GRASSHOPPER(Caelifera)BIONDICATORSFOR WATER QUALITY

An Investigatory Project Proposal presented to the Faculty of the Secondary Education

Department of Asian College of Technology – Integrated School

In Partial Fulfillment of Science 9

Project Investigators

Estrada, Eje Christian

Loranas, Bryan Angelo

Malinao, Carlos Miguel

Mayol, Thessalonica Angeline P.

Ramirez, Ian Kyle

Garzon, Judd Seif B.

Ms. Tiffany V. Montera

Project Adviser

S.Y 2017 – 2018

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 APPROVAL SHEET

This I.P. entitled: “GRASSHOPPER(Caelifera)BIONDICATORSFOR WATER QUALITY”

prepared and submitted by THESSALONICA ANGELINE P. MAYOL, IAN KYLE RAMIREZ, EJE

CHRISTIAN ESTRADA, BRYN ANGELO LORANAS, CARLOS MIGUEL MALINAO, AND

JUDD SEIF B. GARZON, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Science 9 has been examined

and is recommended for acceptance and Approval for Investigatory Project Design.

PANEL OF EXAMINERS

Approved by the Committee on Oral Examination with a grade of PASSED.

Ms. Jeanille B. Cogtas

CHARIMAN

Ms. Tiffany John V. Montera Mr. Hero C. Jorge

ADVISER MEMBER

Ms. Maria Fatima P. Visbal Mr. Steve Anthony Campos

MEMBER MEMBER

Mr. Osias Kith T. Kilag Ms. Joan L. Bautista

MEMBER MEMBER

ORAL EXMINATION JANUARY 26, 2018

Dr. Francisca T. Uy
Principal,

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This Investigatory Project would not have been possible without the guidance of our

Science adviser, Miss Tiffany Montera. I extend a heartfelt gratitude for all the tips, and

suggestions you gave me. It helped me out in more ways than one. I also want to thank you for

your patience, and understanding. Especially when you extended the deadline. I would also like

to thank all my members who lent a helping hand, and for cooperating with me. I am especially

indebted to my parents who have been supportive and who worked actively to provide me with

the research materials needed for this research.

I am grateful to all of those whom I have had the opportunity to work with during this

Investigatory Project. It was a pleasure working with you all. Each of the members in this

Investigatory Project played a key role in making this Investigatory Project a success. We may

have encountered hardships along the way, but we helped each other out and at the same time, I

learnt a lot on life in general. I would especially like to thank Judd Seif B. Garzon, a member of

the group. As a member, he has contributed a lot to the success of this Investigatory Project.

From helping me in writing the different parts of the research paper, he has also contributed to

many parts of the experiment. I also thank Eje for printing this paper, and putting up with me and

my antics. Lastly, my greatest thanks to my members who caught the grasshoppers for our

Investigatory Project. Special thanks to Samantharave Rama for accepting my favor, and helping

in catching the grasshoppers.

Many, many thanks to everyone. To my friends, to my classmates, to my parents, thank

you for supporting me. I wish you all a good day.

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 ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to use Grasshoppers ( Caelifera) as bioindicators for

water quality. Grasshoppers serve as the main research subject, and is the dependent variable in

the study. Grasshoppers are an important variable in our study, as they are the bioindicators.

These insects are highly sensitive to disturbances, so as soon as the environment they inhabit is

contaminated, these insects will flee or die out. As such they make good bioindicators for water

quality. We use these insects to test if the different water qualities we acquired are in good

quality or in bad quality. The types of water we used are Rain water, tap water, and river water.

Rain water being the control variable of the study, and River water the main comparative

variable. With these variables, we are able to compare the different effects of different water

conditions to grasshoppers. In short, our study aims to answer the following questions: What are

the characteristics of grasshoppers (Caelifera) under the presence of these water types, in terms

of: Water quality, Motility and Color? and what is the significant difference of the water

conditions to the grasshopper characteristics?. To answer these questions stated in the statement

of the problem, materials are needed for this research to become a success. Since we are dealing

with living things, a terrarium is a must. A (3) 5 – 10 gallon transparent container with a

diameter of 3.5 inches, will serve as the grasshopper’s terrarium. Gather Bermuda grass for their

food and place it inside the terrarium. For a grasshopper terrarium, a dry bedding is an absolute

must. For our terrarium, we used oatmeal flakes as a bedding and filled the bottom of the

terrarium. Since grasshoppers are desert species, they prefer an environment with less moisture.

Oatmeal flakes are dry, so we chose it for it’s bedding. With the materials, we placed a plastic

cover over the opening of the transparent container, and filled the bottom with oatmeal flakes.

