The effect of caffeine on the foraging behavior and reproduction of Drosophila melanogaster
School Name
Spring Valley High School
Grade Level
10th Grade
Presentation Topic
Zoology
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Abstract
The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effects of caffeine on the foraging behavior and reproduction of Drosophila melanogaster. It was hypothesized that if higher doses of caffeine were given, then the Drosophila would choose the lesser ideal option for their nutritional needs and the least amount of fertility would occur within that generation than Drosophila exposed to no caffeine. In testing the F1 generation for foraging behavior, the flies ingested varying doses (.001 g, .002 g, .005 g, .014 g, and .024 g of caffeine) and were given 15 minutes to forage for nutritionally substantial (banana) and nutritionally unsubstantial (sugar) food. In order to forage, two jars were placed into cut corners of a bag. The flies were transferred into the bag from the top of the Ziploc and foraged for either the banana or sugar. In testing the F2 generation, the mass of Drosophila population was calculated for the Drosophila whose F1 generations went to banana and to sugar. An ANOVA test [F (5.1148) =5.21, p < .001] on the effect of caffeine concentrations on the foraging behavior of Drosophila was significant. Both hypotheses for the reproduction of the F2 generation were supported. The mass of the F2 banana culture [r = -0.8530, r2 = 0.727686, p < 0.030807] was significantly correlated with caffeine concentration while the mass of the F2 sugar culture [r = 0.7949, r2 = 0.631944, p < 0.058758] was not. These results imply a high overall effect of caffeine on Drosophila.
Recommended Citation
Nealey, Jordan, "The effect of caffeine on the foraging behavior and reproduction of Drosophila melanogaster" (2018). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 210.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2018/all/210
Location
Neville 122
Start Date
4-14-2018 8:30 AM
Presentation Format
Oral and Written
The effect of caffeine on the foraging behavior and reproduction of Drosophila melanogaster
Neville 122
The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effects of caffeine on the foraging behavior and reproduction of Drosophila melanogaster. It was hypothesized that if higher doses of caffeine were given, then the Drosophila would choose the lesser ideal option for their nutritional needs and the least amount of fertility would occur within that generation than Drosophila exposed to no caffeine. In testing the F1 generation for foraging behavior, the flies ingested varying doses (.001 g, .002 g, .005 g, .014 g, and .024 g of caffeine) and were given 15 minutes to forage for nutritionally substantial (banana) and nutritionally unsubstantial (sugar) food. In order to forage, two jars were placed into cut corners of a bag. The flies were transferred into the bag from the top of the Ziploc and foraged for either the banana or sugar. In testing the F2 generation, the mass of Drosophila population was calculated for the Drosophila whose F1 generations went to banana and to sugar. An ANOVA test [F (5.1148) =5.21, p < .001] on the effect of caffeine concentrations on the foraging behavior of Drosophila was significant. Both hypotheses for the reproduction of the F2 generation were supported. The mass of the F2 banana culture [r = -0.8530, r2 = 0.727686, p < 0.030807] was significantly correlated with caffeine concentration while the mass of the F2 sugar culture [r = 0.7949, r2 = 0.631944, p < 0.058758] was not. These results imply a high overall effect of caffeine on Drosophila.
