How plants keep other plants away...
Allelopathy is a chemical process. There are several types of
chemical
alleopathy. In one kind, the plant that is protecting its space
releases
something called growth-compounds, from its
roots
into the ground. New plants trying to grow around the allelopathic
plant
absorb those chemicals in the soil and are unable to live. A second type of
allelopathy releases chemicals that hurt the way growing plants carry
out photosynthesis. An allelopathic plant may also
release chemicals that change the amount of chlorophyll a plant has in it. When a plant's
chlorophyll
levels are changed, it cannot make the food it needs, and the plant
dies.
There are several ways a protecting plant can release their
protective
chemicals.
- Volatilization
- Protector trees release a chemical in the form of a gas through
small openings in their leaves. If other plants absorb the toxic chemical, it
will die.
- Leaching
- All plants lose leaves. Some plants release their protective
chemicals in the leaves they drop. When the leaves fall to the ground
they decompose. When they decompose, the leaves give off
chemicals that protect the plant.
- Exudation
- Some plants release their defensive chemicals through their
roots. These chemicals are given off into the soil. The chemicals are
absorbed by the roots of plants close to the allelopathic one.
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