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Plant Physiological Ecology pp 505–531Cite as

Interactions Among Plants

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In previous chapters we dealt with many physical and chemical environmental factors that affect a plant’s performance, and with the effects of microsymbionts, herbivores, pathogens, and parasites. For many plants, however, the most important factor shaping their environment is other plants. One of the most active debates in both ecology and agriculture focuses on the question of the mechanisms by which plants interact with one another. Plant–plant interactions range from positive (facilitation) to neutral to negative (competition) effects on the performance of neighbors (Bazzaz 1996, Li et al. 1999). Competition occurs most commonly when plants utilize the same pool of growth-limiting resources (resource competition). Competition may also occur when one individual produces chemicals that negatively affect their neighbors (interference competition or allelopathy). Competition between two individuals is often highly asymmetric, with one individual having much greater negative impact than the other.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia

    Hans Lambers

  2. University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK, USA

    F. Stuart Chapin III

  3. Utrecht University, The Netherlands

    Thijs L. Pons

Authors
  1. Hans Lambers
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  2. F. Stuart Chapin III
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  3. Thijs L. Pons
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© 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

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Lambers, H., Chapin, F.S., Pons, T.L. (2008). Interactions Among Plants. In: Plant Physiological Ecology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-78341-3_16

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