Chemical Ecology of Plants Allelopathy in Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystems [Hardcover]

Allelochemicals play a great role in managed and natural ecosystems.Apart from plant growth, allelochemicals also may influence nutrientdynamics, mycorrhizae, soil chemical characteristics, and microbialecology. Synergistic action of various factors may better explain plantgrowth and distribution in natural systems. The book emphasizes the roleof allelochemicals in shaping the structure of plant communities in abroader ecological perspective.The book addresses the following questions: (1) How do allelochemicalsinfluence different components of the ecosystem in terms of shapingcommunity structure? (2) Why is it difficult to demonstrate interferenceby allelochemicals (i.e., allelopathy) in a natural system in itsentirety? Despite a large amount of existing literature on allelopathy,why are ecologists still skeptical about the existence of allelopathy innature? (3) Why are there only scarce data on aquatic ecosystems? (4)What role do allelochemicals play in microbial ecology?.....Allelochemicals play a great role in managed and natural ecosystems.Apart from plant growth, allelochemicals also may influence nutrientdynamics, mycorrhizae, soil chemical characteristics, and microbialecology. Synergistic action of various factors may better explain plantgrowth and distribution in natural systems. The book emphasizes the roleof allelochemicals in shaping the structure of plant communities in abroader ecological perspective.The book addresses the following questions: (1) How do allelochemicalsinfluence different components of the ecosystem in terms of shapingcommunity structure? (2) Why is it difficult to demonstrate interferenceby allelochemicals (i.e., allelopathy) in a natural system in itsentirety? Despite a large amount of existing literature on allelopathy,why are ecologists still skeptical about the existence of allelopathy innature? (3) Why are there only scarce data on aquatic ecosystems? (4)What role do allelochemicals play in microbial ecology?.....Problems and prol£•