Field Guides

A bog is an aquatic area where most of the water comes from precipitation (it’s not fed by a stream or underground source). Bogs have large mats of vegetation that float on the surface, especially sphagnum moss. Because bog water doesn’t circulate much (it’s kind of like a huge, permanent puddle) and because plants growing around the bog start to decay into the bog, the water is often acidic, which makes it hard for some animals and plants to live and grow there. As a result, bog animals and plants often have special adaptations to their acidic habitats.