Role of secondary metabolites in biotic interactions and community structure

Role of secondary metabolites in biotic interactions and community structure 

Secondary compounds (also called allelochemicals) produced by organisms are often present in all structures (e.g. leaves, flowers, fruits, roots 

In marine environments, the hydrophilic compounds produced by the sessile or mobile organisms are the easiest to release into the atmosphere, for example, osmolyte dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) known in the pelagic interactions. Meanwhile, liposoluble components like furanodiene terpenoids 

In aquatic environments, the allelopathic processes have been again demonstrated in freshwater and in marine environments. These processes were demonstrated in macrophytes, numerous phytoplanktonic species and also the macrophytes-phytoplankton interactions [HIL 08]. In fact, the inhibition of ph5doplankton by allelochemicals of submerged macrophytes is one of the major processes which help the water necessary to maintain shallow lakes. If these allelopathy phenomena were first shown for fixed plants, aquatic environments also contain many sessile species developing chemical mediators involved in their defense and competition considered as allelopathic process. Thus, corral is known for the production of toxic compounds, which participate in the defense of their habitat. For example, Tubastrea faulkeneri S5mthesize indolic alkaloids and other sterols and fatty acids which limit the implantation of concurrent larvae [KOH 00]. 

Allelochemicals, effective in the natural environment, are also studied for their use in agriculture such as herbicide for the control of weeds or in marine environments to combat the proliferation of toxic algae. 

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