The alliance Glycerio-Sparganion includes vegetation of short marshes or dense carpet-like stands, which may float on the water surface. Stand sizes tend to be small. This vegetation occurs on fluvial fine-grained accumulations of brooks or small rivers, in drainage ditches, fish storage ponds, and littoral zones of fishponds. The dominant species are weak competitors, and correspondingly occur on frequently disturbed sites; if undisturbed, they are usually outcompeted by tall reed vegetation. This alliance has a Eurasian distribution.