Schoenus deformis

The regions where this species occurs have been heavily altered by European settlement and most land has been converted to agriculture and their hydrological cycle modified by drainage of wetlands. Native vegetation has been severely reduced and remaining patches are fragmented and generally small. These remnants of original habitats are endangered. Threats to plant species in the region include: invasive alien species e.g., European annual grasses, increased salinity, continued clearing and fragmentation, inappropriate fire regime, agricultural practices altering the hydrological cycle e.g., pivot irrigation, encroachment, agricultural run off, urban sprawl and the spread of Phytophthora cinnamoni. Feral Kangaroos may threaten the native flora in some parts of the region (Owens et al. 1994, Hastwell 2001). Resilience of the taxon to fire, increased salinity and grazing and competitive abilities are not known. The fact that a third of the range of this species occurs on cultivated and managed areas indicates some resilience to human induced disturbances. The short, caespitose and creeping rhizome habit may confer on the species a competitive advantage and good regeneration abilities after fire, grazing and other disturbances.

The whole range of this species occurs in area which benefits from national and international protection (Ramsar convention, National Parks and Nature Reserve) where legislations to control broadscale clearance and actions to maintain and restore habitats are in place. The taxon benefits from legal protection in Victoria where it is listed as vulnerable. The taxon is not listed as rare or threatened in south Australia, nor at national level. Populations of the taxon should be monitored regularly. Seeds should be collected for germplasm conservation and reintroduction actions may be needed in Victoria. Research on the resilience of the species to disturbance and increased salinity, and on the species' ecology and competitive abilities, should be conducted.