Abstract
Abstract. 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.
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