UST College of Science

Department of Biological Sciences

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Exercise 1: Data Management on the Effect of

Change in Food Plant Species (A to B) on the Size of Adult Papilio sp.

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An Undergraduate Formal Report

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Submitted to the

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Department of Biological Sciences

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College of Science

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University of Santo Tomas

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in partial fulfillment for the requirements of

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Bachelor of Science in Biology

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by

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4 Bio 4 Group 8

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Eugene Francis U. Tan

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Maria Felicia D. Tuazon

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Kim Patricia Nicole P. Valenzuela

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Janina Myka G. Villaseran

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Angelli Mutya L. Vivas

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February 2016

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Department of Biological Sciences

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Abstract

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The caterpillar of a certain butterfly species feeds only on the leaves of plant

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species A. Recent clearing of part of the habitat of the butterfly species resulted in the

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disappearance of the plant species (A) in that area, resulting in caterpillars feeding on

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another plant species (B). An entomologist wanted to find out if the change in food plant

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species (A to B) had any effect on the size of adult butterflies. Adult butterflies from both

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areas (Area 1- with plant species A, and Area 2- with plant species B) were captured

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and measured in terms of their wing spans (mm). His data are recorded as follows: A

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mean of 22 mm for the wing spans with a standard deviation of 8.34 from the 46

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collected adult butterflies in Area 1, while a mean of 21.60 mm with a standard deviation

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of 6.82 from the 36 collected adult butterflies in Area 2. After conducting an unpaired T

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test from the collected date, a two-tailed p-value of 0.5196 was calculated which

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signifies that the relationship between the change in food plant species and the size of

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adult Papilio sp. is considered to be not statistically significant.

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Keywords: unpaired T test, Papilio sp., plant species A, plant species B

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Department of Biological Sciences

Introduction

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Papilio sp. are large group of insects which are characterized by colourful

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wings and prominent proboscis used for sucking nectar. They are known for contributing

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ecological balance as great pollinators. They are also characterized by having a

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complete life cycle with 4 stages that undergoes a metamorphic stage as it transforms

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into an adult butterfly.

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Figure 1: A. Imago stage and B. Larvae stage of Papilio sp.

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As the insect reproduce, a tiny, cylindrical egg is laid, usually with fine ribs

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and other microscopic structures. The female attaches the egg to leaves or stems,

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usually near the intended caterpillar food source. The caterpillar (or larva) is the long,

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worm-like stage of the butterfly. It often has an interesting pattern of stripes and

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patches. It may also have spine-like hairs used for self-defense.

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The caterpillar stage or the larvae stage is the most significant for it

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determines the five major, distinct stages of growth and molting. Each caterpillar that

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molts are larger than the previous as it eats and stores energy in the form of fat and

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nutrients to carry it through the non-feeding pupal stage. As it grows, it sheds its skin

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multiple times to enclose its rapidly growing body before it reaches the chrysalis stage

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(or pupa) which is the transformation stage and the adult stage (or imago) which is

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colourful butterfly or moth usually seen.

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Department of Biological Sciences

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Caterpillar populations are of great interest in Ecological studies. Since

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caterpillar depends of plant species for food supply, plants species may or may not

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have any physiological effects in caterpillar growth. This study aims to assess plant

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species consumed by caterpillars using statistical analysis. This study also aims to

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evaluate relationship between plant species and caterpillar growth using statistical

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analysis.

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Materials and Methods

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Sampling. A number of butterfly species per plant species were observed. The

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butterflies were sheltered and for 3 month period to monitor growth.

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Statistical Analysis. A statistical analysis was used to determine if there were a

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significance between the shift of plant food source and the caterpillar growth. Using

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unpaired T-test analysis, the data gathered were interpreted and analysed for further

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investigations.

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Results

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A total of 46 and 36 plant samples were recorded for Areas 1 and 2 respectively.

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Using statistical analysis T-test, the P value and statistical significance shows that the

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two-tailed P value is equal to 0.5196 and by conventional criteria; this difference is

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considered to be not statistically significant. Utilizing the confidence interval, it shows

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that the difference of the 2 means is equal to 1.1100. Using a 95% confidence interval,

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this difference is from -2.3051 to 4.5251. The intermediate values used in the

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calculation shows that t is equal to 0.6468, df is equal to 80, and the standard error of

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difference is equal to 1.716.

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Department of Biological Sciences

Table 1: Statisical data for Unpaired T-test

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Area 1

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Area 2
46

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Mean

22.71

21.60

SD

8.34

6.82

41.1956

24.2324

SEM

1.2297

1.1367

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Discussion

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With the two-tailed P value equal to 0.5196 and by conventional criteria; this

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difference is considered to be not statistically significant. The gathered information

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therefore proves that there is no significant relationship between the shifting of plant

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species and caterpillar growth.

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The unpaired t method tests the null hypothesis that the population means

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related to two independent, random samples from an approximately normal distribution

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are equal (Altman, 1991; Armitage and Berry, 1994). Assuming equal variances, the

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test statistic is calculated as:

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Formula 1. Unpaired t test formula

Where x bar 1 and x bar 2 are the sample means, s is the sample variance, n1 and n2
are the sample sizes and t is a t quantile with [(n1-1)+(n2-1)] degrees of freedom.

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Department of Biological Sciences

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The unpaired t test should not be used if there is a significant difference between

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the variances of the two samples; StatsDirect tests for this and gives appropriate

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warnings.

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References

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[1] Altman DG 1991: Practical statistics for medical research. London: Chapman and

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Hall. 610pp. 32.00. ISBN 0 412 38620.

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[2] Armitage, P., Berry, G., & Matthews, J. N. S. (1994). Survival analysis. Statistical
Methods in Medical Research, Fourth Edition, 568-590.

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[3] Kerr, J., Southwood, T., Cihlar, J. (2011). Remotely sensed habitat diversity predicts

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butterfly species richness and community similarity in Canada.

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http://www.pnas.org/content/98/20/11365.full

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[4] Parmesan, C., Ryrholm, N., Steganescu, C., Hill, J., Thomas, C., Descimon, H.
(1999) Nature (London) 399:579583.

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[5] Pitman, N., Terborgh, J., Silman, M., Nuez, P. (1999) Ecology 80:26512661.

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[6] Rahbek, C., Graves, G. R. (2001) Proc National Academy Science USA. 98:4534
4539.

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[7] Woodward, F. (1987) Climate and Plant Distribution (Cambridge Univ. Press,
Cambridge, U.K.).

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