Place in twigs to serve as their foothold. Since grasshoppers love to jump around. After placing

the twigs, put the Bermuda grass inside the terrarium, and drill holes into the plastic cover. This
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way, air can get inside the terrarium and the grasshoppers won’t suffocate. Now, the terrarium is

complete. Next is to conduct the experiment and observe. Spray the Bermuda grass in each of the

terrariums with their respective water qualities, and observe for a span of one week. After one

week, Grasshoppers no. 1 and no. 2 have become immotile and their color has changed. This is

due to the acidic pH of the Rain water and the minerals in tap water. However, Grasshopper no.

3, which is affected by the River water is doing fine and is still motile. However, its color has

also changed. The study aims to lessen water pollution through a cheaper, and convenient

method which is using Caelifera (grasshopper) as bioindicators for water quality. The experiment

will succeed and grasshoppers are indeed good bioindicators for water quality. Through

researching the different characteristics of a Caelifera, and contrasting it with the water

conditions of several water types such as rain water, river water and tap water, we were able to

get the results that we hoped for. Through this method, by using Caelifera as a bioindicator for

water quality, we were able to prove that this is a much more convenient and cheaper method

that lessens water pollution. Due to our experiment, we were able to discover various changes in

the research subjects through observing them in the terrarium after spraying in the different water

types. Changes were evident in the research subject’s motility, color, and wing quality. By

subjecting them to different types of water, we were able to make this Investigatory project a

success, and prove that we can lessen water pollution through this method.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page……………………………………………………………………………………...i
Acknowledgement…………………………………………………………………………....ii
Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………….iii
Table of Contents………………………………………………………………………….....iv
Definition of Terms…………………………………………………………………………..v

Chapter I
Introduction………………...……………………………………………………….....1
Review of Related Literature………………………………………………………......6
Statement of the Problem……………………………………………………………...11
Methodology …………………………………………………………………….........12

Chapter II
Presentation, Interpretation and Analysis of Data…………………………………...16

Chapter III
Summary of Findings ………………………………………………………………….19
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………...21
Recommendation……………………………………………………………………....22
Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………23
Curriculum Vitae………………………………………...……………………………..25
Appendix……………………………………………………………………................31

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 DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. Grasshoppers– These insects were used as the research subject for this Investigatory

Project. They served as the bioindicators for water quality.

2. pH – Used to determine if the Tap water, Rain water, and River water is acidic, alkaline

or neutral.pH means Potential Hydrogen.

3. River Water–River water is used as the main comparative variable. To check how the

grasshoppers would react to river water, which is not common in their original

environment.

4. Rain Water –Rain water serves as the water that grasshoppers experience in their original

environment.To show what the effects of everyday rain water are to grasshoppers.

5. Tap water- Tapwater is for people who wish to take care of grasshoppers. Tap water can

be found anywhere so it only serves as a comparative variable.

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 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

As we all know, Water is one of the most important substances on earth. All plants and

animals must have water to survive. If there was no water, there would be no life on earth.

However, water-related diseases have sprung into society. This is because of the contamination

of our water resources caused by us, humans in society. Due to our concerns on how dirty our

once clean freshwater and for the safety of those people who live near bodies of freshwater, we

decided to use insects, specifically, grasshoppers, as a bioindicator for water pollution, which is a

problem not only relevant to the community but to the whole world as well. By doing so, we can

benefit in not only securing our health but also, a more appealing environment. Furthermore, the

rate of catching water-related diseases will be lowered.

With the existence of humans, comes the existence of society. Social hierarchies emerge,

and a community is born. Within a community, we can find people, a group of people who live

amongst each other in a similar location, with similar mindsets. How can they coexist peacefully

if they aren’t similar? We live in a society where our water resources, rivers, lakes, seas, are

contaminated by chemicals caused by modern humans. With the advancement of technology,

society becomes less human as each groaning day passes by. Our technology may be advancing,

but we, ourselves are devolving. We could care less about the improvement of our water

resources, and keeping it clean. Not knowing that there are people who strive to drink, even just

a drop of clean, non-contaminated water. Water is very important, as I have said before.

However the opposite is happening, instead of improving, if not all, almost all the bodies of

water in the world are getting muddier and dirtier. It just so happens there are slums that depend

on rivers as their only source of drinking water. As a result, many of these people fall victim to

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water-borne diseases. This fueled our motivation and intrigued us at the same time. We thought

of a way, that is cheaper and a more convenient mean to keep our remaining water resources,

chemical free. Eventually, we found a possible method, which is to manipulate

macroinvertabrates, specifically, insects as bioindicators for water quality. The insect best suited

to this task is no other than the Caelifera, scientific name for grasshoppers. In layman terms, we

are going to make use of the Caelifera to detect if the water is contaminated or not. Research

shows that Caeliferas are sensitive to disturbances in their environment, so we decided to do an

experiment that would prove this statement.

