Statement of problem : steve went hunting in the park for earthworms and he found

more earthworms in the damp area than the dry area of the park. Steve also noticed
that when the earthworms made contact with the sun the retracted back into the
soil. Plan and design an experiment of how abiotic factors affect the behaviour of
these organisms
Hypothesis: abiotic factors such as light, heat and the presence of moisture in the
soil can affect earthworms causing them to refrain from these factors due to its
ability to disrupt some of their biological processes.
Aim: to determine whether abiotic factors such as light and moisture affects
earthworms and their choice of habitat.
Materials:
1 transparent 12x3 pan or similar size transparent container
1 shoe box
16 medium sized earthworms
Watering can filled with water
60watt light bulb/lamp
Black cloth with rubber band
Timer
Marker
Method:
Testing the effects of moisture on earthworms
1) Fill the transparent container with rich, dry, properly aerated soil
2) Using that marker and ruler draw a line at the center of the container dividing
it into two equal sides.
3) On the left side of the container sprinkle some water using the watering can,
make sure the left side of the soil is properly damped
4) Label the two sides of the container, dry and moist
5) Take 8 earthworms and place them evenly in the surface of the soil, make
sure that the earthworms are evenly distributed on the dry and moist section
of the container.
6) Observe the earthworms movements for about 15 minutes
7) Record the observation made by indicating which side most of the
earthworms went.
Testing the effects of light on earthworm (to be done in a dark area)
1) Fill the shoe box with soil and create a well-suited environment for the
earthworms by moistening the soil with water.
2) Cover half of the box with the black cloth and leave the other exposed
 3) Take 60watt lamp and place directly over the exposed part of the box, try as
best as possible to make sure the dark part is kept dark and the exposed part
bright as possible.
4) Place eight earthworms at the center of the box
5) Observe the earthworms movement for about 15 minutes
6) Record the observations by indicting which side most of the earthworms
went.

Variables
Controlled- light source
Dependent- the movement of the earth worms
Expected results
Experiment 1(Testing the effects of moisture on earthworms)

Area
Dry Moist
# of #X #Y
earthwor
ms

Experiment 2 (Testing the effects of light on earthworm)

Area
Dark Bright
# of #X #Y
earthwor
ms

Interpretation of results
Earthworms have light sensors that alert them in the presence in high intensity light
such as the sun which dries out their moist skin and can later result in the death of
the earthworm, in reaction to this earthworms would retreat from the light to
prevent the drying of their skin. On the other hand the present of sufficient moisture
in the soil affects earthworms also, because earthworms breathe through their skin
which is their respiratory surface, their external environment is need to be moist to
allow the diffusion of oxygen to occur effectively absence of this sufficient moisture
will allow the earthworm to seek moist regions to inhabit.
Limitation