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Bigelow's Sedge

Carex bigelowii Torr. ex Schwein.

Associations

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In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / parasite
sorus of Anthracoidea bigelowii parasitises live ovary of Carex bigelowii

Foodplant / saprobe
apothecium of Hypoderma alpinum is saprobic on dead leaf of Carex bigelowii
Remarks: season: 7

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed, then exposed apothecium of Hysteronaevia olivacea is saprobic on dead leaf of Carex bigelowii
Remarks: season: 6-7

Foodplant / parasite
telium of Puccinia paludosa parasitises live Carex bigelowii
Other: minor host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
erumpent apothecium of Pyrenopeziza fuscescens is saprobic on dead leaf of Carex bigelowii
Remarks: season: 7

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Comments

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Carex bigelowii is a highly variable, circumpolar species complex with four subspecies recognized in Europe (A. O. Chater 1980). The North American populations can be divided into an eastern and a western taxon, which cannot always be distinguished morphologically. They are recognized as two subspecies of a widely ranging complex for this treatment.

Carex bigelowii appears to be closely related to the western montane C. scopulorum; it is distinguished by its narrower leaves and narrower, ellipsoid perigynia. Tall plants of C. bigelowii may be confused with C. aquatilis (especially C. aquatilis var. minor) and can be distinguished by the short bracts, hypostomic leaves, and dull achenes of C. bigelowii. These two taxa have been reported to hybridize (M. G. Duman and S. D. Kryszczuk 1958) and have been artificially hybridized by J. S. Faulkner (1973), who found that these two species were very closely related.

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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 23: 400 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
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Description

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Plants cespitose or not. Culms acutely angled, 10–50 cm, scabrous. Leaves: sheaths of proximal leaves glabrous, fronts lacking spots and veins, apex concave; blades 1.5–4 mm wide. Inflorescences: proximal bract setaceous or foliaceous, shorter than inflorescence, 0.5–3 mm wide. Spikes erect; proximal (1–)2–3 spikes pistillate, 0.7–3 cm × 3–4 mm, base cuneate or attenuate; terminal 1(–2) spikes staminate. Pistillate scales black, equaling or shorter than perigynia, apex obtuse or acute, awnless. Perigynia ascending, green, spotted purple-black or mottled on apical 1/2, veinless, somewhat flattened, tightly enclosing the achenes, ellipsoid, 1.5–3.5 × 0.9–2 mm, dull, apex rounded or acute, papillose; stipe to 0.45 mm; beak 0–0.2(–1) mm. Achenes not constricted, dull.
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cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
copyright
Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 23: 400 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
editor
Flora of North America Editorial Committee
project
eFloras.org
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Distribution

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Arctic and alpine regions of the northern Hemisphere.
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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Annotated Checklist of the Flowering Plants of Nepal Vol. 0 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
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Annotated Checklist of the Flowering Plants of Nepal @ eFloras.org
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K.K. Shrestha, J.R. Press and D.A. Sutton
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Elevation Range

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3820 m
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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Annotated Checklist of the Flowering Plants of Nepal Vol. 0 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Annotated Checklist of the Flowering Plants of Nepal @ eFloras.org
author
K.K. Shrestha, J.R. Press and D.A. Sutton
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Common Names

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Bigelow sedge
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Description

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: adventitious, culm, graminoid

Bigelow sedge is a long-lived perennial, exhibiting a more or less
uniform graminoid growth form [2]. The culms are stiff and arise singly
or in small tufts. They are generally 4 to 16 inches (10-41 cm) high.
The stiff, dark-green basal leaves are 8 to 20 to a culm, with the dried
leaves of the previous year persisting. Flower morphology has been
examined in detail [1,12,16,17].

Bigelow sedge is strongly stoloniferous [16]. Rhizomes are mostly
elongate, so the plant is not tussock-forming. Roots are adventitious
and are produced at the nodes at the base of erect shoots [35]. Rooting
depth is generally to mineral soil [19,33].

In the arctic, distinguishing between Bigelow sedge and water sedge (C.
aquatilis var. aquatilis and var. stans) based on morphological
differentiation is very difficult [35].
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Distribution

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Bigelow sedge is primarily a circumboreal species, occurring from Alaska
to Greenland. The southern extent of its range reaches the alpine
regions of New England and New York [1,12,17,32]. Populations are also
reported at high elevations in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, and
Colorado [8,9,16,18,40].
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Growth Form (according to Raunkiær Life-form classification)

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More info on this topic.

