Coexisting Sedges in Northern Wisconsin Forests are Functionally Similar and May be Distantly Related in Evolutionary History

Abstract

Organisms coexist either by having similar functional traits that match habitat requirements or by having non-similar traits to reduce competition. A classic study showed that coexisting oak trees in Florida tend to be functionally similar and phylogenetically diverse, meaning certain functional traits associated with habitat filtering evolved. We are investigating whether the hyperdiverse plant genus Carex (sedges) shows similar ecological filtering and convergent evolution.