The researchers planned for an environment that we could easily monitor the Caelifera. An

enclosed environment or the sort would work best. This lead to us in deciding in making a

Terrarium for the Caelifera. However, the Terrarium should contain the things that a Caelifera

would need to survive. We took these things into careful consideration after planning for the

Terrarium. Such as placing twigs or sticks as a foothold for the Caelifera since they love to jump

around. Not only that, the terrarium should be large and transparent. A five to ten gallon

terrarium would do. For the beddings, we chose to go with oatmeal flakes. A variety of plants,

leaves, grasses are added into the terrarium and are replaced with new ones each day. Since

Caeliferas are herbivores, they are fine with anything as long as they are plants. With the

terrarium plan in set, we planned for our next course ofaction which was placing the Caeliferas

in the terrarium. Spraying their food with river water aids in our research as these insects can tell

contaminated water from the non-contaminated water. If they refrain from eating the plants

sprayed with river water, this concludes that the river is in bad quality. We will not only spray in

river water, but also different types of water. Such as rain water, river water and tap water. The

river water we used was from the Bulacao river, which is situated beside our school. We chose to

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focus more on the river water from the Bulacao river because as we can see, the Bulacao river is

infested with domestic wastes that contaminate it’s waters, it meets all the requirements for our

research on water quality. By using the river water form the Bulacao water we can find out just

what is the state of it’s water quality. Furthermore, it is the closest river and easiest river we can

get river water from.

According to “Macroinvertebrates as Indicators of Water Quality” by Diane Oleson.

(2013). It stated that, “Benthic macroinvertebrates are often used in studies to determine the

quality of waters because of their high numbers, known pollution tolerances limited mobility,

wide range of feeding habits, varied life spans, and dependence on the land environment around

the stream. When chemical grab samples are taken, they are really a snapshot of the water at that

moment, that can change rapidly, but the macroinvertebrates are living there all the time. Their

composition will be affected by either periodic episodes of poor water quality or continuous poor

water quality.”

ThreeCaeliferaswere used as research subjects. Mainly grasshoppers, Caeliferas. We observed

theseCaeliferas for any significant changes while they were placed in the terrarium we provided

with the necessary materials needed. Such as, filling the bottom of the terrarium with dry

coconut fiber or oatmeal flakes. This serves as their bedding. Placing in plants, grasses, weeds, of

different varieties that would serve as their food. Twigs or sticks and the like will also be found

inside the terrarium. Significant changes, such as the decrease or increase in number of Caelifera

are important factors that affect the overall results. By taking note of these, we were able to

attain the results we wanted, and accurately monitor the quality of the water. In this investigatory

project involving Caelifera as bioindicators for water quality, we were able to meet our objective.

The grasshoppers were able to survive for a week, in the environment that we provided.

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 A variable is defined as anything that has a quantity or quality that varies. In every

research, the terms dependent and independent variables are encountered. Our research focuses

on Caeliferas as a bioindicator for water quality, as such, our Dependent variable here is the

Caelifera since it states that the dependent variable is the variable a researcher is interested in.

Meanwhile, an Independent variable is a variable that affects the dependent variable. With that

being said, water is our Independent variable as it has a big impact on the ecosystem, and

lifespan of the Caelifera. With these variables in mind, we turn to take a look at the problem this

study aims to resolve. Water pollution has risen to new waves, and is giving out adverse effects

on all living things. However, The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has opened a

new Water Pollution Research Laboratory at Watford equipped for work on the problems of

water supply, sanitation, and the recovery of our water sources, but actual plans for building a

research station for work of this nature have been postponed by the War. Though it is temporary,

they have acquired accommodation. Over the past few years, many investigations were carried

out, on behalf of the Board, in other laboratories scattered around the world. Though little it may

be, a step is a step.

Given the objective of our research, gathering samples for our data required us to

constantly monitor the terrarium we made for the Caelifera.In regards with the food they

preferred, the average size of a terrarium for a Caelifera, the temperature they needed to be in

during Daylight and Nightime, the beddings for the Terrarium and the amount of moisture they

needed, the dos and don’ts when caring for a Caelifera, all of these were put into consideration

with the objective of our study in mind. By analyzing the data we gather on the Caelifera we

were able to make the perfect terrarium, safe from predators, allowing them to live a few years

more. Longer than their estimated lifespan which is one year. With the data we achieved, we

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were able to deduce that Caelifera, a grasshopper, eats sixteen-times a day. Thus, the action we

took was already clear. We made sure that the environment they lived in, the terrarium, was

always filled with young, healthy, and new plants. According to the data, Caelifera are a

dominant group of herbivorous insects, and they basically eat anything. Whether it would be

grasses, lawns, leaves from trees, plants, and even vegetable leftovers. Caelifera are insects that

get moisture from the food they eat, so spraying water on their food, leaves, grasses and weeds,

are enough to satisfy their need for moisture.

