Print Report

CEGL001810 Carex lasiocarpa Fen

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Woolly-fruit Sedge Fen

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: This herbaceous-dominated peatland is known from the lowlands of Washington''s Puget Trough to high subalpine basins in Utah, Montana and Colorado, where it occurs in low-gradient, wide valleys and in topographic depressions. Elevation ranges from below 600 to over 3000 m (1900-9800 feet). Soils are deep organic peat in various degrees of decomposition. Sites are flooded seasonally, are poorly to very poorly drained, and remain saturated for the entire growing season, except in drought years. It occurs both as bogs (no in or outflows) and as fens (some contact with drainage from surrounding mineral soil). Species richness is naturally low in this wet herbaceous association. The indicator species is Carex lasiocarpa, the dominant graminoid, with 30-100% cover. Other sedge species that may be present with 0-30% cover include Carex aquatilis, Carex utriculata, Carex canescens, Carex microptera, and Carex buxbaumii. Forb species are generally in low abundance, but can include species of Nuphar (e.g., Nuphar polysepala, Nuphar variegata), Drosera, Menyanthes, Potentilla, and many others, depending on geographic location.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This association (CEGL001810) is defined as a PNV vegetation type and characterized by Carex lasiocarpa (var. americana, although it is generally listed just as Carex lasiocarpa), which is not to be confused with Carex lasiocarpa var. latifolia, which, along with Carex lanuginosa, is now called Carex pellita by Kartesz (1999).

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

Floristics: Species richness is naturally low in this wet herbaceous association. The indicator species is Carex lasiocarpa, the dominant graminoid, with 30-100% cover. Other sedge species that may be present with 0-15% cover include Carex aquatilis, Carex utriculata, Carex canescens, Carex microptera, and Carex buxbaumii. Forb species are generally in low abundance, but can include species of Nuphar (e.g., Nuphar polysepala, Nuphar variegata), Drosera, Menyanthes, Potentilla, and many others, depending on geographic location.

Dynamics:  Crowe and Clausnitzer (1997) note that the root mass of Carex lasiocarpa prevents other species from becoming abundant.
Environmental Description:  This wetland herbaceous association occurs on low-gradient, wide valleys and topographic depressions. Elevation ranges from below 600-3000 m (1900-9800 feet). Soils are deep organic peat in various degrees of decomposition. Sites are flooded seasonally, are poorly to very poorly drained, and can remain saturated for the entire growing season, except in drought years. This association has been described as a bog (peatland with no in or out flow of water) and as a fen (peatland with some contact with drainage from surrounding mineral soils), depending on the degree of surface water flow through stands. Both have deep organic peat, anaerobic conditions required to develop deep peat soils, highly saturated conditions, and similar species composition.
Geographic Range: This association is known from the lowlands of Washington''s Puget Trough, north into British Columbia, south to south-central Cascades in Oregon, east to subalpine basins of Utah, Idaho, Montana and Colorado. Christy (2004) reports this association from California to Alaska and eastward.

Nations: CA,US

States/Provinces:  AB, AK?, BC, CA?, CO, ID, MT, OR, UT, WA


Confidence Level: Moderate

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.2 Temperate to Polar Bog & Fen Formation F016 2.C.2
Division 2.C.2.Na North American Bog & Fen Division D029 2.C.2.Na
Macrogroup 2.C.2.Na.1 Leatherleaf - Small Cranberry - Few-seed Sedge Bog & Acidic Fen Macrogroup M876 2.C.2.Na.1
Group 2.C.2.Na.1.c Water Sedge - Woolly-fruit Sedge - Peatmoss species Rocky Mountain Acidic Fen Group G515 2.C.2.Na.1.c
Alliance A3437 Woolly-fruit Sedge - Livid Sedge - Threeway Sedge Acidic Graminoid Fen Alliance A3437 2.C.2.Na.1.c
Association CEGL001810 Woolly-fruit Sedge Fen CEGL001810 2.C.2.Na.1.c
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< Carex aquatilis - Carex utriculata Vegetation Type (Achuff et al. 2002) [Two stands included here.]
= Carex lasiocarpa (McCain and Christy 2005) [25 plots]
? Carex lasiocarpa (Sawyer et al. 2009) [45.166.01]
= Carex lasiocarpa (Crowe and Clausnitzer 1997) [(p.200)]
= Carex lasiocarpa (Kovalchik 1987) [(p.108)]
= Carex lasiocarpa Association (Kovalchik 1993) [(p.170)]
= Carex lasiocarpa Association (Crowe et al. 2004)
= Carex lasiocarpa Association (Christy 2004)
= Carex lasiocarpa Community Type (Padgett et al. 1989) [(p.95)]
< Carex lasiocarpa Habitat Type (Hansen et al. 1995) [(p.392) Includes stands dominated by Carex lanuginosa and Carex buxbaumii.]
= Carex lasiocarpa Meadow (Smith 1998b)
= Carex lasiocarpa community type (Kunze 1994) [(p.26)]
Concept Author(s): G. Kittel

