Bogs

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What's on this page
Where Bogs are Found
Bog Characteristics
Vegetation
Wildlife

Bogs;

• Are more common in Northern Ontario
• Are peat-covered wetlands
• Contain vegetation that has a general lack of nutrients due to the high water table
• Contain surface water that is strongly acidic because of the decay of plant material due to poor drainage
• May support trees but are dominated by peat/Sphagnum moss
• Are the least productive of all wetland types

Bogs have no flow-through of water and are the most likely to have a peat covered mat.

Where are Bogs Found?

Bogs occur in poorly drained freshwater regions. They are usually found in the boreal forest and tundra regions located more in the north.

Muskoka Heritage Areas classified as having a bog:
Axe Lake Peatland * Bala Bog Big East River Delta * Dwight Conifer Peat Forest Lewisham Wetland * Neipage Lake Complex Novar Conifer Peat Forest * Shack Creek Wetland *
* are also classified as being provincially significant

Bogs Characteristics

Water in bogs contain very little or no dissolved oxygen. It is very stagnant and acidic with no flow through. The water is usually a reddish-brown color.

Vegetation in a Bog

Bogs are the least productive wetland types. There are few nutrients available for new plant growth because plant and animal matter does not fully decompose. Some dominant species are Sphagnum moss, Black spruce and tamarack as they can tolerate such rough conditions.

Peat is partially decomposed moss and plant material. Peat can be mined from bogs and used in gardens as a fertilizer and soil conditioner.

Some very interesting carnivorous plants live in bogs, including Pitcher plants, Venus fly traps, and sundews.

Wildlife Inhabitants in a Bog

Birds
Warblers Sparrows many migrants Winter finches Evening and Pine grosbeaks White-winged crossbills Pine siskins Common redpolls Purple finches

There are many species found in a bog, both common and rare. Raccoons, Striped skunks and woodchucks are found on slopes, while Eastern chipmunks, Short-tailed shrews and Grey squirrels are found in low, damp woods.

Among the shrubs on the floating bog live Eastern cottontails and in the moss, though seldom seen, are Masked and Smoky shrews. Muskrats are also found in bogs.

 

 

 

A bog is ideal for turtles and frogs, especially:
Painted turtles Snapping turtles Blanding's turtles Spotted turtles	Green frog Leopard frog Wood frog Chorus frog Gray tree frog Spring peeper

American toads also live among the shrubs on the sphagnum mat.

The following butterflies, moths and other insects are found in bogs because of the acidic bog plants:

• Pitcher-plant moth
• Bog copper butterfly
• Bog elfin
• Bog crickets
• Mosquitoes
• Black flies

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