Question

please answer all questions

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effect of larval diet supplements on the flight capacity (flight duration) of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). 100 Monarch larvae were distributed equally among 4 larval diet treatment groups (25 monarchs per diet). All insects were reared under controlled conditions. The larval diets were as follows: standard milkweed diet, standard milkweed diet with amino acid supplements, standard milkweed diet with fatty acid supplements, and standard milkweed diet with sucrose supplements. All larvae were given the same amount of diet and allowed to pupate and emerge as adult monarchs. After 5 days of feeding on the same synthetic nectar as adults, continuous flight duration (mins) was assessed.

1. What is the objective of this experiment?

2. What is the test organism/experimental unit/subject in this experiment?

3. What is the sample size of the test organism in this experiment?

4. Using one complete sentence, state the research hypothesis in this experiment.

Answer 1

1. The objective of the experiment is to investigate whether there any relation between diet type of larvae on the flight capacity of monarch butterfly ( Danaus plexippus). It also investigate, which diet is best for a long flight duration in monarch butterfly.

2. The test organism here is the larvae of monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). This is because, the treatment is given to test organisms. Here the treatment given is the application of different diets. It is given to the larvae of monarch butterfly. Thus it is the test organism here.

3. Sample size of the experiment is 100 here. Because, a total of 100 larvae are observing under 4 different conditions. Sample size comprises total number of organisms given with treatment and observed in the experiment . Here each treatment group have a sample size of 25. But the whole experiment have a sample size of 100.

4. "Larval diet supplement have effect on the flight capacity of monarch butterfly ( Danaus plexippus)".

This is the hypothesis of experiment, which is being tested. The experiment  proves, whether the hypothesis is right or wrong, by treating the larval groups with different diets and observing its effect on flight duration.