Science subject ( choose one of the subjects) - Essay Example

The biological proteins that consist of Sulfur are methionine and Cysteine. Insects and spiders also possess another protein with Sulfur known as Taurine. Methionine is the most essential protein for insect’s diets because Cysteine and Taurine can be made from it. Spiders and insects vary in the amount of these sulfur proteins in their body. Taurine is found to be more widespread in spider silk and spider’s venom as compared to other insects. It is said to have observed that the variation in these proteins in the bodies has a direct effect on the reproductive cycle and growth cycle of insectivorous birds.

The concentrations of Sulfur in Spiders and Insects were measured. Three questions had to be answered through this study. Does the amount of Sulfur allometrically increase with increase in body mass? Does the class, family, order, and genus have an effect on disparity in the sulfur concentration? Lastly, does variation in the amount of Sulfur exist in trophic levels? Spiders and Insects were collected near the Colorado River in Western Arizona. The arthropods were taken from plants and stored in plastic bags whereas the insects were caught in midair using a ‘Townes-style Malaise trap’.

The specimens were organized into groups and representatives of each group were dissolved in seventy percent ethanol. Except for the specie ‘Chrysopidae’ all the other specimens were distinguished till their genus. The specimens were then analyzed for their sulfur contents by first being dried, then their dry mass was weighed and in the end they were digested. The sulfur content of the digested specimens was measured against concentration of methionine and the percentage sulfur concentration per dry mass of each specimen was also measured.

Sulfur content was also compared within trophic levels. The insects were grouped into herbivores, predators or detritivores. Bias was removed by repeating the experiment and every time noting whether