidic pH. When constituent(a) matter decays, H ions are produced. Therefore, acid is added to the soil. Generally, the acidity entrap for plants is no lower than s fallly 4.5 to 5.6 on the pH scale. The vapor contract of a liquid refers to the idea that, in a closed container, vapour will continue until equilibrium is reached. The vapor stuff of HCl and water are approximately equal (20 mmHg at room temperature, 22 C), and the vapor pressure of KOH for a 45% solution is approximately 2 mmHg.The purpose of this experiment was to use pillbugs to examine animal behaviors and habitat preferences and to determine whether this organism prefers moist or dry habitats, vestige or fresh habitats, and acidic or biting environments With knowledge of isopods and pillbugs, it was hypothesized that the pillbugs would spend more time near the buffer dawn reputation because of their need for high humidity in wander to breathe. Given that pillbugs live under rocks and feed on decaying organisms, which release acid into the soil, it was also hypothesized that they would prefer the dark rather than light conditions and the acidic everywhere the caustic environment.Materials and MethodsWaterPipetFilter authorship (2 chips)Choice domiciliate scissors holdSoft Brush10 Pill BugsStopwatchTo observe pill bugs and their preference moist versus dry conditions, a option sleeping accommodation, consisting of two petri dishes connected to one another, was obtained and lined with filter theme. Two pieces of filter idea were cut to fit the put up. One was then moistened, using a pipette, with a few drops of water. The second piece of circular filter paper was left-hand(a) dry. The moistened filter paper was placed at the bottom of one bed bedroom, chamber 1, and the dry filter paper was placed at the bottom of the other, chamber 2. Then, using a soft brush, ten pill bugs were obtained from the simple eye of pill bugs, and then placed into the chamber. Also using a soft brush, flipper pill bugs were placed in the dry chamber while the remain five were placed in the moist chamber and the chambers were closed. This pillbug debate for each chamber was then save for time zero proceeding. victimization the stopwatch to track time, the numerate of pill bugs on each typeface of the choice chamber was then recorded every 30 seconds for ten minutes, and continued even when some may no longer have been moving or were all on one expression. Notes were taken on the actions and interactions of the pill bugs throughout the ten minute period. Once ten minutes had elapsed, the pill bugs were returned to the stock culture.Black Paper smock Filter PaperChoice bedroom10 Pill BugsSoft BrushScissorsStopwatchTo determine the preference of pill bugs between light and dark habitats and cond itions, a choice chamber with two connecting petri dishes was lined with two antithetical types of paper. One piece of normal filter paper and one piece of black paper were both cut to fit the chambers. Next, the bottom of the inner(a) of one dish, chamber 1, was covered with the unaltered, white filter paper and the other dish, chamber 2, was lined with the black paper. Then, using a soft brush, ten pill bugs were obtained from the pill bug stock culture, five of which were placed in the black-paper lined chamber and the remain five were placed in the white paper lined chamber. The choice chamber was then closed. The initial pill bug list, 5 in each chamber was then recorded in the table. For a period of ten minutes, using a stopwatch to track time, the count of the pill bugs on each attitude of the choice chamber was recorded every thirty seconds. In addition, notes about the interactions of the pill bugs were taken throughout the ten minute period. The count continued to be taken, regardless of the lack of movement from the pill bugs or the concentration of all ten in one chamber. After the ten minutes had elapsed, the pill bugs were returned to the stock culture.White Filter Paper (2 pieces)0.1 M HCl (Hydrochloric Acid)0.1 M KOH (Potassium Hydroxide)Pipettes (1 or 2)Filter Paper (3 Pieces)3 Choice house10 Pill BugsScissorsStopwatchTo determine and see the preference of pill bugs in terms of basic and acidic conditions, a 3-choice chamber was set up. terzetto pieces of filter paper were cut to fit the chambers. Using a pipette, about four drops of 0.1 M HCl were placed in a circular pattern about the paper. Another piece of filter paper was sprinkled with 0.1 M KOH in the same manner as