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Carex aquatilis - Carex lasiocarpa - Sphagnum spp. Rocky Mountain Acidic Fen Group | NatureServe Biotics 2019
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Name: Carex aquatilis - Carex lasiocarpa - Sphagnum spp. Rocky Mountain Acidic Fen Group
Reference: NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description: This group occurs infrequently throughout the Rocky Mountains from Colorado north into Canada. Fens usually occur as a mosaic of several plant associations dominated by <i>Carex aquatilis, Carex livida, Carex lasiocarpa, Carex limosa, Dulichium arundinaceum, Ledum glandulosum</i>, and <i>Trichophorum cespitosum</i>. The surrounding landscape may be ringed with other wetland systems, e.g., riparian shrublands, or a variety of upland systems from grasslands to forests. This group is confined to specific environments defined by groundwater discharge, soil chemistry, and peat accumulation of at least 40 cm. Fens form at low points in the landscape or on slopes where groundwater intercepts the soil surface. Groundwater inflows maintain a fairly constant water level year-round, with water at or near the surface most of the time. Acidic fens are restricted to areas where bedrock is noncalcareous (e.g., sandstone, basalt, quartzite, granite). Constant high water levels and cold winter temperatures lead to accumulation of organic material. In addition to peat accumulation and perennially saturated soils, soil chemistry is acidic and nutrients are low. Iron fens are the exception where the pH is low (acidic) but nutrients are high. 
Accession Code: urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:40200-{E8C960FC-20AB-4987-9776-F0C44B7A12A5}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 23-Nov-2015 to: ongoing
      Names:   UID: ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.856688 NatureServe ExplorerNatureServe Explorer logo
  Code: G515
  Scientific: Carex aquatilis - Carex lasiocarpa - Sphagnum spp. Rocky Mountain Acidic Fen Group