Hi,
I have to make a choice between Y-tube and 4-arm olfactometer but I cannot really understand the differences and advantages/disadvantages between the two. I need to study ant preference towards seeds of a particular species which have a lipid rich appendage and compare with removal of lipid appendage (negative ctrl) . I also wish to compare varieties of different size appendages.
Which olfactometer setup would be ideal and why?
Y-tube: openi.nlm.nih.gov/imgs/512/397/3740925/PMC3740925_f01_01.png
4-arm: scielo.br/img/revistas/ne/v33n2/a12fig01.gif
Thanks.
Hello,
One major problem with Y-maze is the edge-following behaviour that happen with some species that are thigmotactic. Basically, some insects will follow the first wall they encouter. As a result, the insect will for example select the right maze just because it first encountered the right wall and followed it until its end.
You would't have such a problem with 4 arm maze... But they are fare more difficult to buid and adjust...
Damien
HI
based on my experiences in my studies i am completely agree with Damein, if you find a way to caliber and adjust 4 arm, off course it will be better choice.
For any given trial, are your comparisons always pairwise?
if so, regular Y tube- statistics is also much easier- regular Chi-square.
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