Mathematical modelling of plant allelopathic hormesis based on ecological-limiting-factor models

Allelopathy arises from the release of chemicals by one plant species that affect otherspecies in its vicinity, usually to their detriment. Allelopathic effects have been demonstratedto be limiting factors for species distributions and ecological processes in some naturalor agricultural communities. Based on the biphasic hormetic responses of plants toallelochemicals, ecological-limiting-factor models were introduced into the An-Johnson-Lovett hormesis model to improve modelling the phenomenon of allelopathic hormesisand to better reflect the nature of allelopathy as a limiting factor in ecological processes.Outcomes of the models have been compared for several sets of experimental data fromthe literature and good agreement between the models and data was observed, which indicatesthat the new models give some insight into the ecological mechanisms involved andmay provide more options for modelling the allelopathic phenomenon as well as platformsfor further research on plant allelopathic hormesis.