Putting all the data we had, we were able to achieve the results we needed. The

requirements that we needed to meet were done possible with the data we received from our

research. Then, by analyzing, and putting all to plan, the result we obtained satisfied, and reached

our objective of this study. “ CAELIFERAS( Grasshopper )AS BIONDICATORS FOR WATER

QUALITY “ , we were able to successfully manipulate the Caelifera’s functional importance,

sensitivity to disturbance, and ease of sampling to our advantage. The terrarium we made was to

proveif the Caelifera are actually good biondicators for water quality by spraying river water on

the plants inside the terrarium from nearby rivers such as the Bulacao River, and on some days,

tap water. With these methods, we can tell if the river water is in good quality if the Caelifera eat

the plants. However, if they leave the plants untouched, it means, they have deemed it to be

poisonous. Since according to our data, Caelifera, grasshoppers, can tell if a certain plant is

poisonous and they would refrain from eating it. Through this method, we were able to obtain the

result we wanted. Leading to the conclusion, that Caelifera are good bioindicators for water

quality.

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 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

According to Republic Act of 9275, which is dubbed as the “Philippine Clean Water Act

of 2004”, it states that: “The State shall pursue a policy of economic growth in a manner

consistent with the protection, preservation and revival of the quality of our fresh, brackish and

marine waters. To achieve this end, the framework for sustainable development shall be

pursued.” As such, our investigation on the use of Caelifera as a medium for water quality paves

the way for the revival of the quality of our once fresh, brackish and marine waters. According

tothe site,it states that the Caelifera species is highly sensitive to chemicals, or contamination.

(Alan N. Andersen.(June 2001).Wiley Online Library. Grasshopper Biodiversity and

Bioindicators in Australian Tropical Savannas:Responses to disturbance in Kakadu National

Park Research. Retrieved fromhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1442-

9993.2001.01106.x/abstract) Thus, if the environment they’re living in shows such signs of

contamination, they will flee or die. Therefore, we decided to make use of the species as a

medium to check the water quality of a certain body of water.

Based on the site we used as reference,a grasshopper, a Caelifera,, has a life span of one year at

most, but if kept in an proper terrarium, they may even live more than one year.(Kendal

Elizabeth.(n.d). Pets on.me. A GRASSHOPPER'S LIFE CYCLE. Retrieved from

http://animals.mom.me/grasshoppers-life-cycle-6298.html). What poses as a major challenge is

the dynamic nature of the creatures itself and the responsibility that we need to carry. These

insects are very fragile, and as we have said, they are very sensitive to disturbances.

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When taking care of grasshoppers, we must not only focus on their food, but also their

environment as a whole. Grasshoppers are extremely fragile, to the extent that they have a

prescribed temperature to ensure they are comfortable and not suffocating inside the Terrarium.

According to one site, ”Grasshoppers need a dry and warm environment in order to thrive.

During the day, a grasshopper’s home should be between 77 °F (25 °C) (25 Celsius) and 95

degrees Fahrenheit (35 Celsius). We can easily do this by having a lightbulb that shines into the

terrarium during the day.But, while some sunlight is OK, placing the grasshopper’s terrarium in

a place where it will receive direct sunlight is a big no no. As this may cause the terrarium to

overheat.At night, it is OK for the temperature of the terrarium to drop as low as 60 °F (15.6 °C)

(15 Celsius). To do this, we can just turn the light off at night, but we should always not forget

to turn it back on in the morning. A grasshopper that is too cold will be lethargic, and may even

die.” (How to Take Care of Grasshoppers.(n.d).wikihow. How to Take Care of Grasshoppers.

Retrieved from https://www.wikihow.com/Take-Care-of-a-Grasshopper).

As you can see, taking care of these grasshoppers takes a lot of work and responsibility.

However, the more effort you put in, the better the result. There is a reason why we think that the

Caelifera are good bioindicators for Water Quality. According to these sites, the author

stated“Grasshoppers were used as potential indicators, as they are sensitive to habitat

characteristics of ecological networks. Eleven of 24 grasshopper species were effective

indicators of characteristics of ecological networks, particularly grass height, number of years

since last burn, bare ground and ecological network context. With the inclusion of more

variables, site separation became more complete. Validating the selected indicator species on an

independent dataset, three species were identified as indicative of high-quality habitat. We

conclude that, grasshoppers are sensitive indicators of water quality.” (CorrinnaBazelet. Michael

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J. Samways. (September 2011). Research Gate. Identifying grasshopper bioindicators for habitat

quality assessment of ecological networks. Retrieved

fromhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/251231104_Identifying_grasshopper_bioindicator

s_for_habitat_quality_assessment_of_ecological_networks). This proves that Grasshoppers are

good bioindicators, another site contains content on why Caelifera, or in general,

macroinvertebrates are good bioindicators.They state that aside from their high diversity and

sensitivity to disturbance, these insects are abundant and can be found almost everywhere, except

for Antartica. With their ease of sampling makes them potentially useful bioindicators for water

quality.

