State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
*Corresponding Author: E-mail: xianqm@nju.edu.cn
The depletion of NH4-N and PO4_P was compared in pure and mixed culture/coexistence of Ceratophyllum demersum and Microcystis aeruginosa. The depletion of NH4-N in mixed culture was more than in pure culture, while the depletion of PO4_P was similar. Algal spp. numbers decreased in coexistence more than in the separation. Competition for N and P nutrients was not the primary influence leading to the decrease of algae, but due to the inhibitory allelopathic activity of C. demersum against M. aeruginosa. Allelochemicals in culture solution were analyzed with Solid phase extraction – high performance liquid chromatography (SPE-HPLC). The content of allelochemicals in coexistence culture was different than separate culture. In coexistence treatment, the presence of algae might stimulate the release of some potential allelochemicals from macrophytes to inhibit the growth of algae.
Allelopathic activity, Ceratophyllum demersum L., coexistence, competition, Microcystis aeruginosa
