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Out-competition vs. Allelochemicals
I'd like to know more about what there is about an established, in-balance
tank that prevents significant algae. Is it simply a question of the
thriving plants being able to out-compete algae for the sufficient, but not
excessive, nutrients? Or are the plants also putting out allelochemicals
that actively keep algae in check? Do the gurus get the initial nutrient
balance in a new tank just right and avoid those stages where you see every
known type of algae? Or is part of the game necessarily waiting for a
buildup of allelochemicals?
Now there's a product that would sell: a naturally occurring allelochemical
that acts selectively on algae. I also wonder about the mechanism of
allelochmical selectivity between plants. Species A inhibits species B and
C but not D, E... What do such specific mechanism of action look like? We
know the growing requirements of species can vary. Does this come into play
in such mechanisms? Perhaps species A can get a certain nutrient via the
roots and can produce a chemical that impedes leaf uptake, which species B
depends on.
At http://www.awwarf.com/research/spalgal.asp I came across this:
<< The Feasibility of Allelochemicals As a Means to Control Toxic
Cyanobacterial (Blue-Green Algae) Blooms in Water Bodies[#2904]
Kinneret Limnological Laboratory (Israel)
Will identify and characterize potent naturally occurring biochemical
agents--allelochemicals--to control toxic populations of Microcystis in
fresh water lakes. Will test the potential application of allelochemicals
for bloom control under laboratory and small-scale field conditions. To be
completed in 2004>>
Jared, with best wishes for a Happy & Healthy New Year to all the folks
here, your families and your fish and plants.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jared Weinberger
http://www.brainyday.com/jared