The author of the article states that: “Macroinvertebrates are also useful as indicators

because they are abundant. If there are insects in a body of water, there are usually lots of

insects in that body of water, even in highly polluted water. This means that you can get a

decent sample without severely impacting their populations in most places.” Further quoting,

“Sometimes you need a tissue sample to see how water quality is impacting aquatic wildlife,

such as an analysis of the amount of lead being absorbed by the wildlife in a stream. You often

need fairly large tissue samples to run these sorts of tests, so the bigger the animal the better.

Fish are perfect, but they’re not found in every body of water. Microorganisms such as algae,

bacteria, and protozoans abound in many types of water, but they’re very small. If you need

even a small tissue sample the size of, say, a bloodworm, imagine how many bacteria you need

to collect from the water to create a big enough sample! Not only are insects abundant and

ubiquitous, but they’re a lot bigger than most other abundant and ubiquitous organisms. This

makes them more useful as indicators.” (DRAGONFLYWOMAN.(May 23 2011). The Dragon

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Fly Woman. Why Insects Make Great Water Quality Indicators. Retrieved from

https://thedragonflywoman.com/2011/05/23/insect-indicators/)

This is another proof that the grasshoppers, or the Caelifera are good bioindicators for

water quality. Not only are they abundant, but there are variety of them. We can sample all we

want, and we won’t cause any adverse effects on the environment. Furthermore, compared to

most studies, which cost thousands of money to perform, this study is far more cheaper, and

convenient.

This could prove useful to many countries, especially our home country, the Philippines.

Philippines is known for it’s abundance in mineral resources. However, according to one article,

.“ Fifty rivers in the Philippines have been destroyed because people are using them to dump

their rubbish, leaving some ecologically dead. Of the country's 421 major rivers and 20 large

river basins, 50 are "highly degraded because of man's abuse and neglect,"(Staff Writers. (April

2 2008 ). Space War.Dozens of Philippine rivers destroyed by pollution: official. Retrieved from

http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Dozens_of_Philippine_rivers_destroyed_by_pollution_official

_999.html) This statement proves that the Philippines’ rivers are already polluted. Leading to the

emergence of “dead rivers”. One of the ecologically dead rivers is the Pasig which bisects

Manila. The government has been relocating thousands of squatters from its banks, but there

those who still remain to continue to throw their domestic wastes into the river without a care. It

is said that fifty-three percent of the pollution in the Philippine rivers is due to domestic wastes.

An official in the article quoted, “"In the face of climate change, it is important that Filipinos

should now adopt water conservation as a way of life,” Going as far as to encourage the

Filipinos, this goes to show just how polluted our country’s waters already are.

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(Staff Writers. (April 2 2008 ). Space War.Dozens of Philippine rivers destroyed by pollution:

official. Retrieved from

http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Dozens_of_Philippine_rivers_destroyed_by_pollution_official

_999.html)

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 THE STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The study aims to determine the water qualities using Grasshoppers (Caelifera) as

bioindicators.

Specifically, it seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What are the water conditions of rain water, tap water and river water?

2. What are characteristics of grasshoppers (Caelifera) under the presence of these water

types, in terms of:

a. Water quality

b. Motility

c. Color

3. What is the significant difference of the water conditions to the grasshopper

characteristics?

4. What recommendations can be drawn from this study?

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 METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The study utilizes Comparative method because in our study, we need to compare and

contrast the data from Table 1.Water Conditions and Table 2. Grasshopper Characteristics under

the presence of Rain water, tap water and river water. By comparing these tables, we can acquire

new data that will be helpful to the study. Such as, in table 1, Rain water has a pH of 5, which is

acidic and as a temperature of 27.5 with its clarity, foggy. By comparing this data from Table 1

to the data in Table 2, we can find out what are the effects of the said water conditions to the

assigned grasshopper’s characteristics. What kind of effect does Rain water have on Grasshopper

no. 1, does it affect its motility, wing quality and color? We apply the Comparative method

through this. We can get a lot of information just from contrasting the two tables. This is why our

study utilizes the Comparative method.

Research Environment

The research takes place in the terrarium we have provided for our research subject. The

environment, the Terrarium, would contain grasses, weeds, plants of different varieties and even

leaves from different trees. As stated above, Caeliferas are herbivores and will eat anything, as

such, it is important that their environment contains a variety of plants to ensure that they will

feel comfortable and at home. Aside from plants, Caeliferas are typically ground-dwelling

insects with powerful hind legs which enable them to escape from threats by leaping vigorously.

