Bogs accomodate relatively few plants. Because peat is an acidic and wet soil type that is low in both oxygen and important nutrients such as nitrogen, only certain plant species such as peat moss and sprigs thrive in it. Bogs can be divided into open bogs, spruce bogs and pine swamps depending on the tree species most prominent in them. Open bogs are completely free of trees.

Because bogs are not rich in nutrients, their plant life is relatively unvaried. This has a direct effect on the number of herbivores and predators found in bogs. Although bog ecosystems accommodate only a handful of plant and animal species, at times the populations of these species can be very abundant. For example, large numbers of mosquitoes can be found in bogs during the summer.

Because the number of bog-dwelling animal species is relatively small, the food chains of the bog often remain quite short. Likewise, the food webs of bog ecosystems are often much simpler than those of forest ecosystems.

The sundew is a carnivorous bog plant.​