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Answer:
The success of an experiment depends on a number of factors provided while experimenting like proper review of literature and proper information. The given question on soil ecology studies the effect of compost on the growth of several crops. The biologist was not able to reach the best conclusions of their result as their results were inconsistent due to:
1. The experiment was not designed properly as adding nutrients at the same time.
1. Lack of knowledge about the compost they added like the composition of nutrients.
2. The compost added were of different quality.
4. The crops grown were grown in two different soil types- the indoor greenhouse and outdoor farms.
5. Little knowledge about the control and experimental setup.
Significant mistakes during an experiment can be failing in defining experimental and control groups (many different species and no control groups) and not keeping controlled variables constant.
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In the exposed example, reasearchers wanted to test the effect of compost on the development of root crops.
- The independent variable in this experiment should have been presence/absence of compost.
- The dependent variable was roots growth and development.
- The controlled variables should have been environmental conditions -pH, water, light exposure, temperature, etcetera-.
During an experiment, the controlled variables remain constant in the study groups. Unlike the independent variable, the controlled variables do not influence the results. These variables do not affect the response of the dependent variable.
- Mistake 1: Reseachers grew most of the plants in the greenhouse, but due to space issues, they had to grow some outdoors.
This is a significant mistake because environmental conditions in the greenhouse and outdoors vary. Plants were not exposed to the same conditions. Many factors could have influenced the growth of the roots, apart from compost.
In this experiment, environmental conditions should have been controlled variables, but they were not.
- Mistake 2: Researchers obtained the compost from a local farmer and from the local hardware store.
The quality or type of compost should have also been a controlled variable. Being from different sources might implicate that they have different nutrients amounts. So what really happened here, is that plants were treated with different compost qualities. This factor also influenced the results.
- Mistake 3: Some of the plants received compost when the seeds were planted and other plants got compost after the plants had already started growing.
The time in which the researcher mixed compost with the soil should have been the same for all plants. This is also a controlled variable that they should have considered. Some of the plants emerged and started growing with no fertilized soil, so this must have affected their growth.
When conducting an experiment, researchers usually apply the treatments to the experimental groups, but also use a control group to observe how it responds when no treatment is applied. Researchers compare them and conclude. Both groups are composed of individuals coming from the same population and  are identical in all aspects except for the independent variables. Â
The control group is also used to identify any other factors influencing the results obtained in the study.
- Mistake 4: Researchers did not include controlled groups. They should have included them to compare if the development of the root differed between plants that received compost -treatment- and plants that did not -control-.
- Mistake 5: Â Researchers tested several different crops.
This could be a problem when interpreting data, because the biology of species vary, as well as their needs to grow. So when interpreting the results, the response of the different species can not be comparable.
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Related link: Â https://brainly.com/question/17771715?referrer=searchResults