Raised Bog Flashcards
What is a raised bog?
A localised dome of peat rising above the surrounding land
Where are raised bogs found?
Lowland areas
Name 2 characteristics of raised bog
Nutrient poor and acidic
What plant species are found in raised bogs?
Sphagnum moss
What is the water supply of raised bogs?
Mainly precipitation but can also be fed through streams
What is the average depth of a raised bog?
2.5-5m
What is the first stage of raised bog formation?
A shallow open lake within a wooden landscape but not always a wooden landscape. Steady infilling of the lake margins by the wetland vegetation causes the size of the lake to decrease
What is the second stage of the formation of raised bogs?
There is extensive colonisation of the lake by peat-forming vegetation. The peat now fills the large parts of the original shallow basin.
What is the third stage of the formation of raised bogs/
This is where the infilling of the lake is almost complete by peat-forming vegetation. Parts in the centre of the system are waterlogged but nutrient-poor because they are rooted only in waterlogged peat, and water filtering from the sides of the lake is stripped of its nutrients by plants growing near the margins of the basin. The central area of vegetation is short sedges and Sphagnum mosses
What is the fourth stage of the formation of raised bogs?
Extensive areas of low moss hummocks dominate central parts of the system and Sphagnum can draw up water to heights of up to 30cm
What is the fifth stage of the formation of raised bogs?
A single low dome of peat has formed across the former lake. The dome is now supplied with water only by direct precipitation
What is the final stage of the formation of raised bogs?
A dome of peat rising as much as 10cm above the surrounding land has formed across the former lake. Central parts have the lowest gradient and are the wettest, with small wet hollows scattered across the central plateau. Marginal slopes are steeper and have more Sphagnum species and dwarf shrubs.
