arctic woodrush
Luzula nivalis
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) Илья Руденко, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Илья Руденко
Overview
Luzula nivalis, commonly known as arctic wood-rush or less commonly as snowy wood-rush, is a species of perennial rush native to the North American Arctic and Northern Europe. It was described by Polunin (1940) as one of the most abundant, ubiquitous, and ecologically important of all arctic plants.
Arctic woodrush faces severe threats from climate change, as rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns degrade its specialized high-altitude and arctic habitats. The species' extremely limited distribution and small population sizes make it particularly vulnerable to habitat loss and fragmentation from human activities and environmental changes.
Habitat
Luzula nivalis has an arctic-alpine circumpolar distribution, as L. nivalis is an alpine plant which grows in the arctic regions of the northern hemisphere.
Luzula nivalis has been found in a wide range of mainly moist habitats and substrates, including wet meadows, snow patches, seepages, along the margins of ponds, marshes, streams (and other water bodies) as well as tundra, slopes and ridges....
Other threatened species in Juncaceae
Frequently asked questions
Why is arctic woodrush classified as Endangered?
Where does arctic woodrush live?
What are the main threats to arctic woodrush?
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