Since Caeliferas love to jump around, their environment must be large. In this case, the terrarium

should be large enough for them to jump around. Especially when you have an adult Caelifera. A

five to ten gallon terrarium will do. Aside from the size and space, their environment would also

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have twigs/sticks. This would serve as a foothold for these jumping loving creatures. Most

important of all, the terrarium would not be place directly against the sunlight, as that would

cause the terrarium to overheat and that would kill the Caelifera. The terrarium also has holes to

let in air to avoid suffocation. The bottom of the terrarium would also be filled with dry coconut

fibers or oatmeal flakes. This will serve as their bedding for their environment.

Research Subject

The research subject is the grasshoppers(Caelifera). The Caliefera are good bioindicators

because of their high diversity, functional importance, sensitivity to disturbance and ease of

sampling. They are abundant and can easily be found anywhere except for Antartica, as

mentioned before. These creatures will be our research subjects and they will be monitored for a

span of one week within the terrarium we made specifically to cater their needs.

Research Materials

1. 1 large Aquarium

2. 2 grasshoppers

3. 1 net to serve as a lid for the terrarium, and a divider for the Control and Experimental.

4. Twigs, to serve as a foothold for the grasshoppers.

5. Oatmeal flakes. This serves as their bedding in the Terrarium. Compared to soil, oatmeal

flakes don’t carry unknown variables in them that may affect the grasshopper’s lifespan.

6. Place in Bermuda grass in each of the terrariums. This serves as their food.

7. Rain water(100 ml)

8. tap water(100ml)

9. river water(300ml) to act as the control variable.

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Research Procedure

I. Preparation of Terrarium

1. Prepare a 5 – 10 gallon transparent container. With a diameter of 3.5 inches.

2. Put oatmeal for their bedding. Since oatmeal flakes don’t contain other minerals in

them in comparison to soil.

3. Gather twigs or sticks and place them inside the Terrarium. This would serve as a

foothold for the grasshoppers since grasshoppers love to jump from one place to

another.

4. After placing the twigs or sticks in the terrarium, gather grasses, plants, weeds,

leaves, and shrubs and place it inside the terrarium. A wide variety of plants would be

best. Grasshoppers are herbivores so these plants will serve as their food. New ones

need to be added everyday and the old ones should be removed.

5. Once the grasses and plants are placed inside, cut a part of the net to use as a divider.

6. With the remaining net, place it over the Terrarium. This way, air can get inside the

Terrarium and the grasshoppers will not suffocate to death.

7. After securing the net, the Terrarium is now complete. The grasshoppers can now be

placed inside. Place the grasshoppers carefully.

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II. Experimentation

1. Prepare a bottle of rain water, tap water and river water.

2. After attaining the required types of water, we would spray the plants in

Terrarium B, the experimental, with Rain water, River water and Tap water.

However, this will be done in an interval of one day.

3. After spraying Terrarium B with Rain water, on the next day, the grasshopper will

be returned to it’s Control, Terrarium A. Afterwards, Terrarium B will be sprayed

with tap water, and the grasshopper will be moved again to Terrarium B. Then,

the process repeats itself. Return the grasshopper to Terrarium A after an interval

of one day, then the next day spray Terrarium B with River water, and move the

grasshopper to Terrarium B again. While this is done, the terrarium will be

placed away from direct sunlight and be at room temperature.

4. We would observe the grasshopper in the Terrarium.

22
 CHAPTER II

PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

Water Type CONDITION

pH Temperature Clarity
5
Rain water (Acidic) 27.5 Foggy

7
Tap water (Neutral) 27 Clear

River water 8 27 Muddy

(Alkaline)
Table 1.Water Conditions

In the table above, the conditions of the different water types vary. Rain water has a pH

of five, which makes it Acidic since a pH below seven means it is acidic. Whereas, Tap water

has a pH of seven, making it neutral. The total pH scale ranges from 1 to 14, with 7 considered to

be neutral. It is neither acidic nor alkaline. On the other hand, River water has a pH of eight,

making it an Alkaline. A pH greater than seven is considered as Alkaline. For the temperature of

these water types, each of them were taken at room temperature, as such the temperature for Rain

water is 27.5 , with Tap water and River water having 27. However, the same can’t be said for

the clarity of the water types. Rain water has a foggy clarity, while Tap water has a clear clarity,

whereas River water has a muddy clarity. Each of these water types have different pH, and

different Clarity, however, they share the same temperature since they were taken and placed in

the same room. So their temperature is room temperature.

23
 Grasshopper No. CHARACTERISTICS
Wing Quality Motility Color

Intact Motile Green

A1

Table 2. Grasshopper Characteristics under the presence of Rain water, tap water and river water

In the terrarium, the grasshopper still has its wings intact. There is no damage and its

wings are clearly in good condition. And there is no sign of brittleness. The grasshopper is still in

good condition and motile. It loves to jump around, leaf to leaf. The young grasshopper has an

evergreen color, but after a few days of experimentation, it has become a darker shade of green.

