Bogs

Bogs are a type of wetland.

There are three basic types of wetland: swamps, marches, and bogs.

Canadian sphagnum bog (Boréal) CC BY-SA 3.0

Swamps feature trees and other woody plants, while marshes are home to grasses and other herbaceous plants. Both swamps and marshes are common to warmer regions. Bogs occur in area with low soil nutrients and lots of acidic surface water. Bogs generally occur in areas with cool temperatures and frequent rain. This combination of conditions slows both growth and decomposition.

Bogs are unique in that they are areas where dead plant material accumulates in layers called peat. This dead plant material is mostly made up of mosses, especially sphagnum moss. Peat can be several yards deep and it is traditionally used as a building material and as fuel for fires.

Plants in the heather family are the most commonly found in bogs. This family (Ericaceae) includes blueberries, cranberries, and huckleberries, along with azaleas. Carnivorous plants are also found in bogs. Evergreens and sedges are also common.

Carnivorous pitcher plant (André de Saint-Paul) CC BY-SA 3.0

Types of bogs

Bogs are classified by either nutrient content, or according to local weather and geography. When classified according to nutrient content, a bog can either be eutrophic, mesotrophic, or oligotrophic. This ranking goes from most to least nutrients present. When bogs are classified according to local weather and geography, these names are used:

• Valley bogs occur in mountain valleys and usually feature a central stream
• Raised bogs are domes formed in lakes as a result of peat buildup. Raised bogs are further divided into coastal, plateau, upland, kermi, string, palsa, and polygonal bogs.
• Blanket bogs cover slopes and hillsides below the 65th latitude in the northern hemisphere
• Quaking bogs occur near acidic lakes, creating floating mats that can grow into floating islands that support white spruce trees
• Cataract bogs are rare. They only occur when there is continuously running water over a granite outcropping.

Estonian bog in October with morning mist (Amadvr) CC BY-SA 3.0 ee

Bogs can be deadly, if something sinks below the surface. They can also be stunningly beautiful.