The effect of Bisphenol A on the mating behaviors of Gryllodes sigillatus
School Name
Spring Valley High School
Grade Level
10th Grade
Presentation Topic
Environmental Science
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Written Paper Award
2nd Place
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical commonly used in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Many organisms, including humans, are constantly exposed to this chemical, which in past studies was found to affect the reproductive system. Some of BPA’s effects are still unknown, such as its effects on mating behavior. As such, the purpose of this study was to test the effects of BPA on the mating behaviors of male Gryllodes sigillatus (crickets). It was hypothesized that the male crickets exposed to BPA would have a decreased mating interest, as evinced by a lower number of chirps in a one minute time span than crickets not exposed to BPA. The experiment was conducted using two groups of male crickets, one exposed to BPA and the other not. After 24 hours, each male cricket was placed with twenty female crickets, and the number of times the cricket chirped in one minute was counted. All crickets were then tested for the presence of BPA. A t-test found that crickets that were exposed to BPA chirped significantly less than crickets that were not, t(18)=3.38, p<0.05. Thus, it is likely that BPA, being an endocrine disruptor, disrupted the crickets’ ecdysteroids, the sex hormones in insects, causing the male crickets to be less attracted to the females, thus chirping less. Since crickets are a model organism for human behavior, this study may imply hat BPA affects human mating behaviors as well.
Recommended Citation
Jatoi, Fatima, "The effect of Bisphenol A on the mating behaviors of Gryllodes sigillatus" (2018). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 165.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2018/all/165
Location
Lassiter 222
Start Date
4-14-2018 9:15 AM
Presentation Format
Oral and Written
The effect of Bisphenol A on the mating behaviors of Gryllodes sigillatus
Lassiter 222
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical commonly used in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Many organisms, including humans, are constantly exposed to this chemical, which in past studies was found to affect the reproductive system. Some of BPA’s effects are still unknown, such as its effects on mating behavior. As such, the purpose of this study was to test the effects of BPA on the mating behaviors of male Gryllodes sigillatus (crickets). It was hypothesized that the male crickets exposed to BPA would have a decreased mating interest, as evinced by a lower number of chirps in a one minute time span than crickets not exposed to BPA. The experiment was conducted using two groups of male crickets, one exposed to BPA and the other not. After 24 hours, each male cricket was placed with twenty female crickets, and the number of times the cricket chirped in one minute was counted. All crickets were then tested for the presence of BPA. A t-test found that crickets that were exposed to BPA chirped significantly less than crickets that were not, t(18)=3.38, p<0.05. Thus, it is likely that BPA, being an endocrine disruptor, disrupted the crickets’ ecdysteroids, the sex hormones in insects, causing the male crickets to be less attracted to the females, thus chirping less. Since crickets are a model organism for human behavior, this study may imply hat BPA affects human mating behaviors as well.