was done with the hydrochloric acid. The HCl and KOH were applied to the filter paper in such a way that the paper was not drenched in in the chemical. One chamber, the one connected to two other chambers was lined with an unaltered piece of filter paper. One of the two remaining chambers, chamber 1, was lined at the bottom (inside bottom) with the acidic filter paper and the remaining chamber, chamber 3, was lined at the bottom with the basic filter paper. Using a soft brush, the ten pill bugs were all withdraw from the stock culture and placed in chamber 2, the middle chamber consisting of the unaltered paper. The chambers were then covered and the pill bug count was recorded in the table for the initial time of 0 minutes. For the succeeding(prenominal) ten minutes, the count of pill bugs in each of the lead chambers was recorded every thirty minutes. The data continued to be composed even when they were no longer moving sides or were all on one side. After the ten minutes had elapsed, the ten pill bugs were returned to the stock culture.ResultsTable 1 account of Pillbugs in starchy vs. alter put up at Various clippingsTime(min.) physical body in rigid sleeping room yield in Dry ChamberOther Notes055Begin moving at present0.528Larg e recite shifts to leadher to one side119One more baby follows1.537 trash between two larger isopods255 eve out again2.555 happen upon about but come back to even one not moving364 more than to wet chamber3.546Back to Dry Chamber455 creeping on underside of paper4.546 rubbish to get from one side to another537Large pillbug still not moving5.564Other pillbugs get assembly just about non-moving pillbug673Pillbugs piled on top of one another6.555Pillbug begins to move again746 more(prenominal) to Dry Chamber7.555Back at even864 regular switch from chamber to chamber8.573Begin gathering at wet chamber991More join wet chamber9.573Crowded, a few go to dry chamber1091 take back to wet chamberTable 2 subdue of Pillbugs in lighting vs. Darker washy Chambers at Various TimesTime(min.)Number in LightChamberNumber in Dark ChamberOther Notes055Begin moving instantly0.537 get going to dark side128More to dark side1.528Remain, no boilersuit movement228No overall movement2.537Begin going to white side337No overall movement3.546Moving to light source side428Move to dark side4.555Equalize again537Fighting to get to dark side5.555Equalize again646More to Dark side6.573Piling up to get to flatboat side773No overall movement7.582More in lighter side891More in lighter side8.573Move to dark side955Equalize again9.537Move to darker side1046Young follows adult to other sideTable 3 Number of Pillbugs in Neutral, Acidic and prefatorial Chambers at Various TimesTime(min.)Number in Neutral Chamber (Control)Number in Acidic ChamberNumber in Basic ChamberOther Notes01000Immediate Movement0.5253Move to acidic1352Stay around outside of chamber1.5622Quickly out of acidic and into neutral area2433More to basic area2.5523 outside(a) from acidic area3235More slowly moving to basic area3.5217Movement to basic chamber4406Pillbugs all out of Acidic area4.5118Most in Basic area5145Some return to acidic chamber5.5316Slowly moving out of Acidic chamber and into neutral and basic chambers6415 bug out of basic and into neutral6.5316Back into basic area, around outside of filter paper7316No overall movement7.5406All gone from acidic area8307More to basic area8.5406Small shift9307 sprain of shift9.5208More to basic area more slowly than before test10109More to basic area effigy 1 magnetic variation in Number of Pillbugs in Wet and Dry ChambersFigure 2 Fluctuation in Number of Pillbugs in visible light and Darker Colored ChambersFigure 3 Fluctuation in Number of Pillbugs in Acidic, Neutral and Basic ChambersDiscussionTable 4 honest Number of Pillbugs in Wet vs. in Dry ChambersTime(min.)Number in Wet ChamberNumber in Dry Chamber bonny of Pill Bugs in WetAverage of Pill Bugs in Dry0550.5281191.5372552.5553643.5464554.5465375.5646736.5557467.5558648.5739919.5731091 numerate of Pill bugs1081025.1434.857Table 5 Average Number of Pillbugs in Lighter vs. Darker-Colored ChambersTime(min.)Number in LightChamberNumber in Dark ChamberAverage of Pill Bugs in White (Light)Averag e of Pill Bugs in Dark0550.5371281.5282282.5373373.5464284.5555375.5556466.5737737.5828918.5739559.5371046Total of Pill Bugs931174.4295.571Table 6 Average Number of Pillbugs in Neutral, Acidic and Basic ChambersTime(min.)Number in NeutralChamberNumber in Acidic ChamberNumber