Carex limosa Herbaceous Alliance
Shore sedge fens
Shore sedge fens
USDA Ecological Section Map
Summary Information
- Primary Life FormHerb
- Elevation1200-2100 m
- State RarityS2?
- Global RarityG4?
- DistributionCAN: BC. USA: AK, CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, OR, UT, WA, WY (NatureServe)
- Endemic to CaliforniaNo
- Endemic to California Floristic Province and DesertsNo
- Date Added2009/09/01
Characteristic Species
Carex limosa is dominant or co-dominant in the herbaceous layer with Carex aquatilis, Carex lasiocarpa, Carex utriculata, Comarum palustre, Drosera rotundifolia, Eriophorum gracile, Menyanthes trifoliata, Mimulus primuloides, Pedicularis groenlandica and Scheuchzeria palustris. Emergent shrubs may be present at low cover, including Kalmia microphylla or Vaccinium uliginosum. Mosses may be abundant, including Drepanocladus sordidus and Sphagnum spp.
Vegetation Layers
Herbs < 1 m; cover is intermittent to continuous.
Membership Rules
- Carex limosa > 50% relative cover in the herbaceous layer (NatureServe 2007).
Habitats
Springs, seeps, fens on slopes, in basins, and along pond and lake margins. Soils are organic and deep, often forming peat. The USFWS Wetland Inventory (1996 national list) recognizes Carex limosa as an OBL plant.
Other Habitat, Alliance and Community Groupings
MCV (1995) | Sedge series |
NVCS (2009) | Carex limosa seasonally flooded herbaceous alliance |
Calveg | Wet grasses and forbs |
Holland | Wet montane meadow, Fen |
Munz | Freshwater marsh |
WHR | Wet meadow |
CDFW CA Code | 45.178.00 |
National Vegetation Classification Hierarchy
Formation Class | Mesomorphic Shrub and Herb Vegetation (Shrubland and Grassland) |
Formation Subclass | Temperate and Boreal Shrubland and Grassland |
Formation | Temperate and Boreal Bog and Fen |
Division | North American Scrub and Herb Peatland |
Macro Group | Western North American Montane/Boreal Peatland |
Group | Western North American Montane/Boreal Peatland |
Remarks
Carex limosa (a CNPS list 2.2 plant) is a slender sedge species with culms arising singly or a few together from thin, scaly rhizomes. Culms are up to 60 cm tall, exceeding the deeply channeled leaves that have somewhat glaucous blades. The terminal inflorescence spike is linear and staminate, and 1-3 lateral spikes are stalked and pistillate. The species is circumpolar in range, common in boreal wetlands, and a classic indicator of fens throughout much of the northern hemisphere.
The National Vegetation Classification (NatureServe 2007a) recognizes the alliance as an alkaline fen alliance in the western United States. Stands occur often at pond and lake margins that typically develop as floating or quaking mats of vegetation and organic matter (Hansen et al. 1995, Padgett et al. 1989). They are flooded for extended periods during the growing season. These saturated conditions slow plant decomposition and favor organic matter accumulation. Herbs are usually sparse in the stands, whereas sedges and mosses are usually abundant and contribute greatly to peat formation. Adjacent drier stands may include C. aquatilis or C. utriculata.
The National Vegetation Classification (NatureServe 2007a) recognizes the alliance as an alkaline fen alliance in the western United States. Stands occur often at pond and lake margins that typically develop as floating or quaking mats of vegetation and organic matter (Hansen et al. 1995, Padgett et al. 1989). They are flooded for extended periods during the growing season. These saturated conditions slow plant decomposition and favor organic matter accumulation. Herbs are usually sparse in the stands, whereas sedges and mosses are usually abundant and contribute greatly to peat formation. Adjacent drier stands may include C. aquatilis or C. utriculata.
Life History Traits of the Principal Species
Carex limosa | |
---|---|
Life forms | Polycarpic perennial; herb; rhizomatous |
Seed storage | Transient |
Seed longevity | Short |
Mode of dispersal | Animal; gravity |
Germination agents | Stratification—winter |
Mode of sprouting | Underground structures |
Survivability after fire/disturbance | Fire-hardy; high sprouter |
Disturbance-stimulated flowering | No |
Reproductive range | Long-lived |
Recruitment | Low; episodic |
Regional variation | Low |
Fire Characteristics
Fluvial processes rather than fire primarily disturb the alliance.
Fire return interval | — |
Seasonality | — |
Size/extent | — |
Complexity | — |
Intensity | — |
Severity | — |
Type | — |
Regional knowledge | — |
Regional Status
The range of Carex limosa includes the Klamath Mountains (M261Aj), Southern Cascades (M261D), and Warner Mountains (M261Gf ).
- Sierra Nevada (M261Ee, Eh, Ej, El-n, Et). We know the alliance in California from Grass Lake RNA south of Lake Tahoe (Beguin and Major 1975, see Cheng 2004), from a sloping, rich fen with low primary production at Mason Bog at Sagehen Creek Field Station (Cooper and Wolf 2006, Rae 1970), and from two basin fens of El Dorado and Plumas national forests (Cooper and Wolf 2006).
Management Considerations
State Route 89 runs through the Grass Lake RNA and borders the sensitive fen habitat on the north side. The most serious potential impact to the area may be road salting in the winter (Cheng 2004). Other impacts may include sedimentation and dewatering.
Associations
- Carex limosa / Drepanocladus sordidus [2]
- Carex limosa - Menyanthes trifoliata [2]
- Carex limosa - Mimulus primuloides [1]
References
- [1] Beguin, C.N.;Major, J. 1975
- [2] Cooper, D.J.;Wolf, E.C. 2006
- Cheng, S. 2004
- Hansen, P.L.;Pfister, R.D.;Boggs, K.;Cook, B.J.;Joy, J.;Hinckley, D.K. 1995
- Padgett, W.G.;Youngblood, A.P.;Winward, A.H. 1989