Pre9 BDEF II (prelab 9)

You've done a large series of experiments, growing different combinations of crop plants together. Which of the following experimental plots would identify species that would be good candidates for companion planting (being planted together) in a commercial situation? The goal is to maximize the yield of each species planted, and increase overall yield compared with single-species plantings.

Combinations where grams/individual is higher than it is in each monoculture.

Can the data collected during this lab exercise be used to study the effects of disturbance?

No, the data are only one "snapshot" of productivity in these communities.

Suppose you changed this lab's experimental design. Which of the following changes would probably NOT change the results? Moving the trays farther apart in the greenhouse, so the edges don't touch one another. Adding leaf-eating caterpillars that prefer rutabaga. Letting the plants grow for twice as long, so some of the "fast-starters" slow down growth and "slow-starters" speed up. Restricting water and/or nutrients, instead of supplying ample quantities of both. Substituting slow-growing lettuces for rutabaga and mustard.

Moving the trays farther apart in the greenhouse, so the edges don't touch one another.

You've done a large series of experiments, growing different combinations of crop plants together. Which of the following plots would identify species that are particularly strong in terms of interspecific competition?

Grams/individual is higher than in monoculture, no matter what other species are growing in combination.