Wet meadows are a common focus of wetland restoration efforts, and the species within them often exist within a restricted range of water levels. Unfortunately, many restored wetlands have higher water levels and more open water than naturally occurring reference wetlands, and many are invaded and dominated by species of Typha. Most studies evaluating the optimal water level for plant species use observational methods, yet experimental methods are required to understand the breadth of a species’ niche. We used experimental transplants of Carex pellita, a common wet meadow sedge used in restoration in the interior of the USA, and Typha latifolia, a species of cattail which invades many restored wetlands, to test whether higher water levels in a restored wetland were prohibitive to the target sedge species. Physiological and growth measurements were collected on both species. We found that C. pellita grew as well or better when transplanted into the ponded water levels, while T. latifolia had reduced growth when transplanted into the relatively drier meadow conditions. Interestingly, C. pellita was able to adjust its Turgor Loss Point in response to changing water levels. Only recently the assumption of a constant Turgor Loss Point for each species has been questioned. Our results provide evidence that wet meadow species have a broader hydrologic niche than previously thought, and their ability to make physiological adjustments in response to changing water levels may allow them to thrive in areas with widely varying water levels.

湿草甸是湿地恢复工作的共同重点，并且其中的物种通常存在于有限的水位范围内。不幸的是，许多恢复的湿地比自然发生的参考湿地具有更高的水位和更多的开阔水域，并且许多被香蒲属物种入侵和控制。大多数评估植物物种最佳水位的研究都使用观测方法，但是需要实验方法来了解物种生态位的广度。我们使用了Carex pellita（一种在美国内部进行恢复的常见湿草甸莎草）和香蒲的实验性移植，一种香蒲物种，它入侵许多恢复的湿地，以测试恢复的湿地中较高的水位是否对目标莎草物种不利。收集了两个物种的生理和生长指标。我们发现，下粗皮成长为好或更好，当移植到积水的水平，而T.叶冬青，当移植到相对干燥的草地状况削弱的增长。有趣的是，C。pellita能够根据水位的变化调整其Turgor损失点。仅在最近才对每个物种的恒定turgor损失点的假设提出了质疑。我们的结果提供了证据，证明湿草甸物种比以前认为的具有更广泛的水生生态位，并且它们根据水位变化做出生理调节的能力可能使它们在水位变化很大的地区壮成长。