Is
Nectar Important in the Monarch's
Overwintering Habitat?
Take
a Closer Look at the Graph
Here's
how a scientist might look at data and raise some interesting questions:
- Why do lipids fall so steeply in January and February as compared to March? January and February are the coldest months. Monarchs are cold-blooded so they burn energy slowly when it is cold. We would not expect the graph fall so sharply then. What other factors could be in play?
- Why do lipids fall less steeply in March as compared to January and February? In March temperatures rise. The butterflies become more active; this activity burns energy. Unless they also eat, wouldn't the lipids fall more quickly? We would expect the graph to fall very sharply then. What other factors could be in play?
Here's a way to interpret the graph:
1) The monarchs do eat some, but they burn more than they consume, so the lipids fall as shown in the graph.
2) The monarchs are too cold to eat much in January and February so the graph falls quickly then. They find food in March so the graph falls less steeply. So, even though they are active in March, they consume more lipids than they burn.
Did You Consider the Scientists' Methods?
Always remember to ask yourself, how did the scientists collect the data? What methods did they use? After all, the scientists had to catch butterflies in order to study them!
- Were "fatter" OR "thinner" butterflies easier to capture at times?
- Did the scientist have "control" butterflies? What could we learn from them?
- Were temperatures "normal" every month of the the year of the study?
- What other variables and challenges can you imagine?
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Dr. Lincoln Brower, Sweet Briar College |
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