Experimental Design: Sow bug preference-Light/Wet or Dark/Dry
A. Null Hypothesis: Sow bugs will have no preference when exposed to light/wet environment and dark dry environment.
1. Alternate hypothesis 1: Sow bugs will prefer light/wet environment to the dark/dry environment.
2. Alternate hypothesis 2: Sow bugs will prefer dark/dry environment to the light/wet environment.
3. Prediction: The sow bugs will prefer the light/wet environment more than the dark/dry environment. Because the sow bug is a crustacean that has gills the wet environment would increase the sow bug’s ability to breath. This would cause the sow bugs to seek out environments that would be more life sustaining.
B. List of Materials
1. Choice chamber
2. 10 sow bugs
3. Filter paper
4.…show more content… Experimental Procedure (logical & step by step), including: (4pts) (image retrieved from: https://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/investigation-habitat-selection.html)
Procedure:
Step 1: Gather sow bugs. Retrieve from available container. If not available, you can collect your own prior to experiment.
Step 2: Prepare choice chamber: Place filter paper in bottom of each chamber. For chamber that will be light, make the filter paper moist but not soaking wet. For the dark/dry chamber, place dry filter paper in place.
Step 3: Place 5 sow bugs in each side of chamber, place lids in place and cover the dry side, to block out light. Can use a dark cloth, card board box with cut out to allow for connection of choice chamber, or various available items.
Step 4: Start timer for 10-minute intervals and record initial placement of 5/5 on chart and data sheet.
Step 5: Record for each side: light/wet and dark/dry at each 10-minute intervals, mark how many sow bugs are in each environment, for a total of 60 minutes.
Step 6: After all data is recorded, return pill bugs to original container and clean area. Analyze data.
1. Manipulated Variable (independent variable; “the treatment”)
The wet/light and dry/dark
