Distichia muscoides is a species of plant in the rush family Juncaceae. It is native to the Andes of South America where it grows in upland wetland areas known as bofedales.
D. muscoides is a cushion plant, forming sheets or clumps of short, densely-packed, evergreen stems and leaves forming a firm, relatively flat surface; the individual shoots and leaves are only a few millimetres long and grow throughout the year. In favourable locations, growth can be as much as 5 cm (2 in) a year.[2]
Distribution and habitatedit
D. muscoides is found at high altitudes in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and northwestern Argentina.[3] It forms large cushions in the tropical Andes, dominating the flora of the high level, peat-accumulating uplands, locally known as "bofedales". These areas have high water tables and thick layers of peat up to about 5 m (16 ft) thick.[2]
Ecologyedit
In the Colombia mountain ranges, D. muscoides forms an important constituent of the cushion bog, in association with Plantago rigida and Oreobolus cleefii.[4] In the tropical Cordillera in Peru, the upland wetland areas are called bofedales; the peatlands have cushions of Distichia muscoides with mosses, including Sphagnum, Vaccinium floribundum, Puya, and Loricaria ferruginea. Other plant communities in the bofedales include peaty meadows with grasses, mosses (but not Sphagnum), sedges, rushes and woodrushes, and streamside grassland consisting mainly of Plantago tubulosa and Werneria pygmaea.[5]
The bofedales provide grazing for guanacos, vicuñas, white-tailed deer, taruca and viscacha, are visited by ducks, the Andean goose and other birds, and provide habitat for various rodents, the Andean fox and the pampas cat.[5] Because D. muscoides is evergreen, it provides important all-year-round grazing for domestic llamas and alpacas, as well as introduced sheep and cattle. However, the climate is becoming drier and warmer in the High Andes, the glaciers that provide meltwater to the bofedales are shrinking, the water table is becoming lower for long periods, precipitation is decreasing, and grazing pressure is high. These climatic conditions are likely to be unfavourable for D. muscoides, with the bofedales dwindling in some areas, becoming converted into puna grasslands, dominated by coarse bunch grasses which are much less nutritious for livestock.[2]
Referencesedit
Wikispecies has information related to Distichia muscoides.
^ ab"Distichia muscoides Nees & Meyen". The Plant List. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ abcCooper, David J.; Kaczynski, Kristen; Slayback, Daniel; Yager, Karina (2015). "Growth and Organic Carbon Production in Peatlands Dominated by Distichia muscoides, Bolivia, South America". Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research. 47 (3): 505–510. doi:10.1657/AAAR0014-060. S2CID 140755862.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^"Distichia muscoides Nees & Meyen". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^Bosnian, A.F.; Van Der Molen, P.C.; Young, R.; Cleef, A.M. (1993). "Ecology of a paramo cushion mire". Journal of Vegetation Science. 4 (5): 633–640. doi:10.2307/3236128. JSTOR 3236128.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ abMaldonado Fonkén, M.S. (2014). "An introduction to the bofedales of the Peruvian High Andes". Mires and Peat. 15 (5). ISSN 1819-754X.
External linksedit
Why Peru is reviving a pre-Incan technology for water – BBC
December 15, 2023
distichia, muscoides, species, plant, rush, family, juncaceae, native, andes, south, america, where, grows, upland, wetland, areas, known, bofedales, nevados, national, natural, park, colombia, november, 2018scientific, classificationkingdom, plantaeclade, tra. Distichia muscoides is a species of plant in the rush family Juncaceae It is native to the Andes of South America where it grows in upland wetland areas known as bofedales Distichia muscoidesIn Los Nevados National Natural Park Colombia November 2018Scientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade MonocotsClade CommelinidsOrder PoalesFamily JuncaceaeGenus DistichiaSpecies D muscoidesBinomial nameDistichia muscoidesNees amp Meyen 1 Synonyms 1 Agapatea peruvianaSteud Distichia tolimensis Decne Buchenau Gaimardia bolivianaPax Goudotia tolimensisDecne Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Ecology 4 References 5 External linksDescription edit nbsp Close upD muscoides is a cushion plant forming sheets or clumps of short densely packed evergreen stems and leaves forming a firm relatively flat surface the individual shoots and leaves are only a few millimetres long and grow throughout the year In favourable locations growth can be as much as 5 cm 2 in a year 2 Distribution and habitat editD muscoides is found at high altitudes in Colombia Ecuador Peru Bolivia and northwestern Argentina 3 It forms large cushions in the tropical Andes dominating the flora of the high level peat accumulating uplands locally known as bofedales These areas have high water tables and thick layers of peat up to about 5 m 16 ft thick 2 Ecology editIn the Colombia mountain ranges D muscoides forms an important constituent of the cushion bog in association with Plantago rigida and Oreobolus cleefii 4 In the tropical Cordillera in Peru the upland wetland areas are called bofedales the peatlands have cushions of Distichia muscoides with mosses including Sphagnum Vaccinium floribundum Puya and Loricaria ferruginea Other plant communities in the bofedales include peaty meadows with grasses mosses but not Sphagnum sedges rushes and woodrushes and streamside grassland consisting mainly of Plantago tubulosa and Werneria pygmaea 5 The bofedales provide grazing for guanacos vicunas white tailed deer taruca and viscacha are visited by ducks the Andean goose and other birds and provide habitat for various rodents the Andean fox and the pampas cat 5 Because D muscoides is evergreen it provides important all year round grazing for domestic llamas and alpacas as well as introduced sheep and cattle However the climate is becoming drier and warmer in the High Andes the glaciers that provide meltwater to the bofedales are shrinking the water table is becoming lower for long periods precipitation is decreasing and grazing pressure is high These climatic conditions are likely to be unfavourable for D muscoides with the bofedales dwindling in some areas becoming converted into puna grasslands dominated by coarse bunch grasses which are much less nutritious for livestock 2 References edit nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Distichia muscoides a b Distichia muscoides Nees amp Meyen The Plant List Retrieved 23 January 2021 a b c Cooper David J Kaczynski Kristen Slayback Daniel Yager Karina 2015 Growth and Organic Carbon Production in Peatlands Dominated by Distichia muscoides Bolivia South America Arctic Antarctic and Alpine Research 47 3 505 510 doi 10 1657 AAAR0014 060 S2CID 140755862 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Distichia muscoides Nees amp Meyen Plants of the World Online Retrieved 23 January 2021 Bosnian A F Van Der Molen P C Young R Cleef A M 1993 Ecology of a paramo cushion mire Journal of Vegetation Science 4 5 633 640 doi 10 2307 3236128 JSTOR 3236128 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link a b Maldonado Fonken M S 2014 An introduction to the bofedales of the Peruvian High Andes Mires and Peat 15 5 ISSN 1819 754X External links editWhy Peru is reviving a pre Incan technology for water BBC Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Distichia muscoides amp oldid 1189715777, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
