Experimental Hypothesis: If pill bugs have the choice
between being in the wet or dry side of a plastic dish or the dark or light colored side of a plastic dish, then they will stay in
the wet or dark side because they are used to living in dark and moist conditions.
Null hypothesis: If pill bugs have the choice between being in the wet or dry side of a plastic dish or the dark or light colored side of a plastic dish, then they will stay in the dry and light side because they are preferred living conditions.
Independent variable: Time is the manipulated variable. The pill bugs were observed every 30 seconds for ten minutes.
Dependent variable: The number of pill bugs on each side of the dish is the responding variable.
Control: Observing the Pill Bugs for 10 minutes without differentiation between the sides was the control. This control was needed to ensure that the Pill Bugs did not stay to one side or another without external changes to the container. Otherwise there could be another reason for the Pill Bugs to switch sides during the experiment. However, when placed in the container with nothing in it, the Pill Bugs randomly dispersed, showing no preference to either side.
Constants:
- Type of coffee filter (in wet/dry trial). This was important to keep constant because a different type of coffee filter could have some product in it that could attract or repel the Pill Bugs.
- Type of construction paper (in dark/light trial). This was important to keep constant because a different type of paper could have some product in it that could attract or repel the Pill Bugs.
- Time of day. I did the entire experiment at the same time of day to ensure that the Pill Bugs had the same amount of energy throughout the experiment.
- Origin of Pill Bugs (all found in my yard). It was important to find Pill Bugs from the same place to ensure that they had received the same food and nutrients, so they all were in similar health condition.
Repeated Trials: I performed three trials. However, each trial was slightly different. My first trial was the control, so the container was unaffected. The second trial tested the Pill Bugs' reactions to wet and dry conditions. The last trial tested the Pill Bugs' reactions to dark and light colors. Multiple trials were needed in order to assess the Pill Bugs' reactions toward different conditions.
Test subjects: There were 8 pill bugs. Many test subjects were needed in order to analyze the general trend that the pill bugs followed. If there were only one Pill Bug and it did not behave as most of these bugs would, my data would be unreliable.
Materials:
1. Small plastic container
2. Scissors
3. Black and White Construction Paper
4. A Stopwatch
5. 2 Coffee filters
6. 8 Pill Bugs
Procedure:
- Place 8 Pill Bugs in the small plastic container. Place four on each side.
- Leave the Pill Bugs for 10 minutes and observe their behavior and side orientation every 30 seconds.
- Cut the two coffee filters so they will each fit into half of the container.
- Take one coffee filter and soak it in water.
- Place the wet coffee filter on one side of the container and place the dry coffee filter on the other side.
- Put four Pill Bugs in each side of the container.
- For 10 minutes, observe where the Pill Bugs are every 30 seconds.
- Next, remove the filter paper and dry the container.
- Cut a white and a black piece of construction paper large enough to fit in half of the container.
- Take the piece of black construction paper and place it on one side of the dish.
- Put four Pill Bugs on each side of the container.
- Every 30 seconds for 10 minutes count how many Pill Bugs are on each side of the container.
- Record data as you proceed with the experiment.
Data:
Trial 1- No Change
Trial 2- Wet or Dry Conditions
Pill Bugs’ Behavior
|
|
10 minutes no changes
|
During the 10 minutes in which no changes were made to
either side of the container, the Pill Bugs wandered freely around the
container. Frequently they stopped and would not move for a period of time
and then randomly resume movement around the container.
|
10 minutes wet/dry conditions
|
During the 10 minutes in which no changes were made to either
side of the container, the Pill Bugs placed on the dry side migrated to the
wet side of the container. Although the Pill Bugs occasionally travelled from
the wet side to the dry side, the general movement of the Pill Bugs was
toward the wet side of the container.
|
10 minutes dark/light colored sides
|
During the ten minutes in which one side of the container was
dark colored and the other was light colored, the Pill Bugs wandered freely
around the container. They showed little or no preference for either side.
