Woodlice Investigation

I predict that in my experiment most of the woodlice will go to the dark, damp environment in the choice chamber because woodlice are often found in the upper layers of compost heaps, under rotting planks or logs, under sacks or stones and in other dark, damp places.

Trial Experiment

Number of woodice in each area

Time Dry Moist Dry Moist

Mins Dark Light

1 2 1 7 0

2 1 6 2 1

3 7 2 1 0

4 5 4 0 1

5 3 5 1 1

6 3 7 0 0

7 4 6 0 0

8 4 6 0 0

It took two minutes for the woodlice to settle down in the choice chamber.

Tables of Results

I waited 1 minute before I started timing to let the woodlice settle.

Experiment 1

Number of woodice in each area

Time Dry Moist Dry Moist

Mins Dark Light

2 1 2 0 7

3 2 1 1 6

4 0 5 0 5

5 1 6 1 2

6 0 4 0 6

7 0 6 0 4

8 1 5 0 4

9 0 4 0 6

10 0 3 1 6

Experiment 2

Number of woodice in each area

Time Dry Moist Dry Moist

Mins Dark Light

2 0 6 1 3

3 0 5 1 4

4 0 5 0 5

5 0 5 1 4

6 0 6 0 4

7 0 4 1 5

8 0 5 0 5

9 0 4 1 5

10 0 3 1 6

Experiment 3

Number of woodice in each area

Time Dry Moist Dry Moist

Mins Dark Light

2 1 7 0 2

3 0 5 1 4

4 1 6 1 2

5 0 6 1 3

6 0 6 0 4

7 0 6 0 4

8 0 6 0 4

9 0 6 0 4

10 0 6 0 4

Average Results

Number of woodice in each area

Time Dry Moist Dry Moist

Mins Dark Light

2 1 5 0 4

3 1 4 1 4

4 1 5 0 5

5 0 6 1 3

6 0 5 0 5

7 0 5 0 4

8 0 5 0 4

9 0 5 0 5

10 0 4 0 5

Conclusion

After I completed this experiment I discovered that my prediction was correct and that the woodlice would go to the dark and damp environment. It is their instinct to the dark and damp environment as to keep hidden from predators. When I put all 10 woodlice into the choice chamber most of the woodlice went to the habitat they wanted and stayed there, but there were a few woodlice that kept moving about never staying in one place for too long. I think this is due to some of the woodlice being younger than the others are and testing out each habitat when the older ones find the habitat they like and stay there.

Evaluation

My results shown have proven the accuracy of my prediction. I didn't think I would get accurate enough results from just 1 test so I repeated it twice then averaged all 3 result tables so it would be as accurate as I could get it. Although the experiment was accurate there were a few things I could have done to make this a fairer experiment. I could have made sure that the woodlice were all the same species and the same size. I also used the same woodlice in all 3 experiments so in the 2nd experiment they would have got tired and by the 3rd experiment they would have been exhausted, and they would have become to know there ways about the choice chamber. Then if I had used different woodlice it would not have been a fair experiment because the new woodlice could have been a different species and I could have got a totally different set of results. I don't think you can make this a fair experiment but you can make it as fair as possible.