Slender sedge
Carex lasiocarpa
The slender sedge is a perennial, rhizomatous plant typical of nutrient-poor fens and transitional mires. It is distinguished by its very narrow, canaliculated leaves and its notably densely pubescent (hairy) utricles. This species plays a significant role in the terrestrialization of dystrophic lakes and the formation of quaking bogs.
Details
Oxygen production
Low (primarily via photosynthesis of the emergent parts).
Habitat function
Structural component in terrestrialization zones; nesting substrate for marsh birds and hiding place for amphibians.
Nutrient uptake
Efficient uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus in nutrient-poor systems; sequestration in peat.
Food source for
Caterpillars of various butterfly species, seeds for marsh birds.
Human use
Formerly used occasionally as animal bedding; today primarily significant in nature conservation and mire restoration.
Ecology
Ecological role
Important peat-former in transitional mires; contributes to the stabilization of quaking mats and provides habitat for specialized invertebrates.
Competitor species
Common reed (under eutrophic conditions), various Sphagnum species (competition for space).
Ecosystem service
Carbon sequestration through peat formation, water filtration in mire catchments.
Threats
Drainage of wetlands, nitrogen deposition from agriculture (eutrophication), climate change (drying of habitats).
Scientific profile
Profile
Reproduction
Generative reproduction via seeds (wind pollination) and effective vegetative spread through long, sturdy rhizomes that can form dense stands (sedge fens).
Protection & threats
Main threats
Drainage of bogs, eutrophication due to nitrogen input from agriculture, peat extraction, and succession (scrub encroachment) following abandonment of land use.