Involvement of Allelopathy in the Formation of Monospecific Colonies of Ferns

Abstract

Some fern species often dominate plant communities by forming large monospecific colonies. However, the potential mechanism for this domination of the ferns remains obscure. Many plants secrete a wide range of compounds into the rhizosphere and change the chemical and physical properties of the rhizosphere soil. Through the secretion of compounds, such as allelopathic substances, plants inhibit the germination and growth of neighboring plants to compete more effectively for the resources. Ferns contain a variety of secondary metabolites and some of those compounds are released from the ferns into the rhizosphere soil, either as exudates from living ferns or by decomposition of fern residues in sufficient quantities to affect the germination and growth of neighboring plants as allelopathic substances. Therefore, allelopathic chemical interaction of the ferns with neighboring plants may play an important role in the formation of the monospecific colonies of the ferns.