Studies of muskrat use of maidencane habitat differ in their results. Of the five important plant communities in Everglades National Park, round-tailed muskrats seem to be best adapted to the maidencane marsh habitat of wet prairies. This habitat was highly utilized in 1974 and supported the greatest round-tailed muskrat densities. Round-tailed muskrats showed positive selectivity for maidencane marsh, though this was the least abundant plant association in wet prairies of Everglades National Park. However, maidencane can become so abundant that the habitat becomes less suitable for some wildlife.
Common muskrats occupy floating freshwater marshes in southeastern Louisiana.
Maidencane has been considered a serious pest in waterfowl habitat. Maidencane vegetation is used as habitat by mammals, amphibians, birds and reptiles. In Leon County, Florida, maidencane vegetation harbors eastern woodrats, northern leopard frogs, black swamp snakes, bullfrogs, green anoles, and spring peepers. Resident birds included great egrets, northern bobwhites, northern cardinals, American crows, common moorhens, great blue herons, little blue herons, northern mockingbirds, common grackles, red-winged blackbirds, and snowy egrets. Maidencane is an important component of open marshes in the Okefenokee Swamp.