To Heat or Not to Heat: Do Higher Temperatures Increase Metabolic Rates of Ectotherms

Abstract

Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches (Gromphadorhina portentosa) are ectotherms. Ectotherms rely on sources that provide heat for thermoregulation. We hypothesized that if exposed to lower and higher than optimal temperatures, the metabolic rate of ectotherms will decrease due to the lack of internal thermoregulation. To measure metabolic rate we weighed the Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches to find their mass, measured their CO2 output, and timed each trial. During our experiment, CO2 levels were tested during three different trials in three different temperatures, 12° C, 23.5°C, 27°C. The subjects were weighed and put in the chambers for 5 minutes for each trial. During the trials, the rate of CO2 output was measured by a CO2 probe while the temperature probe assured the temperature was maintained throughout the trial.