Cricket Respiration and Temperature
Effect of Temperature on Cricket Respiration Crickets are ectotherms that rely on their environment as a source of heat for their metabolism. Warmer temperatures allow crickets to respire at a greater rate.
Respiration rate (ppm/sec/g)
1.2
1
0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Temperature (°C)
Figure 1: Respiration rate (ppm/sec/g) of crickets at 6 different temperatures (°C). Values are means of 6 respiration rate measurements. Error bars represent 95 % confidence intervals.
The 95% confidence intervals describe the extent of experimental errors within this experiment. Experimental errors give imprecise measurements for result analysis. If the actual temperature recorded was not exact compared to the desired temperature, the results may give false belief. Other experimental errors that can affect cricket respiration rate is how far the respiration chamber is submerged in the water baths, not allowing the crickets to acclimate at new temperatures before recording CO2 concentration, incompetency in eliminating previous CO2 from different temperature stations before starting a new trial, and the possibility of the drierite dessiccant failing to absorb excess moisture. Even though experimental errors are inevitable, the results do show that as temperature increases, cricket respiration rate also increases. Since crickets are ectotherms, they tolerate inconsistent body temperatures depending on the amount of heat gained from their environment. Crickets use the heat absorbed as a source of energy for their bodies to function and increase metabolism. The more heat absorbed the more energy for cells to do work, such as respire. This explains why the cricket’s respiration rate was the fastest at the warmest temperature 40°C. The results of this experiment support the hypothesis relating temperature and respiration rate of crickets. If respiration is a process of metabolism, then the crickets have a higher metabolism
Respiration rate (ppm/sec/g)
1.2
1
0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Temperature (°C)
Figure 1: Respiration rate (ppm/sec/g) of crickets at 6 different temperatures (°C). Values are means of 6 respiration rate measurements. Error bars represent 95 % confidence intervals.
The 95% confidence intervals describe the extent of experimental errors within this experiment. Experimental errors give imprecise measurements for result analysis. If the actual temperature recorded was not exact compared to the desired temperature, the results may give false belief. Other experimental errors that can affect cricket respiration rate is how far the respiration chamber is submerged in the water baths, not allowing the crickets to acclimate at new temperatures before recording CO2 concentration, incompetency in eliminating previous CO2 from different temperature stations before starting a new trial, and the possibility of the drierite dessiccant failing to absorb excess moisture. Even though experimental errors are inevitable, the results do show that as temperature increases, cricket respiration rate also increases. Since crickets are ectotherms, they tolerate inconsistent body temperatures depending on the amount of heat gained from their environment. Crickets use the heat absorbed as a source of energy for their bodies to function and increase metabolism. The more heat absorbed the more energy for cells to do work, such as respire. This explains why the cricket’s respiration rate was the fastest at the warmest temperature 40°C. The results of this experiment support the hypothesis relating temperature and respiration rate of crickets. If respiration is a process of metabolism, then the crickets have a higher metabolism