Goals

• Knowing what bogs are and how they have formed.
• Being able to describe what bogs are like as habitats.
• Being familiar with different bog types.
• Knowing how bogs are used by humans and what kinds of ecosystem services they provide.

Summary

• Bogs are peat-producing ecosystems.
• Bogs can form in three different ways: from lakes, from forests, or as a result of post-glacial rebound.
• Spruce bogs are a forest-like bog type. They are characterized by the presence of spruce trees. 
• Pine swamps are a forest-like bog type. They are characterized by the presence of pinetrees. 
• Open bogs are typically low in nutrients.
• Fens are open bogs that are high in nutrients.
• Water meadows form near the shores of lakes or ponds.
• Bogs can be divided into three peatland complex types: rising bogs, aapa fens and palsa bogs.
• Key words: bog, peat, carbon sink, bog types, spruce bog, pine swamp, open bog, fen, water meadow, aapa fen, rising bog, palsa bog.