Allelopathy: An ecological overview
Eutrophication and algal blooms are the most serious
environmental problems. Search for allelopathic effects of
AMs on phytoplanktons’ growth and development
has receiving world-wide attention in order to develop
biological tools which are environmentally friendly to
mitigate such challenges. This is due to the reason that
inhibition of phytoplankton by allelochemicals released by
submerged macrophytes is supposed to be one of the
mechanisms that contribute to the stabilisation of clearwater
states
in
shallow
lakes.
Since
allelopathy
of
AMs
is
of
significance on composition of communities in fresh
water ecosystems and ecological rehabilitation of
eutrophic lakes (Korner and Nicklisch, 2002). This is
achieved through allelopathic growth inhibition of
phytoplankton by AMs which might confer an advantage
to macrophytes in the competition for light, carbon, and
nutrients (Gross, 2003) and change the succession of
phytoplankton. However, understanding the factors which
regulate or control the extent of allelopathic effects such
as light and nutrient limitation of both the donor and the
target organisms is vital. In view of the fact, production of