More info for the terms: chamaephyte, geophyte, phanerophyte

Phanerophyte (Nanophanerophyte)
Chamaephyte
Cryptophyte (Geophyte)
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat characteristics

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: bog, lichens, tundra, tussock

Bigelow sedge is found in a wide range of habitats including open rocky
sites [16,31], gravel slopes [16], dry or wet tundra [26,31,37],
solifluction slopes [10,17,37], and subalpine and alpine meadows and
bogs [16,18,24,34]. It occurs at elevations ranging from 6,000 to
12,000 feet (1,818-3,636 m) in the Rocky Mountains [16].

Common associated species include willows (Salix spp.), dwarf arctic
birch (Betula nana), lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), bog blueberry
(V. uliginosum), crowberry (Empetrum nigrum), northern Labrador tea
(Ledum palustre), American green alder (Alnus crispa), cloudberry (Rubus
chamaemorus), alpine bearberry (Arctostaphylos alpina), varileaf
cinquefoil (Potentilla diversifolia), elephanthead lousewort
(Pedicularis groenlandica), white mountain avens (Dryas octopetala),
entire leaf mountain avens (D. integrifolia), alpine timothy (Phleum
alpinum), alpine rush (Juncus alpinus), tussock cottongrass (Eriophorum
vaginatum), polargrass (Arctagrostis latifolia), tufted hairgrass
(Deschampsia caespitosa), bluejoint reedgrass (Calamagrostis
canadensis), other sedges (Carex spp.), feathermosses (Hylocomium and
Aulacomium spp.), lichens (Cladonia and Cladina spp.), and sphagnum
mosses.
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat: Cover Types

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More info on this topic.

This species is known to occur in association with the following cover types (as classified by the Society of American Foresters):

5 Balsam fir
12 Black spruce
13 Black spruce - tamarack
16 Aspen
18 Paper birch
38 Tamarack
107 White spruce
201 White spruce
202 White spruce - paper birch
203 Balsam poplar
204 Black spruce
206 Engelmann spruce - subalpine fir
217 Aspen
251 White spruce - aspen
252 Paper birch
253 Black spruce - white spruce
254 Black spruce - paper birch
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat: Ecosystem

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This species is known to occur in the following ecosystem types (as named by the U.S. Forest Service in their Forest and Range Ecosystem [FRES] Type classification):

FRES11 Spruce - fir
FRES19 Aspen - birch
FRES23 Fir - spruce
FRES28 Western hardwoods
FRES37 Mountain meadows
FRES41 Wet grasslands
FRES44 Alpine
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat: Plant Associations

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This species is known to occur in association with the following plant community types (as classified by Küchler 1964):

More info for the terms: bog, forest

K015 Western spruce - fir forest
K052 Alpine meadows and barrens
K094 Conifer bog
K096 Northeastern spruce - fir forest
K108 Northern hardwoods - spruce forest
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Immediate Effect of Fire

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Fire generally top-kills Bigelow sedge. High-severity fires may also
kill belowground vegetative portions.
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Importance to Livestock and Wildlife

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Bigelow sedge usually does not occur in enough abundance to be
considered an important forage plant [16]. Sheep and caribou, however,
are known to graze it, primarily in the spring and early summer [19].
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Key Plant Community Associations

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More info for the term: tundra

Throughout its range, Bigelow sedge generally occurs as scattered
individuals. It may occasionally dominate or codominate in tundra
regions, shrublands, or in sedge meadows. A published classification
listing Bigelow sedge as a major component of plant associations (pas)
is as follows:

AREA CLASSIFICATION AUTHORITY

AK gen. veg. pas Viereck & Dyrness 1980
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Life Form

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term: graminoid

Graminoid
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Management considerations

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: density, natural, seed, tundra, tussock

Bigelow sedge generally increases in response to grazing. Shoot density
on grazed sites in Iceland was two times higher than on adjacent
ungrazed sites. Growth of the tillers may have been stimulated by
increased nutrient availability, and trampling may have killed apical
meristems, allowing for increased lateral expansion [19].

Bigelow sedge seeds are buried in soil organic layers. Stockpiling and
reutilizing the organic matter after man-made disturbances may be a
useful method of restoring natural communities in arctic tussock tundra
[15]. Seeding of natural or exotic grasses on disturbed tundra sites
may inhibit the growth of Bigelow sedge from the seed bank [6].
license
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Nutritional Value

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: tundra, tussock

Wein and Bliss [39] found the following plant tissue nutrient
concentrations on burned and unburned arctic tussock tundra sites:

Macronutrients (% dry weight) Micronutrients (ppm)
--------------------------------- ------------------------
N P K Ca Mg Na Fe Mn
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Burned 2.14 0.18 1.32 0.36 0.11 31.3 130.0 863.3
Unburned 1.66 0.13 1.51 0.36 0.15 27.0 217.0 775.7
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Occurrence in North America

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
AK CO CT ID ME MA MT NH NY UT
VT WY AB BC LB MB NB NF NT NS
ON PQ SK YT
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Palatability

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Palatability of Bigelow sedge is excellent early in the growing season
and fair late in the summer [16].
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Phenology

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More info on this topic.

