AP Biology Lab 12: Introduction to the Scientific Method and Animal Behavior

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1 Name: AP Bilgy Lab 12: Intrductin t the Scientific Methd and Animal Behavir Overview In this lab yu will: -Observe an rganism and design an experiment t investigate their respnses t envirnmental variables. Objectives After ding this lab yu shuld be able t: -Design a cntrlled experiment. -Understand the cncept f distributin f rganisms in a resurce gradient -Describe the difference between kinesis and taxis. -Describe sme aspects f animal behavir, such as rientatin behavir, agnistic behavir, dminance display, r mating behavir -Understand the adaptiveness f the behavirs yu studied. INTRODUCTION Part 1: Animal Behavir Ethlgy is the study f animal behavir. Behavir is an animal's respnse t sensry input and falls int tw basic categries: learned and innate (inherited). Orientatin behavirs place the animal in its mst favrable envirnment. In taxis the animal mves tward r away frm a stimulus. Taxis is ften exhibited when the stimulus is light, heat, misture, sund, r chemicals. Kinesis is a mvement that is randm, and des nt result in rientatin with respect t a stimulus. If an rganism respnds t bright light by mving away, that is taxis. If an animal respnds t bright light by randm mvements in all directins, that is kinesis. Agnistic behavir is exhibited when animals respnd t each ther by aggressive r submissive respnses. Often the agnistic behavir is simply a display that makes the rganism lk big r threatening. It is smetimes studied in the labratry with Bettas (Siamese Fighting Fish). Mating behavirs may invlve a cmplex series f activities that facilitate finding, curting, and mating with a member f the same species. AP Bilgy

2 Part 2: The Scientific Methd a. All f the infrmatin in yur science textbk is the result f critical thinking backed up by results frm scientific experiments. Scientific thinking fllws the fllwing prcess: Scientific Prcess Observatins Questin Backgrund research Hypthesis Experiment Analyze results Reprt findings AP Bilgy

3 b. In rder fr experiments t be valuable t the scientific cmmunity, they must adhere t accepted guidelines fr experimental design, including the fllwing aspects. Variables Independent What is manipulated Dependent What is measured Cntrlled What is kept cnstant Cntrl grup A grup that receives n treatment in the experiment s that the results can be cmpared t smething. Experimental grups Als called "treatments". The grups that underg manipulated cnditins. Accuracy Are the experimental results clse t the knwn values? Achieved by taking careful measurements and adhering t prcedure Reliability Are the results precise? Can the experiment be duplicated with the same results ver and ver again? Achieved by: Duplicating the experiment several times and averaging the results Using large sample sizes and averaging the results Surces f Errr Events that happened during the experiment that may have skewed the results. AP Bilgy

4 Example: The effect f sunlight n gardenia flwers Observatin: Yur father hangs gardenias frm the frnt pati rf, which enjys a few hurs f mrning sunshine. Despite the fact that he waters them every day, they are drping within a week and the flwers have cmpletely fallen ff. Yu tell him that they need mre sunlight, but he des nt believe yu. Questin: Hw much sunlight d gardenias require? Backgrund research: A trip t the lcal gardening center teaches yu that gardenias are suppsed t have full light, which means mre than 6 hurs f sunlight per day. Hypthesis: Gardenias placed in full sunlight n the frnt prch will sprut mre flwers than gardenias hung frm the pati rf in partial sunlight. Experiment: Yu hang 3 gardenias frm pati rf, place 3 gardenias n the prch steps, and 3 gardenias inside the huse. The pati rf receives 2 hurs f sunlight each day while the prch steps receive 8 hurs f sunlight each day and the inside plants receive n direct sunlight. They are planted in identical pts with identical fertilizer. Yu give them tw cups f water per day. At the end f each day, yu cunt hw many flwers are present n each plant. Yu cntinue this fr 4 weeks. Independent variable: Amunt f sunlight Dependent variable: # f flwers Cntrlled variables: pt, fertilizer, amunt f water Cntrl grup: gardenias placed inside the huse Experimental grups: gardenias hung frm pati rf and placed n the prch steps # f treatments: 2 (pati rf and prch steps) Sample size: 3 (3 gardenias per lcatin) Analyze results: Yu tabulate yur results in a bar graph, which shws that the gardenias n the prch steps grew the mst flwers. Since all ther cnditins except sunlight were the same fr all flwers, yu cnclude that gardenias require a lt f sunlight t prduce healthy flwers. Hw accuracy was achieved: Yu were precise in all yur measurements and prcedures. Hw reliability was achieved: Yu used a sample size greater than ne and averaged the results Surces f errr: Yu frgt t water the plants n tw ccasins: day 18 and day 24. On day 13, there was a shrt rain shwer that watered the gardenias n the prch steps but nt the ther lcatins. Reprt findings: Yu explain the results t yur father. He is s impressed that he buys yu a new car. AP Bilgy

