WORKSHEET Essays - Aquatic Ecology, Littorinidae, Oceanography

WORKSHEET: Research question and investigation plan Weight: 5% of your final Biology 140 grade Word count: N/A Due date: end of Lab 5; i.e.: _______________ (by email to your Lab Instructor) Lab section: A2Research animal: Littorina spp. Names of group members Respective contri butions to this worksheet (see step 12) Patrick Inputting answers on worksheet, "how does the factor vary in the animal's natural habitat" Lucia Question 2a Kimberly Question 2b Kyle " Description o f the natural habitat of animal" In your group, brainstorm and select a behavioural response that you would like to investigate in Labs 7 and 8. Your group should ensure that the selected response is: relevant for the animal in its natural environment; measurable in the Biology 140 lab. After considering the criteria above, write down the behavioural response that your group wants to investigate: Movement and speed a. Have two group members work together to find one primary or secondary literature source that reports an investigation of the same response/behaviour as you will investigate, either for your research animal or for a closely related species. What did the researchers find? Record the full reference using Harvard style format: The researchers found that the topographic complexity of the substratum does indeed influence the movements of the intertidal sea snail (Littorina spp). The snails moved further on a less complex surface (Underwood Chapman 1989). b. Meanwhile, the other two group members should work together to find reliable information about the importance of the behavioural response for the survival of your animal (or a closely related species). Based on the information that you found, how is the response/behaviour that you will investigate important to your animal's survival? Record Harvard-style in-text citations and a reference list. Movement is significant to Littorina spp. to ensure a higher chance of survival. Evidence is shown within academic articles such as Janet Koprivnikar's Effects of temperature, salinity, and water level on emergence of marine cercariae, and Christopher D.G. Harley's The introduction of LIttorina littorea to British Columbia, Canada. Koprivnikar states that when temperatures fluctuate, in our case increases, marine cercariae react by moving, or hiding within their shells. The snails tended to hide when temperatures increased, and while proven to not be as fast as other marine snails is why these snails tend to hide rather than run (Christopher Harley 2013). In both Koprivnikar and Harley's articles, salinity is an important factor that affects the snails. The Littorina spp. seem more lively, and active when salinity levels are elevated. The Littorina spp. has a range of tolerance for salinity, from the low salinity level here in Vancouver, and the higher salinity levels. Although, they tolerate the low salinity levels, the snails prefer much higher salinity levels Evaluate how well your selected behavioural response fits the criteria listed in step 1. Use the information found in the literature (step 2), as well as your experience working with your research animal in Lab 4, to decide whether the behavioural response is appropriate. If it is not, you will have to choose a different response and repeat the steps 2a and 2b. The response is valid and fits the criteria listed in question 1. How will you measure this behaviour/response in the lab? What units will you use to measure this response/behaviour? Using a plexiglass cover on top of each container and trace the snails movement from an overhead view with a dry erase marker, then measure the total distance travelled using a string and tape measurer and calculate the average velocity. Standard SI units for distance and time. (meters and seconds). Write the behavioural response that you will be studying in the center of the 3x3 grid below: Light Rugosity Type of substratum Biotic presence of other animals Response: Movement and speed Salinity Temperature Exposure ph As a group, brainstorm eight factors that might affect your animal's response in its natural environment. Each group member should contribute one or two factors. At this stage, feel free to be creative and consider anything reasonable that comes to mind. Then, write the eight factors in the eight outside squares of the 3x3 grid above. In order to conduct your laboratory investigation, you will need to manipulate (vary) the factor in a controlled manner. Consider each of the factors that you wrote in the 3x3