Lab Report Daphnia
Effects of Alcohol, Caffeine, and Temperature on the Heart Rate of Daphnia magna
Joseph Ezra Gallo
BY124L MW 8:30-11:30
Introduction
Ectothermic animals are animals whose body temperature is affected by their surroundings. This means that if the environment is cold the animal will be cold. If the environment is warm the animal will be warm. This is because the animal doesn’t have the capability of regulating its body systems to keep a constant body temperature. When an ectothermic animal is cold, its heart rate will lower. When the animal is warmer, the heart rate will raise – as long as the temperature isn’t sufficiently high to harm the animal. (Campbell, 2005) Alcohol is a depressant. This means that body systems will slow down when alcohol is introduced. In particular, the heart rate will get consistently lower. If too much alcohol is added, it will result in the death of the animal. The alcohol acts by inhibiting the nervous system. (LaFave, 2003) After an intoxicating exposure to alcohol, an organisms system will be impaired for an extended period of time. Caffeine is a stimulant. It will work by causing the nervous system to work faster. Also, it will cause the blood vessels to constrict. (LaFave, 2003) These effects will work together to increase an animals heart rate. Under normal circumstances, the heart rate will increase as more caffeine is added. At some point the high concentration of caffeine will cause the heart to stop functioning. The effect of one outside substance can impair the effects of other substances. In this experiment we will intoxicate an organism. As a result, the nervous system will have difficulty responding when we introduce a stimulant. The caffeine will have no effect on the organism, because it will be insufficient to overcome the effects of the alcohol exposure.
Background
Daphnia magna is a freshwater ectothermic crustacean commonly referred to as a water flea. Its body is transparent. Because of its
Joseph Ezra Gallo
BY124L MW 8:30-11:30
Introduction
Ectothermic animals are animals whose body temperature is affected by their surroundings. This means that if the environment is cold the animal will be cold. If the environment is warm the animal will be warm. This is because the animal doesn’t have the capability of regulating its body systems to keep a constant body temperature. When an ectothermic animal is cold, its heart rate will lower. When the animal is warmer, the heart rate will raise – as long as the temperature isn’t sufficiently high to harm the animal. (Campbell, 2005) Alcohol is a depressant. This means that body systems will slow down when alcohol is introduced. In particular, the heart rate will get consistently lower. If too much alcohol is added, it will result in the death of the animal. The alcohol acts by inhibiting the nervous system. (LaFave, 2003) After an intoxicating exposure to alcohol, an organisms system will be impaired for an extended period of time. Caffeine is a stimulant. It will work by causing the nervous system to work faster. Also, it will cause the blood vessels to constrict. (LaFave, 2003) These effects will work together to increase an animals heart rate. Under normal circumstances, the heart rate will increase as more caffeine is added. At some point the high concentration of caffeine will cause the heart to stop functioning. The effect of one outside substance can impair the effects of other substances. In this experiment we will intoxicate an organism. As a result, the nervous system will have difficulty responding when we introduce a stimulant. The caffeine will have no effect on the organism, because it will be insufficient to overcome the effects of the alcohol exposure.
Background
Daphnia magna is a freshwater ectothermic crustacean commonly referred to as a water flea. Its body is transparent. Because of its
Bibliography: Campbell, Neil., Jane B. Reece. 2005. Biology, 7th ed. Beth Wilbur ed. Benjamin Cummings Publishing, San Francisco, CA. pp 833-834. Helms, Doris., Carl Helms., Robert Kosinski., John Cummings., 1998. Biology in the Laboratory, 3rd ed. Judith Wilson ed. W.H. Freeman and Company Publishing, New York, New York. pp. 38-14 – 38-16 LaFave, N. Virtual Water Flea Experiment. http://www.geocities.com/nck12nlafave/daphnia.htm. 2003.