The effect of dextrose on the

Lumbriculus variegatus
(California Blackworms)
Rebecca Furby, Pammie Pierce,
and Autumn Moore
HCOP-PE2008
 Dextrose
Is a commonly used sweetener
Source of rapidly absorbed
energy
 Made from plants
70% as sweet as sucrose
91.5% glucose
8.5% moisture
0.2% ash
 Hypotheses
Pulsation: Dextrose will increase the
pulsation rates in Lumbriculus
variegatus.

Locomotion: Dextrose will increase

the locomotion in a dose dependent
manner.

Chemotatic: Dextrose will have a

positive chemotatic response in a
dose dependent manner.
 Pulsations

control 1% 10%
(spring water) (dextrose) (dextrose)

10 worms 10 worms 10 worms

 Materials and Methods:
Pulsations
Made 1% and 10% dextrose solutions in spring
water. Spring water acted as the control
substance.

Divided 3o worms (n=10) into 3 separate

groups; control (spring water), 1% dextrose
solution, and 10% dextrose solution for 15
minutes each.

Counted the pulsations per minute for each

treatment group, after 15 minutes of exposure
to dextrose.
 Locomotion

Control n=10 1% n=10 10% n=10

(spring water) (dextrose) (dextrose)

10min 15min 10min 15min

n=5 n=5 n=5 n=5

10min 15min
n=5 n=5
n= number of worms used
 Pulsation Chart

P=0.0469
 Materials and Methods:
Locomotion
Placed worms (n=5) in either spring water,
1%, or 10% dextrose for 10 or 15 minutes of
exposure.

Using a racetrack, the worms were probed

every six seconds for one minute and the
distance was recorded in centimeters.
 Chemotatic Drop Test

control 1% 10%
(spring water) (dextrose) (dextrose)

10 worms 10 worms 10 worms

 Materials and Methods:
Chemotatic Drop Test
Divided 30 worms into 3 different groups,
the control group, the 1% dextrose solution
group, and the 10% dextrose solution group.

Placed the worms one at a time into an

empty Petri dish and added one drop of the
solution to the tail of the worm, and timed it
for 1 minute and observed the response.
Positive response were recorded when the
worm moved into the solution and negative
if the worm moved away from the solution.
 Statistical Analysis
Was performed using ANOVA (JMP v.7 SAS)

ANOVA– Analysis of variance– pools the

variance; reduces the 5% error rate.

Mean comparisons were determined using a

Student’s t-Test.

Data are reported as means and standard

deviations.
 Chemotatic Dextrose Drop
Control 1% Test
of Dextrose 10% of Dextrose
1.) + + +
2.) + + +
3.) + - +
4.) + + +
5.) + + +
6.) + + +
7.) + - +
8.) + + -
9.) - - +
10.) + + +

Positive Response: 7/10 (70%) 9/10 (90%)

9/10 (90%)
Negative Response: 3/10 (30%) 1/10 (10%)
1/10 (10%)
 Results
When exposed to dextrose, the pulsation rate
increased, confirming our hypothesis.
Pulsation levels were higher in the 10%
dextrose solution than in the 1%.

In the locomotion tests, our hypothesis was

not proven. The worms in the 10% dextrose
for 15 minutes proved to be significantly
higher than the other solutions.

Our hypothesis for the chemotatic tests were

also confirmed; the worms reacted positively
to the three solutions.
 Conclusion

Dextrose increased pulsation

rates in the California
blackworms at both
concentrations tested. However,
dextrose did not affect worm
locomotion and produced a
positive chemotatic response.
 Bibliography
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http://www.chymist.com/Food%20Additives-What%20they%20do.pdf
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 “Dextrose (Feed Grade).” Available from:
http://www.iicag.com/dextrose.php.
 Drewes, C. (2004). Retrieved June 24, 2008, from
http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/Lvfacts.htm.

 Harrison, Kari. (March 2008). Retrieved June 24, 2008, from:

http://www.3dchem.com/moremolecules.asp?ID=423&othername
.
 http://rebeccafurby.blogspot.com/
 http://autumnmoore.blogspot.com/
 http://pammiepierce.blogspot.com/