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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