Connell conducted this experiment to learn more about ________.

Your question seems to be incomplete as it lacks the specific subject or concept Connell conducted an experiment on. If you're referring to Joseph Connell, a well-known ecologist, he conducted seminal experiments on interspecific competition and the concept of ecological niches. One of his famous experiments involved barnacles to demonstrate the principles of competitive exclusion and niche differentiation. If you can provide me with the specific experiment or context, I can give you a more detailed answer.

Extra: Joseph Connell's work is a cornerstone of community ecology, particularly in the study of species interactions and their effects on community structure. He conducted field experiments that proved to be very influential, including those on the Scottish rocky intertidal shores where he studied two species of barnacles, Chthamalus stellatus, and Balanus balanoides. He observed their distribution and interactions to show how competitive exclusion can lead to distinct spatial separation and realized niches for the two barnacle species.