Re: Borelli Thesis

[jonathan <fung@is2.dal.ca>]

(re: confirm or deny the studies of Romer and Beisenherz) 
By the way, the previous studies are still valuable and have contributed
to this topic greatly. Although Romer and Beisenherz failed to show the
effect of pH, it is still consistent with the findings of Rubin. And I am
pretty sure that the environmental effects on sex ratios are replicable,
even in the case of Rubin (using one brood each). My work simply
contributes to theirs, and builds on theirs. Due to space and funding
constraints, I too am unable to provide more replicates per treatment than
one other. I hope to use two broods per tank, 8 tanks, 4 conditions. The
mixing of broods will make it unlikely that there is a genetic
predisposition. The four treatments are (high pH/ high temp), (high pH/
low temp), (low pH/ high temp), (low pH/ low temp). each condition with
two tanks, containing two broods each. There are no intermediate values,
since I am really testing for interaction (which is a more important sex
determinant?). The importance of my study is that pH and temp interaction 
hasn't been done, and that I try to link between environmental sex
determination and behavioural ecology. Although I cannot go with many
replicates, it shows that this environmental sex determination by pH and
sex is replicable across studies (Rubin, Romer and Beisenherz, mine).

The ideal study would have 3 to 4 replicates per treatment, treatments
would include 3 pH values and 3 temperature values, with ANOVA testing for
interaction. That would mean that there are 9 treatment conditons, with
three to four replicates. Alot of money and effort is needed to rear 36 to
45 tanks of Apistogramma, but that would be a perfect experiment. 

-Jonathan

-------------------------------------------
Jonathan Fung... Reef Geek
Dalhousie University Honours Marine Biology
Aqua Creations Inc. Assistant Manager
writer for Marine Fish Monthly 
-------------------------------------------
email: fung@is2.dal.ca






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