Question

In 1917, biologist A. G. Tansley performed a famous series of studies on two species of bedstraw, a plant that was used to stuff beds. In nature, heath bedstraw grows on peat soil, and slender bedstraw grows on limestone soil. Tansley discovered both species can grow on both types of soil when the other species is absent. He hypothesized competition explains why, in nature, the two species do not coexist. Which experimental approach would best test his competition hypothesis? a. A transplantation experiment, where both species are grown together in each soil type, and the number of plants of each species is counted after the duration of the experiment b. An exclusion experiment, where slender bedstraw is planted in a plot of peat soil, and heath bedstraw is excluded from the plot for the duration of the experiment c. An exclusion experiment, where heath bedstraw is planted in a plot of limestone soil, and slender bedstraw is excluded from the plot for the duration of the experiment d. An experiment where peat and limestone soils are mixed together, and both species of bedstraw are planted

Answer 1

Answer: The experimental approach that would best test Tansley's competition hypothesis is option a: A transplantation experiment, where both species are grown together in each soil type, and the number of plants of each species is counted after the duration of the experiment. By conducting a transplantation experiment, Tansley can directly observe and compare the growth and survival of both species when they are grown together in each type of soil. This approach allows him to assess the competitive interactions between the two species and determine whether they can coexist or if one species outcompetes the other. By counting the number of plants of each species at the end of the experiment, Tansley can evaluate the impact of competition on their population sizes. If one species dominates and outcompetes the other in both soil types, it would support Tansley's competition hypothesis. On the other hand, if both species are able to coexist and maintain stable populations in both soil types, it would challenge his hypothesis. This experimental approach provides a direct and controlled test of the competition hypothesis by examining the response of both species when grown together under different soil conditions. By observing the outcomes of the transplantation experiment, Tansley can gain valuable insights into the competitive interactions between the two bedstraw species and their ability to coexist in nature.

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