Bigelow sedge flowers from July to September depending on location
[12,27,32].
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Plant Response to Fire

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: cover, density, frequency, high-severity fire, seed, shrub, tundra

Bigelow sedge generally recovers well following fire by sprouting or
seedling establishment. After tundra fires in northwestern Canada,
large numbers of seedlings became established within 2 years and formed
a continuous layer within 6 years. Recovery was due to increased
vegetative sprouting and seed germination followed by tillering [29].
Bigelow sedge became one of the most common plants on burned sites in
the growing season following a July fire on sedge tussock-shrub tundra
near Seward Peninsula, Alaska. Frequency in burned sites was 63
percent, but only 17 percent in unburned sites [41]. The following
densities [shoots per sq foot (shoots/ sq m)] and frequency (f) and
cover (c) percentages were obtained following a moderate- to
high-severity fire in a birch shrub community near Seward Peninsula,
Alaska [28]:

Prefire Postfire yr. 1 Postfire yr. 2
f c f c density f c density
--------------------------------------------------------------
Adults 10 10 0 0 0 (0) 5 1 1.2 (13)
Seedlings -- -- 10 1 1.2 (19) 10 3 2.3 (25)
Tillers -- -- 0 0 0 (0) 10 4 9.3 (100)

Chapin [7] found that Bigelow sedge leaf nitrogen and phosphorous
concentrations increased by 29 percent and 38 percent, respectively,
within 12 months following fire.
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Post-fire Regeneration

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: ground residual colonizer, herb, rhizome, tundra

Rhizomatous herb, rhizome in soil
Ground residual colonizer (on-site, initial community)
Initial-offsite colonizer (off-site, initial community)


FIRE REGIMES:
Additional information on Bigelow sedge fire ecology has become available since this review was
written. See the FEIS review on FIRE REGIMES in Alaskan tundra communities.
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Regeneration Processes

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: competition, ramet, seed, tiller

Bigelow sedge reproduces predominantly by vegetative means, forming
extensive clones of interconnected rhizomes [5]. Aboveground portions
of tillers may live up to 4 years, after which the rhizomes continue to
grow and remain active, persisting for 12 years or longer [2,5]. Growth
of the plant results in directional clones; tillers exploit new space by
producing long rhizomes with an indefinte numbers of elongated
internodes [5,35]. Competition between tillers of the same clone is
reduced in this way, which may be important in arctic areas where
nutrient levels can be extremely low. Growth of a ramet is dependent on
the age of the parent tiller at the time the ramet is initiated. Clonal
plants such as Bigelow sedge that have persistant connections between
ramets generally have very low mortality rates in the youngest age
classes. However, young Bigelow sedge tillers may have a high mortality
rate when compared to other clonal species [5].

Bigelow sedge also reproduces sexually, producing at least some viable
seed [5]. Shoots flower after 2 years of age and are wind pollinated
[35]. Well-developed dormancy mechanisms allow for the incorporation of
Bigelow sedge seed into the buried seed pool [15]. Seeds buried up to
200 years may germinate, but seedlings of younger seeds (buried 1 to 20
years) are more vigorous [37]. Seedling recruitment after disturbance
is 8 to 12 times higher on organic soil than on mineral soil [15].
license
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Regional Distribution in the Western United States

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This species can be found in the following regions of the western United States (according to the Bureau of Land Management classification of Physiographic Regions of the western United States):

8 Northern Rocky Mountains
9 Middle Rocky Mountains
11 Southern Rocky Mountains
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Successional Status

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More info on this topic.

More info for the terms: climax, seed, tundra

Facultative Seral Species

Bigelow sedge colonizes disturbed sites through seed stored in the soil
[15]. It may also persist throughout successional stages and can be
present in climax tundra or meadow vegetation [38].
license
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Synonyms

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Carex consimilis Holm
Carex rigida Good
Carex concolor Mack
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Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Taxonomy

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
The currently accepted scientific name of Bigelow sedge is Carex
bigelowii Torr., in the section Acutae of the family Cyperaceae
[1,12,16,20,32]. Two subspecies are recognized: C. b. ssp. bigelowii
and C. b. spp. hyperborea (Drej.) Bocher [17,20].

