Question

Schemske and Ågren (1995) used artificial flowers instead of real flowers in their experiment

a. What were the advantages of using artificial flowers in the experiment?
b. Why did Schemske and Ågren choose artificial flowers over real flowers?
c. What were the disadvantages of using artificial flowers?

Answer 1

Artificial flowers in the experiment conducted by Schemske and Ågren had advantages like controlled environment and consistency. However, they also had disadvantages including lack of ecological validity and potential bias in pollinator behavior.

Step-by-step explanation:

The advantages of using artificial flowers in the experiment conducted by Schemske and Ågren (1995) include:

1. Controlled environment: Artificial flowers provide researchers with a controlled environment to study specific aspects without interference from external factors.
2. Consistency: Artificial flowers have consistent characteristics, such as shape, color, and size, which allows for easier comparison and analysis.
3. Manipulation: Researchers can manipulate artificial flowers to test specific hypotheses and study the effects of different variables.

The disadvantages of using artificial flowers include:

1. Lack of ecological validity: Artificial flowers may not accurately represent the natural environment and interactions between flowers and pollinators.
2. No biological components: Artificial flowers lack the biological components and signaling mechanisms present in real flowers, which may affect the behavior of pollinators.
3. Potential bias: Pollinators may have different preferences and behaviors when interacting with artificial flowers compared to real flowers, which could introduce bias into the experiment.