Charity White

Mrs. OConnor

Lab Report

10 February 2017

AP Lab Investigations Animal Behavior: Rolly Polly Love

I. Purpose:

In this laboratory, you will observe the aspects of the behavior of a terrestrial isopod, Next you
will conduct experiments to examine the responses of the isopods to various environmental
factors. Then, you will design and conduct an investigations of animal behavior. Lastly, we will
hypothesize as to the reasons for the behaviors you observe.

II. Background/ Introduction:

Isopods are crustaceans that are formally known as sow bugs, pill bugs and rolly pollies.
Isopods are similar to lobster crabs , and other sea like animals. There known isopods with gills
according to Mental Floss Science Digest. Isopods belong to the genus Bathynomus . Isopods
have an exoskeleton made of chitin for protection according to E. Naylor of British
Isopods.There are many different types of species of isopods such as Bathynomus giganteus,
Bathynomus bruscia and Bathynomus kapala, just to name a few. According to Bob Carnet in
Trapping Predators, isopods prefer warm , moist environments. Isopods reproduce by sexual
dimorphism, which is characterized by the difference in appearance between the sexes such as in
color or shape, that inherited of one or the other sexual pattern in genetic material according to
britannica,org .
Today we will discover the effects of the isopods orientation in different environments.
Orientation is the process by which animals position themselves with respect to spatial features
of their environments( AP Investigation Lab 12 ,5). Isopods are taxis which means the animals
move in relation to the stimulus .

III. General Observations Isopods:

Place a small amount of bedding in the petri dishes or plastic cups. Use a sorting brush to
transfer 5 isopods to each dish. Try to choose isopods of similar size. Next Observe the isopods
for 10 minutes. Make Notes whether they seem to stay in one area and interaction with each
other . The isopods are very active. They seem to respond to each other being in a confined
areas. We place dirt in their to resemble their environment. They seem to be very stable
and begin to crawl all over each other as if they were in the natural environment . They roll
up in s ball as a defense mechanisms. Overall, they seem to be normal

IV: Exercise 12 B :Orientation of Isopods

Hypothesis
Our hypothesis was if the 10 isopods were place in the chambers ( 5 in wet and 5 in dry), then
the isopods would prefer the moist environment.

Procedures
1 . First , Place clean filter paper into each side of your choice chamber.
2. Next, Using a drop pipet, saturate the filter paper on one side of the chamber . Pour excess
water so that it cannot run into the other side of the chamber and moisten the paper.
3. Then, Use a sorting brush to transfer 5 isopods to the each sides if the chamber
4. Lastly, Count and record table 12.1 the number of isopods of each side of the chamber every
30 seconds for 10 minutes,
5. Return isopods to culture chamber when done.
6. Generate a graph

Time ( in sec) # in wet chamber # in dry chamber

0:00 5 5

0;30 7 3

1:00 7 3

1;30 4 6

2:00 6 4

2;30 6 4

3:00 9 1

3;30 9 1

4:00 9 1

4:30 9 1

5:00 9 1
 5:30 9 1

6:00 9 1

6:30 9 1

7:00 9 1

7;30 9 1

8:00 8 2

8:30 8 2

9:00 8 2

9:30 8 2

10:00 8 2

Dependent and Independent Variables

The dependent variables in this experiments are the orientation and the number of the isopods in
each chamber in the duration of the experiments, The independent variables are the the choice
chambers and time. The controls are the wet and dry filter paper.

Graph
 Questions:
1. Do isopods orient with respect to moisture in the environment? Explain your answer.
Yes, Isopods orient themselves in respecto moisture. As discovered in the
experiment, the isopods prefer the wet chamber far more than the dry side. In addition, he
isopods were more active and alert in the wet chamber in addition to its popularity

2. If you answered yes to Question 1 above was the orientation achieved taxis or kinesis?
 The orientation was achieved by the taxis movement, The isopods responded
immediately to the stimuli of each other and the stimuli of the moist area , right as the
experiment began,

3.How might this behavior be advantegous to ispods?

The wet chamber make increase the isopods metabolism and stamina which will be efficient
in daily processes such as respiration and reproduction .

V. Exercise 12 C: Student Designed Experiment on Isopod Behavior

Factor Tested
The factor tested is the Ph using potassium Chloride KCl(base) and weak Hydrochloric Acid HCl
(acid)

Hypothesis
If the isopods are in the KCl ( basic solution) and then they will remain in it.

Materials
10 isopods
2 choice chambers
Weak HCl
Potassium Chloride
Filter paper
Cotton balls

Procedure
1. First we retrieved 2 clean choice chamber. We placed filter paper in each chamber.
2. Next we got 2 cotton balls and drenched one in HCl acid and the other with KCl (base) and
placed them each in separate chambers
3. Then, we retrieved 10 isopods from the culture and placed 5 isopods in each chamber.We placed
paper towel in the threshold to prevent the isopods from reacting before time.
4. Lastly we began the timer for 10 minutes and observed movement every 30 seconds.
Variables
The independent variables are the time and the chambers itself. The dependent variable is the
orientation of the isopods under the Ph conditions. The control is the cotton balls of HCL and
KCl in the chambers

Data Table: Ph Acid vs. Base

,
Time ( in sec) # in basic chamber # in acid chamber
 0:00 5 5

0;30 8 2

1:00 9 1

1;30 9 1

2:00 9 1

2;30 9 1

3:00 9 1

3;30 9 1

4:00 9 1

4:30 9 1

5:00 2 8

5:30 2 8

6:00 9 1

6:30 9 1

7:00 10 0

7;30 10 0

8:00 10 0

8:30 10 0

9:00 10 0

9:30 10 0

10:00 10 0

Graph
 Errors
No known errors were recorded in the duration in both experiments

Conclusion
From the data collected by the experiment the isopod preferred the the more basic solution of
Potassium Chloride than the acidic Hydrochloric acid.

Questions
1. Considering all of the factors tested by your class, what type of environment do isopods seems to
prefer?
Based on the data gathered by the class, isopods prefer to be in warm, moist, lighter,
smooth and more basic environment.
2. How do you think isopods locate appropriate environments?
Isopods us sensory organs such as antennae to feel around and they also have instincts to
direct them in the most appropriate place.
3. If you suddenly turned over a rock and found an isopod under it, what would you expect them
to be doing. If you watched the isopods for a few minutes. How would you expect them to see
their behavior change?
They isopods may be less active due to the lack of temperature and light stimulating them.
The isopods would seem depressed and have slower metabolic rates.
VI. Citations

WoRMS (2014). "Isopoda". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 8 May 2014.

Schotte, M.; Boyko, C. B.; Bruce, N. L.; Markham, J.; Poore, G. C. B.; Taiti, S.; Wilson, G. D.
F. "World List of Marine, Freshwater and Terrestrial Isopod Crustaceans". World Register of
Marine Species. Retrieved 4 June 2014.

Naylor, E. (1978). British Marine Isopods: Keys and Notes for the Identification of the Species
(2nd ed.). Academic Press. p. 2. ISBN 0-12-515150-0.

Isopod, Pillbug, Sow Bug Information". University of Arizona. 1997. Retrieved 21 August 2014.

Isopod". Merriam-Webster. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 27 June 2014.

Lab 12A-C: AP Investigations 12- Animal Behavior College Board (2013)

AP Biology Manual for Students (2013) New Jersey College Board : P. S145-S151