Author of Description: G. Kittel

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 02-03-04
  • ANHIC [Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre]. 2018. Community database files. Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre, Parks and Protected Areas Division, Alberta Community Development, Edmonton.
  • Achuff, P. L., R. L. McNeil, M. L. Coleman, C. Wallis and C. Wershler. 2002. Ecological land classification of Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta. Volume I: Integrated resource description. Parks Canada, Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta. 226 pp.
  • Bourgeron, P. S., and L. D. Engelking, editors. 1994. A preliminary vegetation classification of the western United States. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Western Heritage Task Force, Boulder, CO. 175 pp. plus appendix.
  • CNHP [Colorado Natural Heritage Program]. 2006-2017. Tracked natural plant communities. Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins. [https://cnhp.colostate.edu/ourdata/trackinglist/plant_communities/]
  • Christy, J. A. 2004. Native freshwater wetland plant associations of northwestern Oregon. Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Oregon State University, Portland, OR.
  • Crowe, E. A., B. L. Kovalchik, and M. J. Kerr. 2004. Riparian and wetland vegetation of central and eastern Oregon. Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Institute for Natural Resources, Oregon State University, Portland. 473 pp. [http://oregonstate.edu/ornhic/ publications.html]
  • Crowe, E. A., and R. R. Clausnitzer. 1997. Mid-montane wetland plant associations of the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman national forests. Technical Paper R6-NR-ECOL-TP-22-97. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR.
  • Hansen, P. L., R. D. Pfister, K. Boggs, B. J. Cook, J. Joy, and D. K. Hinckley. 1995. Classification and management of Montana''s riparian and wetland sites. Miscellaneous Publication No. 54. Montana Forest and Conservation Experiment Station, School of Forestry, University of Montana. 646 pp. plus posters.
  • Hansen, P. L., S. W. Chadde, and R. D. Pfister. 1988b. Riparian dominance types of Montana. University of Montana Miscellaneous Publication 49. Montana Forest and Conservation Experiment Station, Missoula. 411 pp.
  • Hansen, P., K. Boggs, and R. Pfister. 1991. Classification and management of riparian and wetland sites in Montana. Unpublished draft version prepared for Montana Riparian Association, Montana Forest and Conservation Experiment Station, School of Forestry, University of Montana, Missoula. 478 pp.
  • Hop, K., M. Reid, J. Dieck, S. Lubinski, and S. Cooper. 2007. U.S. Geological Survey-National Park Service Vegetation Mapping Program: Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, WI. 131 pp. plus Appendices A-L.
  • IDCDC [Idaho Conservation Data Center]. 2005. Wetland and riparian plant associations in Idaho. Idaho Conservation Data Center, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Boise. [http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/tech/CDC/ecology/wetland_riparian_assoc.cfm] (accessed 14 June 2005).
  • Jankovsky-Jones, M., S. K. Rust, and R. K. Moseley. 1999. Riparian reference areas in Idaho: A catalog of plant associations and conservation sites. General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-20. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Ogden, UT. 141 pp.
  • Kagan, J. S., J. A. Christy, M. P. Murray, and J. A. Titus. 2004. Classification of native vegetation of Oregon. January 2004. Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Portland. 52 pp.
  • Kartesz, J. T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: J. T. Kartesz and C. A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, NC.
  • Kovalchik, B. L. 1987. Riparian zone associations - Deschutes, Ochoco, Fremont, and Winema national forests. Technical Paper 279-87. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR. 171 pp.
  • Kovalchik, B. L. 1993. Riparian plant associations on the national forests of eastern Washington - Draft version 1. USDA Forest Service, Colville National Forest, Colville, WA. 203 pp.
  • Kovalchik, B. L. 2001. Classification and management of aquatic, riparian and wetland sites on the national forests of eastern Washington. Part 1: The series descriptions. 429 pp. plus appendix. [http://www.reo.gov/col/wetland_classification/wetland_classification.pdf]
  • Kunze, L. M. 1994. Preliminary classification of native, low elevation, freshwater wetland vegetation in western Washington. Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program. 120 pp.
  • MTNHP [Montana Natural Heritage Program]. 2002b. List of ecological communities for Montana. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Montana State Library, Helena, MT.
  • McCain, C., and J. A. Christy. 2005. Field guide to riparian plant communities in northwestern Oregon. Technical Paper R6-NR-ECOL-TP-01-05. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland. 357 pp.
  • Padgett, W. G., A. P. Youngblood, and A. H. Winward. 1989. Riparian community type classification of Utah and southeastern Idaho. Research Paper R4-ECOL-89-0. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT.
  • Reid, M. S., S. V. Cooper, and G. Kittel. 2004. Vegetation classification of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. Final report for USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program, International Peace Park Mapping Project. NatureServe, Arlington VA.
  • Sawyer, J. O., T. Keeler-Wolf, and J. Evens. 2009. A manual of California vegetation. Second edition. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento CA. 1300 pp.
  • Smith, S. 1998b. Riparian community type classification for national forests in northeastern California: First approximation. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Berkeley, CA.
  • Titus, J. H., and J. A. Christy. 1996a. Vegetation of Big Marsh, Deschutes National Forest, Oregon. Report to Deschutes National Forest. Oregon Natural Heritage Program, The Nature Conservancy, Portland.
  • WNHP [Washington Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data files. Washington Natural Heritage Program, Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, WA.
  • Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.