Cladium mariscus Phenotypes are driven by Management but Influence Vegetation Dynamics in Northern France Alkaline Fens

Cladium mariscus Phenotypes are driven by Management but Influence Vegetation Dynamics in Northern France Alkaline Fens | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Cladium mariscus Phenotypes are driven by Management but Influence Vegetation Dynamics in Northern France Alkaline Fens Adrien BERQUER, Raphaël Coulombel This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8646833/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Large peatland areas throughout the world have been degraded, contributed to climate change, biodiversity crisis and ecosystem services no longer provided. Their restoration and long-term conservation remain challenging due to anthropogenic pressures and environmental variability. This study investigates the phenotypic plasticity and vegetation dynamics of C. mariscus populations across four restored alkaline fens in Northern France. Field surveys conducted in 2021 and 2024 assessed morphological traits, species composition, and environmental variables such as moisture and trophic conditions. The results reveal two distinct phenotypic strategies: a competitive strategy characterized by dense vegetation, thick litter layers, and low flowering rates in mature stands, and a colonizer strategy marked by higher flowering rates and lower density in disturbed or younger sites. Vegetation surveys further highlight how water level fluctuations, nutrient availability, and management practices influence community composition and habitat conservation status. These findings underscore the importance of adaptive management strategies that balance biodiversity conservation with the ecological requirements of C. mariscus populations. The study contributes to a broader understanding of phenotypic plasticity in a dominant wetland species and provides actionable insights for the restoration and management of alkaline fens in the context of climate change and eutrophication. Alkaline fens Cladium mariscus Phenotypic plasticity Vegetation dynamics Adaptive management Full Text Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 31 Jan, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 21 Jan, 2026 Editor invited by journal 21 Jan, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 21 Jan, 2026 First submitted to journal 19 Jan, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8646833","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":578342645,"identity":"37324a8d-af84-4719-b2bc-e175a3ab6c77","order_by":0,"name":"Adrien 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