Allelopathic effects of submerged macrophytes on phytoplankton

As a survival and resource-competition strategy, submerged macrophytes are supposed to release the secondary metabolites, named allelochemicals, to affect phytoplankton development. The species-specific inhibition and easy degradation of plant allelochemicals make them possible to control the algal bloom efficiently and environment-friendly. This paper aims to review the research advances in allelopathy of submerged macrophytes on phytoplankton, which covers the following aspects: species-specific inhibition of submerged macrophytes to phytoplankton, potential allelochemicals, their inhibitory modes, physiological mechanisms, impacts of environmental factors and possibility of application in water management. Research methodology on allelopathy needs to be improved from the viewpoint of ecology. It is proposed to do more comparable bioassays, more joint laboratory and field experiments to figure out release and degradation dynamics of allelochemicals and their interactions with biotic and abiotic factors, which will be helpful to reveal the allelopathic mechanisms from gene to ecology, and provide scientific guidance for its application in aquatic ecosystem management.