Print Report

CEGL001836 Eleocharis quinqueflora Fen

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Few-flower Spikerush Fen

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This wetland association is found in the upper subalpine and lower alpine in the western United States and forms uniform peatland communities. Sites can occur in wet basins, stream terraces, ponds, cirque basins, and marshy meadows associated with seeps. Substrates are typically poorly drained, nutrient-poor, organic soils that are wet or saturated throughout the summer. Surface layers may dry out in late summer on some sites. Peat layers range from thin peat over quartzite sands to deep peat occasionally as deep as 2 m. The vegetation is characterized by a moderately dense to dense herbaceous layer that is strongly dominated by Eleocharis quinqueflora. Carex aquatilis is a common graminoid associate that may codominate some stands. Vegetation growth is relatively sparse compared to other wetlands, especially in higher elevation stands. Other graminoids may include Carex buxbaumii, Carex illota, Carex jonesii, Carex lachenalii (on extremely nutrient-poor sites), Carex scopulorum, Carex utriculata, Deschampsia cespitosa, and Eleocharis rostellata. Forb cover is generally low but often includes Caltha leptosepala, Dodecatheon alpinum, Oreostemma alpigenum, Pedicularis groenlandica, and Polygonum bistortoides. Scattered shrubs may also be present, such as Betula glandulosa or Salix planifolia. Diagnostic of this herbaceous wetland community is the dominance or codominance of Eleocharis quinqueflora and the presence of surface water for extended periods during the growing season.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This association is defined as a PNV vegetation type. Eleocharis pauciflora is a synonym for Eleocharis quinqueflora. This is a widespread, broadly defined wetland of the western U.S. Additional associations may be described after further survey and classification work.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: This wetland association is characterized by a moderately dense to dense herbaceous layer that is strongly dominated by Eleocharis quinqueflora. Carex aquatilis is a common graminoid associate that may codominate some stands (Padgett et al. 1989). Vegetation growth is relatively sparse compared to other wetlands, especially in higher elevation stands (Carsey et al. 2003a, 2003b). Other graminoids may include Carex buxbaumii, Carex illota, Carex jonesii, Carex lachenalii (on extremely nutrient-poor sites), Carex scopulorum, Carex simulata, Carex utriculata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Eleocharis rostellata, Trichophorum cespitosum (= Scirpus cespitosus), and Triglochin palustris. Forb cover is generally low but often includes Caltha leptosepala, Dodecatheon alpinum, Mimulus primuloides, Oreostemma alpigenum (= Aster alpigenus), Pedicularis groenlandica, and Polygonum bistortoides (Jensen and Tuhy 1981, Mattson 1984, Padgett et al. 1989, Cooper 1990, Hansen et al. 1995, Manning and Padgett 1995, Kittel et al. 1999b). Scattered shrubs may also be present, such as Betula glandulosa, Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda, or Salix planifolia. Rare species Carex lachenalii and Eriophorum angustifolium grow locally on sites too nutrient-poor for other species. Diagnostic of this herbaceous wetland community is the dominance or codominance of Eleocharis quinqueflora and the presence of surface water for extended periods during the growing season.

Adjacent riparian vegetation may include marshes and wet meadows dominated by various species such as Carex aquatilis, Carex utriculata, Eleocharis palustris, and Caltha leptosepala, or shrublands dominated by Salix planifolia or Betula glandulosa. Drier sites include mesic spruce-fir forests, Salix brachycarpa shrublands, and Deschampsia cespitosa meadows. Upland vegetation is often alpine talus slopes, krummholz, dry-mesic spruce-fir or lodgepole pine forests, and subalpine Festuca thurberi grasslands that occur on adjacent hillslopes (Manning and Padgett 1995, Kittel et al. 1999b).

