Southern New England Habitats IV: Bog

• Definition: Bogs are habitats that initially develop over the Definition: Bogs are habitats that initially develop over the surface of a pond and, as they mature, ultimately replace the surface of a pond and, as they mature, ultimately replace the pond.pond.

• Physical environment: Bogs typically (but not always) develop Physical environment: Bogs typically (but not always) develop in highly acidic, low nutrient, low oxygen wetlands. In these in highly acidic, low nutrient, low oxygen wetlands. In these environments, plants grow on the partly decayed remains of environments, plants grow on the partly decayed remains of other plants that accumulate into a other plants that accumulate into a peatpeat layer. Hence, bog layer. Hence, bog organisms may be said to create the environment they inhabit.organisms may be said to create the environment they inhabit.

• Diversity: Plants inhabiting bogs are capable of tolerating the Diversity: Plants inhabiting bogs are capable of tolerating the difficult environmental conditions present. Many species difficult environmental conditions present. Many species present are found only in bogs.present are found only in bogs.

Bog Types

• In southern New England, bogs include those with northern and those with southern geographical affinities.

• Northern bogs (upper right) are characterized by species of the boreal zone, and are found principally in the Berkshire plateau of western Massachusetts and Connecticut.

• Southern bogs (lower right) are characterized by species of the southeastern coastal plain, and are found principally in eastern Massachusetts, eastern Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Development: Young Bogs

• Bogs begin their development at the edge of a pond. Old bogs Bogs begin their development at the edge of a pond. Old bogs often developed in glacial often developed in glacial kettleholekettlehole ponds that formed after a ponds that formed after a buried block of glacial ice melted.buried block of glacial ice melted.

• Plants that can extend their roots and stems over the surface of Plants that can extend their roots and stems over the surface of water, such as grasses and sedges, are often among the first to water, such as grasses and sedges, are often among the first to colonize.colonize.

• As a As a bog matbog mat develops over the surface of the water, dead plant develops over the surface of the water, dead plant remains accumulate on it and rain down to the pond floor.remains accumulate on it and rain down to the pond floor.

• In the acidic, low oxygen environment of the pond, this In the acidic, low oxygen environment of the pond, this detritusdetritus accumulates into a partly decomposed accumulates into a partly decomposed peatpeat layer. layer.

Mature Bogs

• As the peat layer accumulates and the floating (quaking) bog mat thickens, woody shrubs, particularly acid-loving members of the blueberry family, become more common on the bog surface (above).

• As the mat thickens further over time, tree species colonize (left).

• Individual bogs may, however, develop very differently in response to local conditions. Even very old bogs may have herbaceous and shrubby mats.

Plant Diversity

• Northern and southern bogs share many species like the shrub leatherleaf in common.

• Characteristic trees of southern bogs are the evergreen Atlantic white cedar and rhododendron (above).

• Characteristic trees of northern bogs are the black spruce (left) and tamarack- a deciduous conifer.

Profile of a New England Bog

Adaptations

• Plant species like the Calopogon orchid (left) derive nutrients from this low nutrient environment by parasitizing other plants.

• Carnivorous plants like the pitcher plant (above) derive nutrients by capturing and digesting insects.

• Many species are evergreen, which helps reduce the loss of nutrients stored in leaves.