The Grasshopper in Terrarium A, is still in good condition despite being exposed to

different types of water. However, slight changes can be seen such as their color . The

grasshopper in Terrarium A had a lighter green color during the first day, but after a few days

of experimentation, it has changed. Currently, it has a darker green color. However, it’s motility

is still good, and it’s wings are still intact.

24
 CHAPTER III

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

Based on our findings, The grasshopper in terrarium A is still in good condition. That is

not all, our findings also show that the color of Grasshoppers have changed. The Grasshopper

had an evergreen light color, but now, it has a darker green color. It once had a healthy neon

green color, but now it has turned to a darker shade of green, dark green. The Grasshopper was

able to adapt and survive , this is because according to this site, an adult grasshopper has a pH

range of 6.41 to 6.68, although a male adult grasshopper has a higher pH.( Charles R. Bomar.

November 1991. Research Gate. Grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae) Midgut pH in Relation to

Development, Starvation, and Species: Implications of a New, Fast-Freezing Methodology)Since

the rain water applied to the grasshopper has a an acidic pH and Acidic is a pH that is greater

than below five. Anything lower or higher than a grasshopper’s pH tolerance can lead to death.

For the other type of of water, tap water may have a neutral pH, but it contains minerals such as

Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium and Phosphorus , these minerals are new to

grasshoppers and grasshoppers are vulnerable to moisture, so exposing them to tap water, which

contains a lot of minerals that are harmful to grasshoppers ,will of course, cause adverse effects

on them. We have also discovered that grasshoppers are desert species, so when spraying liquid

or the water, we have to spray the plants before placing them inside their terrariums. If we spray

water inside the terrarium, the oatmeal flakes will lose it’s purpose. Because, according to this

site, “The grasshopper species Locustamigratoria and Schistocercagregaria are desert species.

They need a dry and warm environment to thrive. A too humid environment will result in

infections and death of the grasshoppers.” And also added, “Keep the humidity low by placing

dry bedding in the enclosure (dry coconut fiber, oatmeal flakes or dry sand) and not spraying

25
with water. Grasshoppers do need moisture to survive, but can get this from their food. Lightly

spray fresh food with water before feeding it to your grasshoppers. If you feel like the enclosure

is getting moist, for example when you have an enclosure with little ventilation or if the

enclosure is placed in a room with high air humidity, then you can better skip the spraying of the

food. The grasshoppers will get all their moisture from the fresh plant material that you give

them.”

(Keeping Insects. (n.d). Keeping Insects. Retrieved

fromhttps://www.keepinginsects.com/cockroaches-locusts-ants/grasshoppers/)

26
 CONCLUSION

The study aims to lessen water pollution through a cheaper, and convenient method

which is using Caelifera (grasshopper) as bioindicators for water quality. The experiment will

succeed and grasshoppers are indeed good bioindicators for water quality. Through researching

the different characteristics of a Caelifera, and contrasting it with the water conditions of several

water types such as rain water, river water and tap water, we were able to get the results that we

hoped for. Through this method, by using Caelifera as a bioindicator for water quality, we were

able to prove that this is a much more convenient and cheaper method that lessens water

pollution. Due to our experiment, we were able to discover various changes in the research

subjects through observing them in the terrarium after spraying in the different water types.

Changes were evident in the research subject’s motility, color, and wing quality. By subjecting

them to different types of water, we were able to make this Investigatory project a success, and

prove that we can lessen water pollution through this method.

27
 RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. When choosing a research subject, aside from a Caelifera, for a bioindicator on water

quality, macroinvertebrates are the top choice.

2. When handling a Caelifera, or any insects, be sure to research on their estimated life

span. This is to ensure your research subject won’t die before you do your experiment.

3. When dealing with insects, it is vital that you research on the food that they prefer, to

avoid death by poison.

4. Aside from their food, research on their environmental needs. Like the temperature they

need to be in, and their relationship with other insects. Some insects fight, ending in

murder.

5. Don’t forget to check if the insects themselves are poisonous.

6. When creating a Terrarium, be sure that it is the right size for the insect, and that it has

everything the insect would need.

7. When dealing with grasshoppers, keep them during the day between 25 and 35 degrees

Celsius. You can do this through placing the terrarium under a lightbulb.

