Name:
Carex limosa - Rhynchospora alba / Sphagnum pulchrum - Odontoschisma sp. Fen
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This sedge - bryophyte association occurs with other peatland vegetation types as part of acidic fens from northern New England into adjacent Canada. It occurs in the very wet (and unstable) portions of the peatlands, but not in raised portions and rarely adjacent to open water. In raised peatlands, it may occupy the weakly minerotrophic margin around the raised portions. In most cases, it forms soggy lawns or mud-bottoms, sometimes with a network of small pools; in acidic patterned fens it may form the flarks. The saturated peat substrate is typically in the pH 4.0-5.0 range. The community is dominated by a continuous layer of bryophytes with variable cover of sedges (often over 40% cover, but <25% cover in places). Low heath shrubs may be scattered; tall shrubs and trees are absent. Dwarf-shrubs include small individuals of <i>Andromeda polifolia var. glaucophylla</i> and <i>Chamaedaphne calyculata</i>, often with <i>Vaccinium oxycoccos</i>. Other bog ericads may rarely occur. <i>Rhynchospora alba</i> is a prominent sedge, and <i>Carex limosa, Menyanthes trifoliata</i>, and <i>Scheuchzeria palustris</i> are characteristic. <i>Carex oligosperma</i> may be codominant at some sites. Other frequent species include <i>Carex canescens, Drosera intermedia, Drosera rotundifolia, Eriophorum virginicum, Sarracenia purpurea, Solidago uliginosa</i>, and <i>Utricularia cornuta</i>. Typical bryophytes are <i>Odontoschisma fluitans, Sphagnum cuspidatum, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum majus, Sphagnum papillosum</i>, and <i>Sphagnum pulchrum</i>. This association is distinguished by the bryophyte - sedge dominance, by <i>Odontoschisma</i> or <i>Sphagnum cuspidatum</i> in the bryophyte layer, and by the lack of circumneutral or calcareous indicators. The floristically similar ~<i>Sphagnum (cuspidatum, torreyanum) - Vaccinium macrocarpon</i> Fen (CEGL006394)$$ typically has <i>Sphagnum</i> rather than <i>Odontoschisma</i> dominance, and less than 25% cover of vascular plants.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:35152-{7C1F4713-70A7-42C9-A629-077AE76AC91D}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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