Did you know that the bogs in Ireland are among our most ancient habitats? They are also among the most vibrant, colourful habitats in the summertime when all the wildflowers are in bloom, and the noisiest during the water-birds’ breeding season!
Bog habitat
Michael Viney
Michael Viney
Many bogs are characterised by wet-loving flora such as bog cotton, sphagnum moss, heathers and sundews. These have adapted well to growing in the difficult bog conditions.
Peat-stacks
Peat-stacks, bogs,
Courtesy of the EPAPeat-stacks
Courtesy of the EPA
Courtesy of the EPA
Peat-stacks
Peat-stacks, bogs,
Courtesy of the EPAWhat are bog conditions?
- Very low in nutrients
- Limited oxygen
- Acidic soil
- No flowing groundwater
How do plants adapt to growing in bogs?
| Absorbing rainwater nutrients | As the acidic soil of bogs have few nutrients, some bog mosses have adapted to absorbing nutrients from rainwater. |
| Air canals | To help plants cope with the limited oxygen available in bogs, some have developed air canals in their underground stems e.g. bog cotton. This allows the plant to grow when it decomes saturated in bog water. |
| Absorbent leaves | Some mosses have adapted to hold many times their weight in water in order to survive in very dry weather e.g. sphagnum moss. |
| Trapping insects | Some bog plants trap and absorb insects as a way of getting the nutrients they need to grow e.g. sundews. |
| Hairy leaves | To help prevent water loss in dry weather, some plants have tiny hairs on their leaves to help keep in the moisture e.g. the underside of the ling heather leaves are very hairy. |