Carex ecostata is essential in maintaining soil stability, water filtration, and biodiversity, and it often thrives in wetland ecosystems. This species occurs mainly in high-altitude regions. This study investigates the structural and functional traits of Rare Mountain Sedge (Carex ecostata) across subtropical and western Himalayan regions of Pakistan. The sample of Carex ecostata was collected at five different altitudes: 1800, 2000 2200, 2400 and 2600 m. Interdisciplinary statistical tests were used to measure the relationship between the structural and functional response of Carex ecostata to the environment and the physico-chemical properties of the soil at different altitudes. Results revealed that Functional traits such as total free amino acid and proline contents in Carex ecostata were the highest noted at 2800 m elevation. The inflorescence length, number of leaves per plant, fresh weight, and dry weight of plants remained constant at 2200 m altitude, demonstrating the exceptional ability of species to survive under extreme frost stress. The analysis showed increased plant height and soil P in Carex ecostata at high-elevation regions (2800 m). the study showed the highest metaxylem area, phloem area, and aerenchyma area at 2600 elevation and the lowest at 2200 m elevation. Carex ecostata showed a maximum sclerenchyma thickness at high altitude. Organic osmolytes such as proline, catalase, and total soluble sugar content were more pronounced at high altitudes, which helped them cope with unfavorable conditions under abiotic stress.

Graphical Abstract

中文翻译：

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稀有山莎草 （Carex Ecostata C.B. Clarke） 对超寒冷环境的适应性响应

Carex ecostata 对于维持土壤稳定性、水过滤和生物多样性至关重要，它通常在湿地生态系统中茁壮成长。该物种主要分布在高海拔地区。本研究调查了巴基斯坦亚热带和喜马拉雅西部地区稀有山莎草 （Carex ecostata） 的结构和功能特征。在五个不同的海拔高度收集了 Carex ecostata 的样品：1800、2000、2200、2400 和 2600 m。采用跨学科统计检验来测量 Carex ecostata 对环境的结构和功能响应与不同海拔土壤的物理化学性质之间的关系。结果表明，苔藓总游离氨基酸和脯氨酸含量等功能性状在海拔 2800 m 时最高。植物的花序长度、每株叶数、鲜重和干重在 2200 m 海拔保持恒定，证明了物种在极端霜冻胁迫下生存的特殊能力。分析显示，高海拔地区 （2800 m） 的 Carex ecostata 的株高和土壤 P 增加。研究表明，后木质部面积、韧皮部面积和通气组织面积在海拔 2600 米处最高，在海拔 2200 米处最低。Carex ecostata 在高海拔地区表现出最大的巩膜厚度。脯氨酸、过氧化氢酶和总可溶性糖含量等有机渗透压在高海拔地区更为明显，这有助于它们应对非生物胁迫下的不利条件。

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