How do sedges contribute to wetland primary productivity?

Sedges (family Cyperaceae) are of crucial importance to primary productivity because they serve as significant, and often dominant, components of many wetland ecosystems throughout the world, in both tropical and temperate regions.1

By forming extensive stands and marshes—such as the vast papyrus marshes of Africa or the peatlands of the Northern Hemisphere—sedges contribute substantially to the biomass and energy production of these environments. Beyond their role in primary productivity, they support the broader ecosystem by providing food for many aquatic and amphibious animals through their fruits, shoots, and tubers, while also offering critical cover for wetland wildlife. Furthermore, their presence influences the hydrologic cycle through processes like transpiration and evaporation, and they play a major role in wetland succession by acting as early colonizers on bare soil.1