College
Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
Date of Last Revision
2025-12-11 06:54:31
Major
Biomedical Science
Honors Course
BIOL 499
Number of Credits
3
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Date of Expected Graduation
Spring 2026
Abstract
We will use crayfish to test the individual and combined effects of temperature and diet to see how they impact physiological processes such as metabolism, growth rate, molting patterns, and behavioral analysis. A total of forty-eight crayfish will be used throughout the experiment, and they will be housed in separate containers. A plant-based diet (consisting of fresh kale) and an animal-based diet (consisting of dried bloodworms) will be tested alongside room temperature (~18 degrees Celsius) and a warmer habitual temperature (~24 degrees Celsius). Metabolism will be measured via O2 consumption, and growth will be measured by weighing and measuring the crayfish with a ruler. Behavior will be measured by observing tail flips and retreats. Molting will be measured by visual analysis each week. Many controls will be in place such as pH of the water, temperature, timing of measurements, and more, to ensure proper data. The project will be started in week one of the fall semester and will take approximately five weeks to finish data collection. Additional weeks are built in for extra data collection and for the formal write-up up as well as time for presentation.
Research Sponsor
Dr. Brian Bagatto
First Reader
Dr. Joel Duff
Second Reader
Dr. Richard Londraville
Honors Faculty Advisor
Dr. Brian Bagatto
Proprietary and/or Confidential Information
No
Recommended Citation
Deramo, Tyler D.; Rana, Sunny; and Popoviciu, Victor, "The Effects of Habitual Temperature and Diet on Crayfish Physiological Processes" (2026). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 2078.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/2078