Squirrel Experiment

Our hypothesis was that differing food sources will have an effect on a squirrel’s GUD, were a desirable food source will have a lower GUD compared to a less desirable food source. In short, the experiment successfully rejected the null hypothesis. There was a significant disparity between the foraging of peanuts vs sunflower seeds. The t-test test was able to provide a p-value that was statically significant. This shows that peanuts were the more eaten food source by squirrels in the area we tested. In the first three trials, squirrels continued foraging well past the elapsed time of the trial. This suggests that the squirrels didn’t reach the point of “giving up” in that foraging location. Additionally, in the same three trials, the squirrels …show more content…
The urban ecosystem has many external factors that can scare a squirrel or introduce other peanut foragers. Additionally, it would be beneficial to video the trials for accurate analysis and behavioral observation. These two points were the subject of the study, yet their results were analyzed instead of the act. Also, we had some weather issues during the week(s) of testing so we couldn’t place the trays out every day. This could have had an effect on the squirrels foraging the trays. The overall conclusion from this study is that peanuts were foraged more from squirrels than sunflower seeds. This study was important because it adds data to help determine a squirrel’s preferences toward all nuts/seeds. It also adds to the literature already on the effect food source on squirrel foraging. In future we could continue collecting data or we could compare peanuts to a different food source such as walnuts due to them being the most prominent food source in a squirrel’s diet (Young). It is clearly supported that squirrel foraging behavior is drastically affected by a desirable food source. The foraging behavior persisted through each trial as predicted. This shows that squirrels can have a basic understanding of cost – benefit analysis when foraging. It also can imply data pertaining to nut nutrition can be analyzed to determine: What is the most desirable nut a squirrel has in its