ROLE OF ALLELOPATHY IN THE INVASION OF PLANT SPECIES (Survey)
The authors claim that no field of plant science has caused so much controversy as the study of allelopathy, which is associated, first of all, with the difficulties of separating chemical effects (allelopathy) from other mechanisms of interaction between plants, plants and microorganisms, plants and animals. Understanding the problems associated with the manifestation of allelopathy as an environmentally important mechanism is of great importance in assessing the environmental consequences of allelopathic plants. This can be important, for example, if species with allelopathic activity have spread to other ecosystems or if the ability to synthesize allelopathic compounds has spread to other plant species, for example, by hybridization. The chemicals released by plants suppress the growth and emergence of other plants in their close proximity. However, these substances (alleo-chemicals) also have other ecological functions, such as plant protection, chelation of nutrients, regulation of the quantitative and qualitative composition of soil biota, which affect the decomposition of organic matter and determine soil fertility. This large-scale role of allelopathic chemicals within ecosystems can enhance, weaken or alter the functions of organisms in communities. The extinction of species and the reduction of biodiversity are primarily due to the impact of human activities. However, a certain number of plant species are dying out because of natural selection, including mechanisms of plant interaction, such as competition and allelopathy. In the course of evolution, both competition and allelopathy play an important role in regulating the diversity of species in plant communities. In this review, allelopathy will be considered in the context of the formation of ecosystem properties and, owing to its role in the invasion of exotic species, consideration will be given to some ways, in which the evolution of species could affect the intensity and importance of allelopathic interactions.