5 Animal Behavir Intrductin Observatins In this activity yu will be wrking with terrestrial ispds cmmnly knwn as pillbugs, swbugs, r rly-plys. These rganisms are members f the Phylum Arthrpda, Class Crustacea, which als includes shrimp and crabs. Mst members f this grup respire thrugh gills. Wrking with yur partners, make a list f bservatins abut the rganism that yu will be wrking with AP Bilgy

Animal Behavir Design an Experiment Student-Designed Experiment t Investigate Pillbugs Respnse t Temperature, ph, Backgrund Clr, Light, r Anther Variable Design the experiment in a Ggle Dc in ne f

6 Animal Behavir Design an Experiment Student-Designed Experiment t Investigate Pillbugs Respnse t Temperature, ph, Backgrund Clr, Light, r Anther Variable Design the experiment in a Ggle Dc in ne f yur lab members AP Bi Shared flder. A template is attached 1. Select ne f the variable factrs listed abve and develp a hypthesis cncerning the pillbugs respnse t the factr. 2. Use the material available in yur classrm t design an experiment. Remember that heat is generated by lamps. Use the fllwing questins t guide yur experimental design. Hw will the variables be cntrlled? Hw will variables be measured? Hw will variables be manipulated? What equipment and supplies d I need? Des my experimental design really d what it is suppsed t d? Will my experiment answer my questin? Have I identified all f the variables? Hw many pill bugs will I use in the investigatin? Hw many times will I repeat the investigatin? Have I accunted fr pssible surces f errr? Hw might the pill bug behavir I am investigating affect the ability f pill bugs t survive in their natural envirnment? a. State the bjective f yur experiment. b. List the materials yu will use. c. Outline yur prcedure in detail. 3. Decide what data yu will cllect. 4. Make any graphical representatin f yur data - (Hint: Data Tables & Graphs) that visualize r interpret the data. 5. Run yur experiment AP Bilgy

7 6. Finish Pst-Lab questins and write a cnclusin based n yur experimental results. Pst Lab Questins (Answer INDIVIDUALLY) 1. Explain what part(s) f a prperly dne scientific investigatin were missing in yur lab design. Why is this part(s) imprtant and why is it left ur f mst lab experiences in high schl? 2. What cnclusins d yu draw frm yur data? Explain the physilgical reasns fr the behavir bserved in this activity. 3. Hw des yur rganism lcate an apprpriate envirnment (what structures/methds des it use)? 4. Is yur rganism's respnse t the variable tested kinesis r taxis? Explain. 5. What ther investigatins d yur results frm this lab lead yu t d? What new questins are raised by the results f this lab? Hw culd yu test them? AP Bilgy

8 Animal Behavir Observatin Questin Hypthesis Experiment Summary f prcedure: Independent variable: Dependent variable: Cntrlled variables: Cntrl grup: Results Summary f results: Hw was accuracy achieved? Hw was reliability achieved? Surces f errr (list at least 2): AP Bilgy

If, then. Homework: Finish entire guided notes packet. Name: Pod: Date: Which variable does a scientist manipulate or control in an experiment?

If, then. Homework: Finish entire guided notes packet. Name: Pod: Date: Which variable does a scientist manipulate or control in an experiment? Unit 1: Scientific Thinking and Inquiry 6.2B Hyptheses, Materials, Prcedure OBJECTIVE(S): Obj 1 SWBAT write a testable hypthesis that answers an investigatin s questin. Obj 2 SWBAT write a detailed materials