The Effect of Ambient Temperature on the CO2 Output of Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches

Abstract

In our experiment, we sought to see if there was a relationship between the temperature of the environment and the output of CO₂ by the cockroaches. To test this theory, we conducted an experiment in which we placed the cockroaches in a container at three different temperatures (18˚C, 23˚C, and 27˚C, with three trials per temperature,) with a CO₂ monitor and thermometer to gauge the temperature and output of CO₂. By the end of the experiment, there appeared to be a correlation between the warmer temperature and CO₂ output; the warmer the cockroaches, the more CO₂ they produced. However, the room temperature respiration rates were actually lower than the cold temperature respiration rates.