Biodiversity

Small gene pool- Less chance to survive- extinction

 

Species-

A group of living organisms of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding.

The species is the principal natural taxonomic unit, ranking below a genus.

Offspring produced by interbreeding are infertile.

Breeds.

A stock of animals or plants within a species having a distinctive appearance and typically having been developed by deliberate selection.

 

Desirable traits through breeding. (like breeding dogs.)

The more diverse a ecosystem is, the higher chance it has of surviving.

Mealworms experiment!

Experiment question:

How do mealworms respond to light stimulus? (Do mealworms prefer light or dark environments?)

Hypothesis:

Mealworms prefer dark environments.

Independent variables:

• Light

Controlled variables:

• The number of mealworms
• The size of environment used
• Since only the mealworms were placed in the boxes, they would not respond to any other stimuli.

Dependent variables:

• How long it takes for the mealworm to move away from the light.

Assumption:

• Mealworm will move away from the light to a dark corner in a few seconds.
• edit: wrong. Mealworms are not injured is an assumption

Materials:

1. 3 mealworms
2. Black box with small opening
3. Torchlight
4. Timer

Procedure

1. Put three mealworms into the black box with opening.
2. Cover the small opening with finger.
3. Look through the other opening.
4. Slide the box such that the mealworms are in the dark corner.
5. Remove finger and shine torchlight through the opening.
6. Start stopwatch.
7. Observe and record the amount of time it takes for the mealworm to move towards the light.
8. Shine torchlight through the small opening.
9. Ensure the mealworms are in the path of the light.
10. Look through the other opening.
11. Start stopwatch.
12. Observe and record the amount of time it takes for the mealworm to move away from the light.
13. Repeat step 2-11 for three times.

Data collected:

Time taken for mealworms to move in seconds
From light to dark	From dark to light
4.04	-nil-
4.00	-nil-
3.96	-nil-

Data analysis:

• The mealworms moved away from the light source and into the dark corners in a few seconds.
• The mealworms do no move towards the light. Instead, the stay in the dark areas.
• Average amount of time for mealworms to move away from the light and into the dark is 3.00 seconds.
• From this, we could conclude that the mealworms will move away from light, so they prefer dark environments.

Conclusion:

• Mealworms respond to light stimuli by moving away from the light within a few seconds.
• Mealworms prefer dark environments.