Ecological Functioning and Environmental Applications of Schoenoplectus californicus in Freshwater Wetlands: A Review

Schoenoplectus californicus (C.A.Mey.) Soják is a dominant freshwater wetland macrophyte with ecological, technological, and biocultural importance. This multidisciplinary review synthesizes its ecological functioning and environmental applications through a systematized analysis of 66 studies screened by title, abstract, and full text. The literature was classified into seven thematic categories: water treatment and phytoremediation; wetland ecology, biomass, and ecosystem functioning; functional ecology, growth, and landscape connectivity; morphology, anatomy, and functional adaptation; biocultural dimensions, sustainable construction, and technological applications; nutritional and ethnobotanical uses; and cultural heritage and traditional management. Research was concentrated mainly in water treatment and phytoremediation (19 studies, 28.8%), followed by wetland ecology, biomass, and ecosystem functioning (13 studies, 19.7%) and biocultural dimensions, sustainable construction, and technological applications (13 studies, 19.7%). Functional ecology, growth, and landscape connectivity represented 5 studies (7.6%), morphology, anatomy, and functional adaptation represented 4 studies (6.1%), while nutritional and ethnobotanical uses and cultural heritage and traditional management each represented 6 studies (9.1%). Overall, the evidence shows that S. californicus is a multifunctional wetland species whose value emerges from the interaction among ecological functioning, contaminant retention, biomass production, structural adaptation, technological innovation, traditional knowledge, and biocultural continuity.