|
Trial 1- No Change
Time (minutes)
|
Number on side 1 (Pill Bugs)
|
Number on side 2 (Pill Bugs)
|
0
|
4
|
4
|
0.5
|
5
|
3
|
1.0
|
5
|
3
|
1.5
|
4 Pill Bugs
|
4
|
2.0
|
3
|
5
|
2.5
|
3
|
5
|
3.0
|
3
|
5
|
3.5
|
4
|
4
|
4.0
|
2
|
6
|
4.5
|
4
|
4
|
5.0
|
4
|
4
|
5.5
|
5
|
3
|
6.0
|
3
|
5
|
6.5
|
5
|
3
|
7.0
|
4
|
4
|
7.5
|
6
|
2
|
8.0
|
3
|
5
|
8.5
|
3
|
5
|
9.0
|
4
|
4
|
9.5
|
5
|
3
|
10.0
|
3
|
5
|
Average
|
Trial 2- Wet or Dry Conditions
Time (minutes)
|
Number in wet side (Pill Bugs)
|
Number in dry side (Pill Bugs)
|
0
|
4
|
4
|
0.5
|
6
|
2
|
1.0
|
6
|
2
|
1.5
|
5
|
3
|
2.0
|
7
|
1
|
2.5
|
6
|
2
|
3.0
|
6
|
2
|
3.5
|
7
|
1
|
4.0
|
7
|
1
|
4.5
|
7
|
1
|
5.0
|
5
|
3
|
5.5
|
5
|
3
|
6.0
|
6
|
2
|
6.5
|
6
|
2
|
7.0
|
6
|
2
|
7.5
|
7
|
1
|
8.0
|
6
|
2
|
8.5
|
7
|
1
|
9.0
|
6
|
2
|
9.5
|
6
|
2
|
10.0
|
7
|
1
|
Average
|
6.1
|
1.9
|
Time (minutes)
|
Number on dark side (Pill Bugs)
|
Number on light side (Pill Bugs)
|
0
|
4
|
4
|
0.5
|
5
|
3
|
1.0
|
5
|
3
|
1.5
|
4
|
4
|
2.0
|
2
|
6
|
2.5
|
2
|
6
|
3.0
|
3
|
5
|
3.5
|
3
|
5
|
4.0
|
2
|
6
|
4.5
|
4
|
4
|
5.0
|
4
|
4
|
5.5
|
5
|
3
|
6.0
|
5
|
3
|
6.5
|
5
|
3
|
7.0
|
5
|
3
|
7.5
|
6
|
2
|
8.0
|
7
|
1
|
8.5
|
7
|
1
|
9.0
|
5
|
3
|
9.5
|
5
|
3
|
10.0
|
6
|
2
|
Average
|
4.2
|
3.8
|
Graph:
Statistical Test: For the statistical test, I calculated the average amount of pill bugs on each side of the container in the control group, wet and dry conditions, and light and dark conditions.
The calculations were
as follows:
Average on side 1 = (4+5+5+4+3+3+3+4+2+4+4+5+3+5+4+6+3+3+4+5+3)/21= 3.9 Pill Bugs
Average on side 2 = (4+3+3+4+5+5+5+4+6+4+4+3+5+3+4+2+5+5+4+3+5)/21= 4.1 Pill Bugs
Average on side 1 = (4+5+5+4+3+3+3+4+2+4+4+5+3+5+4+6+3+3+4+5+3)/21= 3.9 Pill Bugs
Average on side 2 = (4+3+3+4+5+5+5+4+6+4+4+3+5+3+4+2+5+5+4+3+5)/21= 4.1 Pill Bugs
Average on wet side =
(4+6+6+5+7+6+6+7+7+7+5+5+6+6+6+7+6+7+6+6+7)/21= 6.1 Pill Bugs
Average on dry side=
(4+2+2+3+1+2+2+1+1+1+3+3+2+2+2+1+2+1+2+2+1)/21= 1.9 Pill Bugs
Average on dark side=
(4+5+5+4+2+2+3+3+2+4+4+5+5+5+5+6+7+7+5+5+6)/21= 4.2 Pill Bugs
Average on light side=
(4+3+3+4+6+6+5+5+6+4+4+3+3+3+3+2+1+1+3+3+2)/21= 3.8 Pill Bugs
This statistical test was necessary because it demonstrates
the overall trends that the Pill Bugs followed during each trial.
Analysis: The data shows that pill bugs preferred the wet
side of the container to the dry side since there were consistently more pill
bugs on the wet side of the container. The statistical test supported these
findings because the average number of Pill Bugs in the wet side of the
container during the ten minutes was 6.1, while the average amount of Pill Bugs
on the dry side was only 1.9.
During the
trial analyzing whether the pill bugs preferred light or dark colored
containers, it was apparent from the data that the Pill bugs had no preference.
Throughout the ten minutes the Pill Bugs moved from side to side. The
statistical test supports that the Pill Bugs had no preference because the
average amount of pill bugs in the dark side was 4.2, and light side was 3.8.
Thus, the Pill Bugs showed to preference toward one side of the container.
Therefore,
my hypothesis was partly correct since the Pill Bugs favored the wet side of
the container. However, it was partly incorrect because the Pill Bugs did not
favor the dark side of the container, they showed no preference.
Conclusion: Understanding Pill Bugs' behaviors can help us to
understand their role in their ecosystems. All animals have a niche in their ecosystem. Understanding the best conditions for Pill Bugs and understanding their behaviors can help us
understand Pill Bugs' niche and importance in the world.
Clearly, Pill Bugs require and prefer moist or wet living environments.
Clearly, Pill Bugs require and prefer moist or wet living environments.
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