in Basic ChamberAverage of Pill Bugs in Neutral ChamberAverage of Pill Bugs in Acidic ChamberAverage of Pill Bugs in Basic Chamber010000.525313521.562224332.552332353.521744064.511851455.531664156.531673167.540683078.540693079.520810109Total of Pill Bugs7030 cx3.331.4295.238Figure 4 similarity of Average Number of Pillbugs in Wet Chamber vs. in Dry ChamberFigure 5 comparison of Average Number of Pillbugs in Lighter-colored and Dark-colored PaperFigure 6 Comparison of Average Number of Pillbugs in Acidic, Neutral and Basic ChambersIt was hypothesized that the pillbugs, tending(p) that they possess gills for respiration, and that they live where there is not a lot of light (under rocks and logs), they wou ld prefer the damp chamber over the dry chamber and the dark chamber over the light chamber. Knowing that pillbugs feed off of decaying organic material, and the process of decay increases the soil acidity, it was hypothesized that the pillbugs would prefer the acidic chamber (the one with HCl), over the caustic (with KOH) and neutral chambers. The data placid supports the hypothesis. The hateful fig of pill bugs in each chamber was calculated by rack uping the pillbug count for all twenty-one times in one chamber and then doing the same for the next chamber and then dividing the two totals by the total fare of pillbugs counted. This number was 210 in each case. As evidenced by Table 4 and Figure 4, the mean number of pillbugs in the damp chamber over ten minutes was approximately 5.143, and the mean number of pillbugs in the dry chamber over ten minutes was approximately 4.857. The higher average of the damp chamber over the dry chamber shows taxis toward the stimulus (moistur e).The data collected also supported the second part of what was hypothesized. The mean number of pillbugs in the chamber with light paper was about 4.429. Table 5 and Figure 5 show the mean number of pillbugs in the dark chamber to be about 5.571. The results and the known habitats of pillbugs are consistent with one another.The data collected in part three of the experiment did not support what was hypothesized. Table 6 and Figure 6 show that the basic environment (one with drops of KOH) was actually preferred over a neutral environment and the acidic environment (one with drops of HCl) by the pillbugs. The mean number of pillbugs in the neutral environment was about 3.33, for the acidic environment the mean was about 1.429 and for the caustic environment the mean was about 5.238. Its possible the invoice for these results is the vapor pressure of the Hydrochloric acid being higher than that of the Sodium Hydroxide. chafe caused by HCL vaporizing quickly and getting into the pil lbugs gills would explain the lack of time exhausted in the chamber with the HCl on the filter paper. The lack of moisture on the plain filter paper could explain the lack of time worn-out(a) in the neutral chamber. The pillbugs antennae would sense any chemical or something like it, and they would be attracted to that chamber. Agnostic behavior was exhibited by the pillbugs inside the choice chambers. Fighting between the pillbugs represents agnostic behavior. The results of the experiment would not be affected by errors in counting or other human errors.The data collected from the experiment supported two thirds of what was hypothesized. The pillbugs preferences for dark and damp environments over light and dry environments were supported by the results. However, the results suggest that pillbugs preference is for the more caustic environments over the environments that are neutral or acidic.Citations1. Brown, Courtney Jane. ADW Armadillidium Vulgare Information. Animal motley Web. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. .2. testing ground 11 Animal Behavior (College Board, 2001) AP Biology Lab Manual for Students (2001) modern Jersey College Board. p. 125-131.3. Isopod, Pillbug, Sow Bug Information. UA Center for plant louse Science Education Outreach. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. .4. Soil PH and Soil sourness or Alkalinity. Landscaping and Lawns by Donnan Landscape. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. .5. HYDROCHLORIC ACID (LESS THAN 10%). New Mallinckrodt Baker Website. Web. 24 Mar. 2011. .6. What Is Acidic Soil? Web. 24 Mar. 2011. .7. Vapor Pressure. trial run Page for Apache Installation. Web. 24 Mar. 2011..8. The MSDS HyperGlossary Vapor Pressure. Transferring You to the ILPI Home Page Web. 24 Mar. 2011. .