Metabolic Rate of Tenebrio molitor Affected by Temperature

Abstract

Abstract: 

Does the metabolic rate of  Tenebrio molitor change when affected by temperature? We hypothesize that as ambient temperature increases the metabolic rate of  Tenebrio molitor will increase as well. We understand ectothermic thermoregulation to be directly correlated to the temperature of the environment around the ectothermic organism (David Bowman et al. 2016). Meaning, if the temperature in the respiration chamber increases the metabolic rate of the ectotherm would increase as well. We ran three trails, all for five minutes while recording the temperature and CO2 levels every twenty seconds. (French 2020) The metabolic rate of the Tenebrio molitor was affected by the temperature. The metabolic rate slowly increased from 0.082 (ppm/s/g) at a decreased temperature, 0.279 (ppm/s/g) at the average room temperature, and 0.321 (ppm/s/g) at an elevated temperature. This experiment focuses on how the Tenebrio molitor metabolic rate is affected by temperature. Our hypothesis was not only correct, but our data also supports other studies that explain how ectotherms environments do control their body temperature and metabolic rates.