Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) and musk thistle (Carduus nutans) are ruderal plants that are invasive to Colorado. Both species can inhabit a range of habitats, but they grow especially well in high temperatures and moist soils. L. salicaria also harbors nitrogen-fixing bacteria in its roots. Suppose a researcher investigated the type of community interaction that these species have with each other, in nitrogen-poor and nitrogen-rich soils. The researcher grew the two species of plants in artificially constructed plots, as follows: • Treatment 1: L. salicaria in nitrogen-rich soil
Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) and musk thistle (Carduus nutans) are ruderal plants that are invasive to Colorado. Both species can inhabit a range of habitats, but they grow especially well in high temperatures and moist soils. L. salicaria also harbors nitrogen-fixing bacteria in its roots.
Suppose a researcher investigated the type of community interaction that these species have with each other, in nitrogen-poor and nitrogen-rich soils. The researcher grew the two species of plants in artificially constructed plots, as follows:
• Treatment 1: L. salicaria in nitrogen-rich soil
• Treatment 2: L. salicaria in nitrogen-poor soil
• Treatment 3: C. nutans in nitrogen-rich soil
• Treatment 4: C. nutans in nitrogen-poor soil
• Treatment 5: L. salicaria and C. nutans in nitrogen-rich soil
• Treatment 6: L. salicaria and C. nutans in nitrogen-poor soil
Plots contained a total of 10 plants (either all 10 of one species, or five of one species and five of the other species), and individual plants were placed 0.5 m from other plants in the plot. All plots were placed in the same greenhouse, were 10 m2 in size, and experienced the same temperatures, amount of water, and relative humidity. All plots had the same type of soil and the same amount of nitrogen added to the soil for nitrogen-rich plots. Small insects, such as ants and bees could enter the greenhouse, but larger animals were excluded. There were 25 plots for each treatment.
The researcher then measured the number of individuals of each species per plot, each day for 30 days. The data are shown in the graphs below.
question
part 1a:Identify the type of community interaction between these species when they are grown together in nitrogen-poor soilPart 1b: Explain your answer to the previous part . In other words, what did the data show, and why did these data lead you to your answer for 1a?
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