The CO2 Production Rate of a Cockroach and Super Worm When in Hotter Temperatures

Abstract

Endotherms are able to generate their own heat when adapting in different conditions, while ectotherms have to change their behaviors to control their body temperature (Goodhue et. al 2017).  By behavior this could mean that they move into the shade or burrow themselves into the ground.  For our experiment we used two kinds of ectotherms, a cockroach and a superworm.  We wanted to experiment to see if the outside temperature changes; does it effect the CO2 production of the cockroach and superworm?  In order to do this, we tested the CO2 production of both ectotherms in a room temperature biochamber and a heated biochamber.  We found that CO2 production increases as the ambient temperature increases.  Also, we found that the superworms gave off more CO2 than the cockroach.  Since CO2 output is a way to determine metabolic rate, our results show that metabolic rate increases as ambient temperature increases in ectotherm.