A Team of Researchers Is Investigating the Effects of Fertilizer

question 56

Essay

A team of researchers is investigating the effects of fertilizer on the growth of forest trees. They use an old Christmas tree plantation with pine trees of the same species and age, and divide a section of the plantation into 60 plots. They separate the plots into two groups of 30. They apply high fertilizer levels to the group to the east of the plantation and low fertilizer levels to the western group. They set up the experiment to run for ten years and measure growth of all trees at the end of each year. Discuss the validity of the experimental design, concentrating on the formation of treatment groups and the use of controls. Based on this design, would the researchers be able to draw valid conclusions about the effect of fertilizer on tree growth rates? Why or why not?

---

Definitions:

Product Line

A group of related products marketed under a single brand name that serves a particular market segment or fulfills a specific customer need.

Product Class

A category that groups products based on their function, consumer perceptions, or attributes, such as electronics or household goods.

Product Form

Pertains to variations of a product within the product class.

Solar Rechargeable Batteries

Batteries that can be recharged by converting sunlight directly into electrical energy through photovoltaic cells.