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| Thinleaf cottonsedge near Foot Lake, British Columbia. Photos courtesy of Curtis Bjork. | ||||
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| Map courtesy of USDA, NRCS. 2013. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC. (2013, August 1). |
Thinleaf cottonsedge grows in strongly acid to moderately alkaline wetlands (pH from 5.3-8.0) [9,19,34]. In central Alberta, it was present only in strongly minerotrophic peatlands, which were pH neutral to mildly alkaline and calcium rich [25]. On the Flathead National Forest, Montana, thinleaf cottonsedge occurred in highly calcareous fens [8]. In New England, it prefers limy soils [25,47]. In 8 peatland types on Duck Mountain, Manitoba, thinleaf cottonsedge was most common in open shore, moderate-rich fens where peat was approximately 4 to 9 feet (1-3 m) deep. Indicator plants of this community were Blandow's helodium moss (Helodium blandowii), boreal bog sedge (C. magellanica), and purple marshlocks (Comarum palustre) [34].
Some authors noted thinleaf cottonsedge's preference for areas with high light, such as open areas and clearings [12,34,51].
Throughout its range, thinleaf cottonsedge occurs from 0 to 6,600 feet (2,000 m) [14,19,27,36]. In the Pacific Northwest [22], British Columbia [27], Montana [44], and Wyoming [10], it typically occurs in montane and alpine zones. In British Columbia, it occurred on slopes ranging from 0% to 55%, but it typically occurred on shallow slopes (mean: 2.3%) [27].
PLANT COMMUNITIES:| Seasonal development: | |
| Location | Dates |
| Illinois | flowers: May-August [38] |
| New England | flowers: May-August [18] or June-August [35]; fully developed bristles: 12 June-13 August but as late as 7 September [47] |
| Pacific Northwest | flowers: June-July [22] |
| Throughout | flowers: late May-August [13] |
Regeneration:
No information was available on this topic for thinleaf cottonsedge. Thinleaf cottonsedge likely reproduces both by seed and vegetatively by rhizomes. The perianth bristles of Eriophorum spp. often aid in dispersal by wind and probably water (e.g., [32,40,41,53]), so thinleaf cottonsedge seeds have the potential for short- or long-distance dispersal via wind and water. No information was available regarding thinleaf cottonsedge seeds in seed banks. Tussock cottongrass (E. vaginatum) seeds are often abundant in seed banks and may remain viable for long periods [15,37], which may also be true of thinleaf cottonsedge seeds.
FIRE ECOLOGY:
Postfire regeneration strategy [48]:
Rhizomatous herb, rhizome in soil
Geophyte, growing points deep in soil
Ground residual colonizer (on site, initial community)
Initial off-site colonizer (off site, initial community)
Secondary colonizer (on- or off-site seed sources)
FIRE REGIMES :
Find fire regime information for the plant communities in which this
species may occur by entering the species name in the FEIS home page under
"Find Fire Regimes".
Fire adaptations and plant response to fire:
Fire adaptations:
As of this writing (2013), no information was available in the published literature regarding the immediate effects of fire on thinleaf cottonsedge plants or seeds. Thinleaf cottonsedge is likely top-killed by fire; belowground reproductive structures likely survive.
Thinleaf cottonsedge exhibits some characteristics that probably allow it to survive or establish after fire. It has rhizomes, so it seems likely that rhizomes below the soil sprout after fire. The seeds have potential for short- to long-distance dispersal via wind and water. It is unclear whether thinleaf cottonsedge establishes from the seed bank after fire, and it is unclear whether its seed would survive fire. If thinleaf cottonsedge is similar to tussock cottongrass, then it is likely to establish from both on- and off-site seed sources after fire. See the FEIS review of tussock cottongrass for more information.
Plant response to fire: A couple of studies documented thinleaf cottonsedge occurring in areas burned by fire [16,20], but to date (2013), a lack of details about fire characteristics, pre- and postfire vegetation, and thinleaf cottonsedge response limit inferences that can be made from these studies. The limited information available suggests that thinleaf cottonsedge may be common in postfire seral communities, so fire may facilitate thinleaf cottonsedge establishment and/or spread. However, it is not clear whether thinleaf cottonsedge increases after fire. Gates [16] described an early postfire seral stage of the leatherleaf-spruce (Chamaedaphne calyculata-Picea spp.) association as the thinleaf cottonsedge stage. This stage occurred during at least the 2nd postfire year after a severe wildfire in Mud Lake Bog in northern, lower Michigan [16]. In Itasca County, Minnesota, the herbaceous stage of the "spruce swamp burn succession" was characterized as a thinleaf cottonsedge-arctic cottongrass-fireweed (E. callitrix-Chamerion angustifolium) association. However, the author stated that this stage was not very "pronounced" and was succeeded "very rapidly" by the leatherleaf-bog Labrador tea (Ledum groenlandicum) shrub stage. The shrub stage was then followed by the black spruce-tamarack-northern whitecedar swamp stage [20]. This suggested that thinleaf cottonsedge might not dominate very long as postfire succession proceeds. However, thinleaf cottonsedge occurred in a tamarack swamp 25 years after fire in Cheboygan County, Michigan [11]. No information was available on thinleaf cottonsedge density or cover.
