Transplant experiment
Encyclopedia
Transplant experiment known as a common garden experiment, (although this term is more plant
specific) is an experiment
where one or more organisms are moved from one environment
to another environment. In a usual common garden experiment, two species of plants growing in their native environments would both be transplanted in a common environment. A reciprocal transplant involves introducing organisms from each of two or more environments into the other(s). Transplant experiments are often performed to test if there is a genetic
component to differences in populations. In recent decades the advances of molecular biology
have provided researchers with the ability to study genetic variation
more directly. However, transplant experiments still have the advantages of being simple and requiring little technology. On the other hand, they may require considerable time and labour, and the number of test organisms is often relatively limited.
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
specific) is an experiment
Experiment
An experiment is a methodical procedure carried out with the goal of verifying, falsifying, or establishing the validity of a hypothesis. Experiments vary greatly in their goal and scale, but always rely on repeatable procedure and logical analysis of the results...
where one or more organisms are moved from one environment
Environment (biophysical)
The biophysical environment is the combined modeling of the physical environment and the biological life forms within the environment, and includes all variables, parameters as well as conditions and modes inside the Earth's biosphere. The biophysical environment can be divided into two categories:...
to another environment. In a usual common garden experiment, two species of plants growing in their native environments would both be transplanted in a common environment. A reciprocal transplant involves introducing organisms from each of two or more environments into the other(s). Transplant experiments are often performed to test if there is a genetic
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
component to differences in populations. In recent decades the advances of molecular biology
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
have provided researchers with the ability to study genetic variation
Genetic variation
Genetic variation, variation in alleles of genes, occurs both within and among populations. Genetic variation is important because it provides the “raw material” for natural selection. Genetic variation is brought about by mutation, a change in a chemical structure of a gene. Polyploidy is an...
more directly. However, transplant experiments still have the advantages of being simple and requiring little technology. On the other hand, they may require considerable time and labour, and the number of test organisms is often relatively limited.