Allelopathic activity of Stratiotes aloides on phytoplankton—towards identification of allelopathic substances

The allelopathic activity of the aquatic macrophyte, Stratiotes aloides, was determined with laboratory experiments. Active compounds exuded in the medium or present in plant tissue were extracted using standard procedures and solid phase extraction (SPE). The activity towards various cyanobacteria and chlorophytes was tested in two different bioassay systems using agar plates and liquid cultures of phytoplankton. Extracts and exudates of S. aloides affected phytoplankton growth. SPE-enriched exudates and enriched water from a natural Stratiotes stand caused inhibition of target species, however, also some controls were active. Phytoplankton species exhibited differential sensitivity to extracts of S. aloides. We observed inhibitory and stimulatory effects on phytoplankton. In general, more cyanobacteria than other phytoplankton species were inhibited, and the inhibition of cyanobacteria was stronger. In most cases, nutrient (P or K) limitation of Synechococcus elongatus and Scenedesmus obliquus decreased the sensitivity of these species towards allelochemicals from Stratiotes aloides, except for P-limited cultures of Scenedesmus. The allelopathically active compound(s) from Stratiotes are moderately lipophilic and most likely no phenolic compounds. Our results indicate that allelopathy (besides nutrient interference and shading) might also account for the low phytoplankton and filamentous algae densities in the vicinity of Stratiotes plants, at least during certain phases of the life-cycle of Stratiotes.