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Density-Dependent Chemical Interference--An Extension of the Biological Response Model

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Abstract

The response of plants to many phytochemicals changes from stimulatory to inhibitory as the concentration of the phytochemical increases. In this paper, a previous biological response model is extended to yield estimates of plant responses to changes in phytochemical concentrations in the case of density-dependent phytotoxicity. This requires a knowledge of plant densities, phytochemical concentrations in soil, and the relationship between the two. According to this model extension, inhibition is a probable outcome in density-dependent chemical interference, but phytotoxic effects may become stimulatory as plant density increases. In addition, low phytochemical concentrations in soil may cause an increase in the slope of the biomass–density relationship compared to the slope of control treatments. Experimental data from the literature support this model extension, and in several cases density-dependent chemical interference can be estimated mathematically.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Satakunta Environmental Research Center, and Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Konttorinkatu 1, 28900, Pori, Finland

    A. Sinkkonen

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  1. A. Sinkkonen
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Sinkkonen, A. Density-Dependent Chemical Interference--An Extension of the Biological Response Model. J Chem Ecol 27, 1513–1523 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010329612753

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