Abstract
SUMMARY In the Northern Negev (Israel) annual plants are more numerous on south-facing slopes dominated by Zygophyllum dumosum than on north-facing slopes dominated by Artemisia herba-alba. On the latter slopes annuals are fewer in the vicinity of A. herbaalba than elsewhere. In the year following experimental removal of Artemnisia plants the number of annuals increased, but remained smaller than on the south-facing slope. Unless there are differences in soil seed reserves, this suggests an inhibitory after-effect due to Artemisia. Experimental evidence is presented for the release from A. herba-alba shoots of volatile and water-soluble substances which strongly inhibit the germination of Helianthemum ledifolium and Stipa capensis. In Zygophyllum dumosum and cultivated tomato germination was less strongly inhibited, and in Medicago laciniata var. laciniata and var. brachyacantha not at all. No inhibition was exerted by Zygophyllum dumosum leaves. The inhibition of Stipa capensis and tomato by aqueous extracts of Artemisia shoots was to some degree reversible by short periods of leaching. The possible role of chemical inhibition of certain annuals in stands of A. herba-alba is discussed.
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