Mortality and Seedling Survival of Three Salt Marshes Species as Influenced by Timing of Precipitation PDF

Keywords

salt marsh species, plant establishment, mortality, survival, precipitation time, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

The potential of mortality and seedling survival of three salt marshes species (Atriplex farinosa, Aeluropus brevifolius, and Juncus rigidus) as affected by timing of precipitation were measured. Three separate (14)-day experiments were conducted using (1), (2), (3), (4), and (5) days wet followed with (5) days dry. The number of emerging seedlings growing from (100) seeds placed in sand media in small plastic pots were counted daily total of (50) to (70%) of Juncus seeds emerged in the initial wet period, but over (50%) of the seedlings died in the following (5) days dry period, resulting in less than a (35%) survival rate. The Atriplex was slower to germinate and seedling survival rate resulted (40%) - (60%), while it was slower than (20%) in Aeluropus brevifolius. The (1) and (2) days wet sequences the maximum until the final rewet period. The information offers the possibility of incorporating the probabilistic aspects of timing of precipitation and soil water relations into a description of the seedling environment.