Final answer:
Brewer's experiment with pitcher plants likely involved manipulating competition by either adding or removing competitor species or predators such as ants to study their effects on the plants.
Step-by-step explanation:
The experiment involving pitcher plants was designed to manipulate the level of competition they face. While the question does not specifically detail the methods used by Brewer, it implies that competition was manipulated, perhaps in a manner similar to that found in ecological studies. In such studies, manipulating competition can involve adding or removing competitor species or individuals. Adding noncarnivorous competitor species would increase competition, whereas weeding and clipping noncarnivorous competitor species would decrease it. Introducing or removing predators like ants could also impact competition indirectly through their interactions with the prey that the pitcher plants consume.