Bigelow sedge hybridizes with C. lugens and water sedge (C. aquatilis
var. stans) [37].
license
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Value for rehabilitation of disturbed sites

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: natural, presence, rhizome, seed, tundra, tussock

Bigelow sedge has shown good potential for use in revegetation programs,
particularily in northern regions. In the western Canadian arctic,
growth of Bigelow sedge occurred within 2 months on sites damaged by
crude oil spills [4]. It has also been locally successful at naturally
colonizing borrow pits along the Dempster Highway in northwestern Canada
[21], and is present on sites that are moderately affected by natural
sulfur pollution in the Smoking Hills, Canada [13]. The presence of
Bigelow sedge seed in soil banks allowed for natural revegetation of
bulldozed sites in Alaskan tussock tundra [15]. Bigelow sedge also
appears to be highly resistant to trampling in alpine regions of the
Adirondacks [22]. The extensive, interconnected rhizome system formed
by Bigelow sedge may help to prevent soil erosion.
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bibliographic citation
Matthews, Robin F. 1992. Carex bigelowii. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Carex bigelowii

provided by wikipedia EN

Carex bigelowii is a species of sedge known by the common names Bigelow's sedge,[2] Gwanmo sedge,[3] and stiff sedge.[4] It has an Arctic–alpine distribution in Eurasia and North America, and grows up to 50 centimetres (20 in) tall in a variety of habitats.

Distribution

Carex bigelowii has a circumpolar[5] or circumboreal distribution,[6] occurring throughout the northern latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. It is present in Europe, Asia and North America, where it occurs from Alaska to Greenland,[7][8] and in alpine climates as far south as Utah and Colorado.[6]

Description

Carex bigelowii produces 3-angled stems up to 50 centimetres (1.6 ft) tall, growing in a tuft or singly. The leaves are stiff and dark green, and the leaves of previous seasons may remain on the plant. The inflorescence is accompanied by a short bract. The inflorescence has 1–3 black pistillate spikes under 1–2 staminate spikes.[5] The plant usually reproduces vegetatively, sprouting tillers from its rhizome. It also spreads via stolons.[6] It has a thick root network that allows it to form a turf, and the roots may grow 80 cm (2.6 ft) deep in the soil.[9] The plant sometimes reproduces sexually, producing seeds, which can remain viable for 200 years.[6]

Ecology

Carex bigelowii grows in many types of Arctic and alpine habitat. It occurs in forest, bog, meadows and tundra. It occurs alongside plants such as willows (Salix spp.), dwarf arctic birch (Betula nana), lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), bog blueberry (V. uliginosum), crowberry (Empetrum nigrum), northern Labrador tea (Ledum palustre), American green alder (Alnus crispa), cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus), alpine bearberry (Arctostaphylos alpina), varileaf cinquefoil (Potentilla diversifolia), elephanthead lousewort (Pedicularis groenlandica), white mountain avens (Dryas octopetala), entireleaf mountain avens (D. integrifolia), alpine timothy (Phleum alpinum), alpine rush (Juncus alpinoarticulatus) and tussock cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum), as well as feathermosses (Hylocomium and Aulacomium spp.), lichens (Cladonia and Cladina spp.), and sphagnum mosses.[6] In Scotland, particularly on Glas Maol, this sedge is codominant with the moss Racomitrium lanuginosum in a heath ecosystem, the British NVC community U10.[10] The sedge is also associated with this moss on lava fields in Iceland.[11]

Carex bigelowii can colonize disturbed habitat. It has been noted to grow at oil spill sites within two months of the disturbance, and it grows alongside the Dempster Highway in northwestern Canada. Its long-lasting soil seed bank allows it to sprout after the soil is disturbed, and the rhizomes may prevent erosion.[6]

References

  1. ^ = Carex+bigelowii "Carex bigelowii - Torr. ex Schwein". NatureServe Explorer. NatureServe. July 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  2. ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Carex bigelowii". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  3. ^ Lee, Sangtae; Chang, Kae Sun, eds. (2015). English Names for Korean Native Plants (PDF). Pocheon: Korea National Arboretum. p. 389. ISBN 978-89-97450-98-5. Retrieved 12 March 2019 – via Korea Forest Service.
  4. ^ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  5. ^ a b Peter W. Ball; A. A. Reznicek (2003). "Carex bigelowii Torrey ex Schweinitz". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Cyperaceae. Flora of North America. Vol. 23. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195152074.
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  11. ^ B. Olle Jonsson; Ingibjörg S. Jónsdóttir; Nils Cronberg (1996). "Clonal Diversity and allozyme variation in populations of the Arctic sedge Carex bigelowii (Cyperaceae)". Journal of Ecology. 84 (3): 449–459. doi:10.2307/2261206. JSTOR 2261206.
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Carex bigelowii: Brief Summary

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Carex bigelowii is a species of sedge known by the common names Bigelow's sedge, Gwanmo sedge, and stiff sedge. It has an Arctic–alpine distribution in Eurasia and North America, and grows up to 50 centimetres (20 in) tall in a variety of habitats.

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