Influence of salinity on germination and seeds viability of two primary colonizers of Mediterranean salt pans

We studied germination of two halophytic species at different salinity concentrations and their recovery of germination in great salinities. Salicornia showed high germination rates at low salinity in front of Arthrocnemum. For both species, germination was delayed with increase of salinity until 3%. Recovery experiments and tetrazolium test show that exposure to high salinity does not harm seeds and that exposure to high salinity stimulates germination of the seeds of Arthrocnemum macrostachyum. Our results about viability and seed bank suggest a different behaviour because of ecological connotations. These connotations are highly influenced by the life cycle of each species. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.