Peat Bogs

Question 1

What is a bog?

Answer 1

• area of acidic and waterlogged land
• plants living here don’t fully decay when dead due to lack of oxygen
• partly-rotted plants build up and form peat
• carbon stored as peat and not released into atmosphere

Question 2

Uses of peat bogs

Answer 2

• drained to be used as farmland

Question 3

Uses of peat

Answer 3

• cut up and dried as fuel
• sold to gardeners as compost
• used faster than formed

Question 4

Effect of draining peat

Answer 4

• comes into contact with air
• microorganisms decompose peat
• microorganisms respire using oxygen and release carbon dioxide

Question 5

Effect of burning peat

Answer 5

• carbon dioxide released when burned as fuel

Question 6

Effect of destroying bogs

Answer 6

• destroys habitat of animals, plants, microorganisms
• reduced biodiversity