Wapato
CR

Wapato

Sagittaria latifolia

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagittaria_latifolia

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Wapato faces severe threats from wetland habitat destruction and degradation due to agricultural conversion, urban development, and water management practices that alter natural hydrology. Pollution from agricultural runoff and invasive species competition further compromise remaining populations, while climate change threatens to disrupt the specific water level conditions this species requires for reproduction.

Threat summary

Habitat

Shallow freshwater wetlands, marshes, pond margins, and slow-moving streams with muddy substrates, typically in areas with seasonal water level fluctuations. Also found in ditches, rice fields, and other human-modified aquatic habitats with appropriate water depths.

FRESHWATER· majorTERRESTRIAL· majorFRESHWATER· majorFRESHWATER· majorTERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Alismataceae

Floating Water-plantainVU

Floating Water-plantain

Luronium natans

Unknown
Ribbon-leaved Water-plantainCR

Ribbon-leaved Water-plantain

Alisma gramineum

Unknown
creeping lesser water-plantainEN

creeping lesser water-plantain

Baldellia repens

Unknown
Lesser Water-plantainEN

Lesser Water-plantain

Baldellia ranunculoides

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Wapato classified as Critically Endangered?
Wapato is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Wapato faces severe threats from wetland habitat destruction and degradation due to agricultural conversion, urban development, and water management practices that alter natural hydrology. Pollution from agricultural runoff and invasive species competition further compromise remaining populations, while climate change threatens to disrupt the specific water level conditions this species requires for reproduction.
Where does Wapato live?
Wapato occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Wapato?
The main threats to Wapato are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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