They even smell Green!

Bogs form when the following conditions come together:
  1. Dampness = poor drainage. Bogs form in the Canadian Shield because this type of rock does not drain very well. They can also form over large clay deposits.
  2. Stagnant = minimal inflow (rain or snow) and outflow (evaporation)
  3. Lack of nutrients (see points 1 & 2)
Bogs tend to be acidic which limits what kind of plants can live there. Examples of acid loving plants are Sphagnum Mosses & Labrador Tea. Due to the limited nutrient content of the bog environment, the plants tend to be slow-growing and perennial. Some bog plants like pitcher plants are "carnivorous" and get their nutrients by capturing and "digesting" insects.

Peat (like in Ireland) forms because layers of partially decomposed vegetation form. Actually, anything that falls into a bog decomposes very slowly. This is why they put boardwalks across bogs.

Water in bogs gets its dark brown colour from tannins in the leaves, which is the same way that tea gets its colour.

Because sphagnum moss absorbs water like a sponge, water is also scarce for bog plants. Therefore, these plants, like plants in a desert have adapted to conserve water. For example, some bog plants have a waxy covering on their leaves.

Other bog plants include:

Some trees such as Black Spruce and Tamarack grow at the edges of a bog or in locations where some soil has accumulated.

The removal of peat moss for use in home gardens contributes to the loss of bog habitat.

Bogs I have Known

Mer Bleue
  • MER BLEUE: Gloucester Ontario A huge wetland of 5000 hectares (12,500 acres) over poorly drained clay soil. You can imagine that you are standing in the peatlands on the edges of Hudson Bay. Mer Bleue (blue sea) was formed in a glacial drainage channel. Sandbars remain in the area as islands and ridges. Spotted with Black Spruce and Tamarack. Formed over clay soil.

    Sandhill cranes have bred here.

    Designated as a wetland of international importance (RAMSAR SITE)

  • Spruce Bog Boardwalk Trail in ALGONQUIN PARK: Ontario
  • Caribou Plain Trail (raised bog) in Fundy National Park
  • Bog trail at Esker in La Mauricie National Park
  • Bog trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park
  • Kellys Bog in Kouchibouguac National Park in Nova Scotia
  • Alfred Bog: Alfred Ontario
    A bog at risk. Some parts are now protected, but large portions have been "reclaimed". This is part of the same ancient channel of the Ottawa River which contains Mer Bleue. Moose can be found here and in the neighbouring Larose Forest.
Fens are a closely-related type of wetland.

Bog Links

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