Dynamics:  Eleocharis quinqueflora is an early colonizer and persists under wet conditions (Padgett et al. 1989). Carex aquatilis can be a codominant in this plant association (Padgett et al. 1989). Grazing in this association can increase the cover of increaser and invader species such as Agrostis stolonifera and Juncus arcticus ssp. littoralis and will damage the wet soils (Kittel et al. 1999b). If conditions become drier, Carex scopulorum may dominate and replace this association (Manning and Padgett 1995).
Environmental Description:  This wetland association is found in the upper subalpine and lower alpine zones in the western United States and forms uniform peatland communities. Elevation ranges from 1430 to 3800 m (4700-12,300 feet). Sites can occur in wet basins, stream terraces, ponds, cirque basins, and marshy meadows associated with seeps. Streams were classified according to the Rosgen Classification of Natural Rivers (Rosgen 1996). Adjacent stream channels are narrow and sinuous headwater rivulets (Rosgen''s Channel Type: E4-5) with lateral seepage from surrounding toeslopes. Substrates are typically poorly drained, nutrient-poor, organic soils that are wet or saturated throughout the summer (Cryohemists, Cryofibrists or Borofibrists, Borochemists, and Borosaprists) (Komarkova 1979, Kovalchik 1987, Padgett et al. 1989, Hansen et al. 1995, Kittel et al. 1999b). Surface layers may dry out in late summer on some sites. Peat layers range from thin peat over quartzite sands to deep peat occasionally as deep as 2 m (Cooper 1990).
Geographic Range: This vegetation type is found in the upper subalpine and lower alpine in the western United States.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  CA, CO, ID, MT, NV?, OR, UT, WA, WY


Confidence Level: High

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G4

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class C02 2
Subclass 2.C Shrub & Herb Wetland Subclass S44 2.C
Formation 2.C.4 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Formation F013 2.C.4
Division 2.C.4.Nb Western North American Temperate Freshwater Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Division D031 2.C.4.Nb
Macrogroup 2.C.4.Nb.5 Sitka Alder - Booth''s Willow / Northwest Territory Sedge Montane Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Macrogroup M893 2.C.4.Nb.5
Group 2.C.4.Nb.5.b Sedge species - Reedgrass species Montane Wet Meadow & Marsh Group G521 2.C.4.Nb.5.b
Alliance A3806 Clustered Field Sedge - Mountain Sedge - Few-flower Spikerush Wet Meadow Alliance A3806 2.C.4.Nb.5.b
Association CEGL001836 Few-flower Spikerush Fen CEGL001836 2.C.4.Nb.5.b
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: > Carex aquatilis - Carex utriculata Plant Association, Eleocharis pauciflora Phase (Johnston 1987)
= Eleocharis pauciflora - Carex aquatilis Habitat Type (Mattson 1984)
= Eleocharis pauciflora - Carex lachenalii Community (Cooper 1990) [Stands #41, 48, and 49 in Big Meadows, Rocky Mountain NP. Substrates are thin peat over quartzite sands. Rare species Carex lachenalii and Eriophorum angustifolium grow on locally on sites too nutrient-poor for other species.]
= Eleocharis pauciflora (Crowe and Clausnitzer 1997) [(p.198)]
= Eleocharis pauciflora (McCain and Christy 2005) [34 plots]
= Eleocharis pauciflora (Kovalchik 1987) [(p.110)]
= Eleocharis pauciflora Association (Kovalchik 1993) [(p.177)]
= Eleocharis pauciflora Community Type (Jensen and Tuhy 1981)
= Eleocharis pauciflora Habitat Type (Hansen et al. 1995)
= Eleocharis pauciflora Habitat Type (Manning and Padgett 1995)
= Eleocharis pauciflora Habitat Type (Padgett et al. 1989)
= Eleocharis quinqueflora (Sawyer et al. 2009) [45.220.01]
= Eleocharis quinqueflora (Murray 2000)
= Eleocharis quinqueflora (E. pauciflora) Association (Crowe et al. 2004)
= Eleocharis quinqueflora Association (Christy 2004)
= Eleocharis quinqueflora Fen (DiPaolo et al. 2018)
= Eleocharis quinqueflora Herbaceous Vegetation (Kittel et al. 1999b)
= Eleocharis quinqueflora Herbaceous Vegetation (Carsey et al. 2003b)
= Eleocharis quinqueflora Herbaceous Vegetation (Carsey et al. 2003a)
= Eleocharis quinqueflora Herbaceous Vegetation (Keeler-Wolf et al. 2012)
= Association Pediculari groenlandicae - Eleocharis quinqueflora (Komarkova 1976) (Komarkova 1979)
Concept Author(s): Western Ecology Group

Author of Description: T. Keeler-Wolf and K.A. Schulz

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 02-25-09
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