Temperature as a Behavioral Influence to Regulate Metabolism

Abstract

This experiment studies how ectotherms regulate their metabolisms by changing their behaviors. We primed Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches for 5 minutes in different temperatures: warm, room temperature, and cold. We then placed them in a chamber where one side was cold and the other was warm. We observed their behavior for 5 minutes and recorded the percentage of time spent on each side. The cockroaches typically spent the most time on the warm side or the middle of the chamber despite the temperature they were primed in. Our results suggest that cockroaches use behavioral mechanisms to regulate their metabolisms.