Effects of Temperature on Metabolic Rate in Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches

Abstract

Metabolism is the process in which energy is transformed within an organism. Ectotherms such as the Madagascar hissing cockroach (Gromphadorihina portentosa) cannot regulate their internal body temperature. We tested cockroaches in three different temperatures and measured their changes in metabolism using a CO₂ probe. We found that the metabolism in cockroaches increases when the cockroaches are in an environment of 30 degrees Celsius. Our work shows similarities in the results to other research such as that conducted by Dillon et al. (2010). Both experiments show that the metabolism of ectotherms decrease when placed into cold environments.