Thinleaf cottonsedge may benefit from fire that opens the canopy. In Crystal Fen, northeastern Maine, a railroad was constructed through the fen complex in 1893, and fire frequency in the fen was increased by cinder-producing steam locomotives. "Few if any" fires occurred during the 100 years prior to railroad construction. A drainage ditch was excavated in 1937, 44 years later, that lowered the water table. When the steam locomotives were replaced by oil-burning engines around 1950, a major source of ignition at the site was removed and fire frequency was reduced. Aerial photos during 43 years (1938-1981) indicated that open areas of the fen were reduced by half. The number of shrubs and trees, especially conifers, increased on the fen, particularly since fire frequency was reduced. In 1981, thinleaf cottonsedge was most common at the ecotone between the open and recently closed portions of the fen [24]. Thus, thinleaf cottonsedge likely decreased as fire frequency decreased and trees and shrubs encroached into the fen.
Fuels: As of this writing (2013), no information was available regarding the fuel characteristics of thinleaf cottonsedge.
Fire regimes: Thinleaf cottonsedge occurs in wetland communities, which may have short to long fire-return intervals. The Fire Regime Table summarizes characteristics of fire regimes for vegetation communities in which thinleaf cottonsedge may occur. Find further fire regime information for the plant communities in which this species may occur by entering the species name in the FEIS home page under "Find Fire Regimes"..
LEGAL STATUS AND MANAGEMENT:| Fire regime information on vegetation communities in which thinleaf cottonsedge may occur. This information is taken from the LANDFIRE Rapid Assessment Vegetation Models [30], which were developed by local experts using available literature, local data, and/or expert opinion. This table summarizes fire regime characteristics for each plant community listed. The PDF file linked from each plant community name describes the model and synthesizes the knowledge available on vegetation composition, structure, and dynamics in that community. Cells are blank where information is not available in the Rapid Assessment Vegetation Model. | |||||||||||
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| Pacific Northwest | |||||||||||
| Vegetation Community (Potential Natural Vegetation Group) | Fire severity* | Fire regime characteristics | |||||||||
| Percent of fires | Mean interval (years) |
Minimum interval (years) |
Maximum interval (years) |
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| Pacific Northwest Grassland | |||||||||||
| Marsh | Replacement | 74% | 7 | ||||||||
| Mixed | 26% | 20 | |||||||||
| Northern and Central Rockies | |||||||||||
| Vegetation Community (Potential Natural Vegetation Group) | Fire severity* | Fire regime characteristics | |||||||||
| Percent of fires | Mean interval (years) |
Minimum interval (years) |
Maximum interval (years) |
||||||||
| Northern and Central Rockies Shrubland | |||||||||||
| Riparian (Wyoming) | Mixed | 100% | 100 | 25 | 500 | ||||||
| Northern Great Plains | |||||||||||
| Vegetation Community (Potential Natural Vegetation Group) | Fire severity* | Fire regime characteristics | |||||||||
| Percent of fires | Mean interval (years) |
Minimum interval (years) |
Maximum interval (years) |
||||||||
| Northern Plains Woodland | |||||||||||
| Great Plains floodplain | Replacement | 100% | 500 | ||||||||
| Northern Great Plains wooded draws and ravines | Replacement | 38% | 45 | 30 | 100 | ||||||
| Mixed | 18% | 94 | |||||||||
| Surface or low | 43% | 40 | 10 | ||||||||
| Great Lakes | |||||||||||
| Vegetation Community (Potential Natural Vegetation Group) | Fire severity* | Fire regime characteristics | |||||||||
| Percent of fires | Mean interval (years) |
Minimum interval (years) |
Maximum interval (years) |
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| Great Lakes Forested | |||||||||||
| Conifer lowland (embedded in fire-prone ecosystem) | Replacement | 45% | 120 | 90 | 220 | ||||||
| Mixed | 55% | 100 | |||||||||
| Conifer lowland (embedded in fire-resistant ecosystem) | Replacement | 36% | 540 | 220 | >1,000 | ||||||
| Mixed | 64% | 300 | |||||||||
| Great Lakes floodplain forest | Mixed | 7% | 833 | ||||||||
| Surface or low | 93% | 61 | |||||||||
| Northeast | |||||||||||
| Vegetation Community (Potential Natural Vegetation Group) | Fire severity* | Fire regime characteristics | |||||||||
| Percent of fires | Mean interval (years) |
Minimum interval (years) |
Maximum interval (years) |
||||||||
| Northeast Grassland | |||||||||||
| Northern coastal marsh | Replacement | 97% | 7 | 2 | 50 | ||||||
| Mixed | 3% | 265 | 20 | ||||||||
| *Fire Severities— Replacement: Any fire that causes greater than 75% top removal of a vegetation-fuel type, resulting in general replacement of existing vegetation; may or may not cause a lethal effect on the plants. Mixed: Any fire burning more than 5% of an area that does not qualify as a replacement, surface, or low-severity fire; includes mosaic and other fires that are intermediate in effects. Surface or low: Any fire that causes less than 25% upper layer replacement and/or removal in a vegetation-fuel class but burns 5% or more of the area [4,29]. |
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