[APD] alcohol in the substrate?

["Steve Pushak" <teban at powersonic_bc.ca>]

Perhaps I've read this wrong:

"a. Accumulation of malate: Malate, a non-toxic metabolite,
accumulates in roots of many hydrophytic species (e.g., Carex
lasiocarpa, Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora). Non-wetland species
concentrate ethanol, a toxic by-product of anaerobic respiration,
when growing in anaerobic soil conditions. Under such
conditions, many hydrophytic species produce high
concentrations of malate and unchanged concentrations of
ethanol, thereby avoiding accumulation of toxic materials.
Thus, species having the ability to concentrate malate instead
of ethanol in the root system under anaerobic soil conditions
are adapted for life in such conditions, while species that
concentrate ethanol are poorly adapted for life in anaerobic soil
conditions." from
<http://www.deq.state.mi.us/documents/deq-water-wetlands-idmanualappc.pdf>

It sounds as if alcohol is a by-product of an anaerobic biological process
of the plant, not a condition of the substrate. So perhaps alcohol is not so
prevalent in the substrate as I was first led to believe?

Any comments?

Steve P

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