28
 BIBLIOGRAPHY:

1. Alan N. Andersen.(June 2001).Wiley Online Library. Grasshopper Biodiversity and

Bioindicators in Australian Tropical Savannas :Responses to disturbance in Kakadu

National Park Research. Retrieved

fromhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1442-9993.2001.01106.x/abstract

2. Charles R. Bomar. November 1991. Research Gate. Grasshopper (Orthoptera:

Acrididae) Midgut pH in Relation to Development, Starvation, and Species: Implications

of a New, Fast-Freezing Methodology

a. Retrieved

fromhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/233639368_Grasshopper_Orthopte

ra_Acrididae_Midgut_pH_in_Relation_to_Development_Starvation_and_Species

_Implications_of_a_New_Fast-Freezing_Methodology

3. CJ Benetti. ( May 16 2012 ). Macroinvertebrates as Indicators of Water Quality.

Retrieved from http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs/36799/InTech-

Macroinvertebrates_as_indicators_of_water_quality_in_running_waters_10_years_of_res

earch_in_rivers_with_different_degrees_of_anthropogenic_impacts.pdf

4. CorrinnaBazelet. Michael J. Samways. ( September 2011 ). Research Gate. Identifying

grasshopper bioindicators for habitat quality assessment of ecological networks.

Retrieved

fromhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/251231104_Identifying_grasshopper_bioin

dicators_for_habitat_quality_assessment_of_ecological_networks .

29
5. DRAGONFLYWOMAN.(May 23 2011). The Dragon Fly Woman. Why Insects Make

Great Water Quality Indicators. Retrieved from

https://thedragonflywoman.com/2011/05/23/insect-indicators/

6. “How to Take Care of Grasshoppers”.(n.d).wikihow. How to Take Care of Grasshoppers.

Retrieved from

a. https://www.wikihow.com/Take-Care-of-a-Grasshopper,

7. Keeping Insects. (n.d). Keeping Insects. Caring for praying mantis, butterflies, stick

insects and beetles. Retrieved from https://www.keepinginsects.com/cockroaches-

locusts-ants/grasshoppers/

8. Kendal Elizabeth.(n.d). Pets on.me. A GRASSHOPPER'S LIFE CYCLE.

a. Retrieved from http://animals.mom.me/grasshoppers-life-cycle-6298.html

9. MJ Koivula. (2011). Zoo Keys. Useful model organisms, indicators, or both?. Retrieved

from https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/2397/

10. Staff Writers. ( April 2 2008 ). Space War.Dozens of Philippine rivers destroyed by

pollution: official. Retrieved

fromhttp://www.spacewar.com/reports/Dozens_of_Philippine_rivers_destroyed_by_pollu

tion_official_999.html .

30
 CURRICULUM VITAE

Name:Eje Christian B. Estrada

Age:15

Gender: Male

Date of Birth:December 10 2002

Place of Birth:Cebu City

Home Address: 1217- A Highway Tagonol, Cogon Pardo, Cebu City

Nationality: Filipino

Religion: Roman Catholic

Father’s Name:Egar J. Estrada

Mother’s Name:Cielo B. Estrada

Educational Background:

Primary:Inayawan Elem. School

Secondary:Inawayan Elem. School

31
 CURRICULUM VITAE

Name:AmgeloLoranas

Age: 15

Gender:Male

Date of Birth:September 21 2002

Place of Birth:Cebu City

Home Address:St Jude Acres Bulacao

Nationality:Filipino

Religion:Chistian

Father’s Name:Bryan Andrade

Mother’s Name:AngelieLoranas

Educational Background:

Primary:Asian college of technology

Secondary:Asian college of technology

32
 CURRICULUM VITAE

Name: Ian Kyle Ramirez

Age:15

Gender: Male

Date of Birth:August 10, 2002

Place of Birth:Cebu, Philippines

Home Address:Naga City

Nationality:Filipino

Religion: Born Again

Father’s Name:

Mother’s Name:

Educational Background:

Primary: Asian College of Technology

Secondary: Asian College of Technology

33
 CURRICULUM VITAE

Name: Carlos Miguel Malinao

Age:16

Gender:Male

Date of Birth:May 23,2001

Place of Birth:Cebu, Philippines

Home Address:Minglanilla, Deca Homes

Nationality:Filipino

Religion: Catholic

Father’s Name:

Mother’s Name:

Educational Background:

Primary: Asian College of Technology

Secondary:Asian College of Technology

34
 CURRICULUM VITAE

Name:Judd Seif B. Garzon

Age:15

Gender: Male

Date of Birth:November 22, 2002

Place of Birth:Cebu, Philippines

Home Address:

Nationality: Filipino

Religion: Catholic

Father’s Name:

Mother’s Name:

Educational Background:

Primary:

Secondary: Asian College of Technology

35
 CURRICULUM VITAE

Name: Thessalonica Angeline P. Mayol

Age: 14

Gender: Female

Date of Birth: November 27, 2003

Place of Birth: Cebu, Philippines

Home Address: 636 Cabancalan I, Cebu City

Nationality: Filipino

Religion: Catholic

Father’s Name: Gerald Mayol

Mother’s Name: Iris Mae Mayol

Educational Background:

Primary: Asian College of Technology

Secondary: Asian College of Technology

36
 APPENDIX

Terrarium A & B Terrarium A&B

Grasshopper Grasshopper

Grasshopper Grasshopper

37
38