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Floristic fluctuations in annual pastures: the role of competition at the regeneration stage
Author(s) -
Peco B.,
Espigares T.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of vegetation science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1654-1103
pISSN - 1100-9233
DOI - 10.2307/3235971
Subject(s) - competition (biology) , floristics , germination , phytotron , seedling , ecological succession , ecology , mediterranean climate , biology , agronomy , species richness
. Many studies have shown the existence of large between‐year fluctuations in the floristic composition of annual Mediterranean pastures, and these fluctuations have been linked to autumn rainfall patterns. It has been postulated that differing interannual weather patterns may play a decisive role in competitive processes, especially during the period of germination and seedling establishment. Removal experiments in conjunction with rainfall manipulation in a phytotron were conducted to test whether competition affects germination and seedling mortality under different autumn rainfall patterns, in pastures at three successional stages after last being ploughed. Early and late autumn rains affect the floristic composition as certain species germinate better under certain conditions than others in each successional stage. In general, however, competition is not manifested through the inhibition of new germination once the space has been occupied, and density‐dependent mortality is found only for a few species.