In the world of swamps occupy vast areas. About 70% of the waterlogged areas in South America. In Russia, this indicator is approximately 37% of the country's area, in Western Siberia - 42% of the entire territory.
The origin of the term and its meaning
A swamp is an ecosystem of the Earth’s surface, which is the Earth’s surface with excess moisture and water accumulation. The remains of vegetation accumulate in water, and organic matter accumulates. The swamp can be considered as a living organism, which during the accumulation of peat grows, increases in size and develops. If the process of peat formation ceases, then the place turns into a peat bog. They are formed after the drying of rivers and lakes or by swamping of land.
There are several types of swamps: lowland, transitional and upland. The last type includes a moss swamp, which will be discussed in the publication.
Appearance and Features
The formation of moss swamps has several stages. First, moss forms in the meadows and forests, called "cuckoo flax." It has the ability to hold a large amount of liquid, as a result of which peat begins to form. Over time, the surface of peat deposits overgrows, and the area increases. The water balance of the surface layers changes, and the vegetation is updated: it appears hygrophilous in place of dead vegetation. Layers of peat increase, and as a result, trees also die in wetlands. At the last stage, Sphagnum appears - white moss, after which the swamps were called mossy. It absorbs liquid and has a convex shape.
White moss (Sphagnum) grows in water that is poor in soluble salts. Hypnum moss grows where water is flowing and hard. It also has a moisture capacity, grows at the top, and the lower part of the stem bends and passes into peat.
The moss swamp occupies vast territories with a depth of 4 meters. They can be seen in the tundra of the Arkhangelsk province, and in Siberia.
How do mossy peat bogs form?
Such a swamp is formed by peat moss (Spnagnum). It occurs on moist soil with moist air. Marshes form on meadow marshes, wet sandy and clay soil, rocks (western coast of Sweden and Norway). These mosses are water-loving and do not grow at high temperatures and dry air. They also evaporate moisture very much. Water in its composition is poor in nitrogen, lime (it can cause the death of moss), phosphoric acid and potassium. Properties of peat bogs: glow and mummifying effect.
The moss swamp has an uneven surface covered with bumps that form near old stumps. It is very pleasant to sit down and rest on dry bumps after a tiring road, because the water is also quite cold on a hot day, as peat has poor thermal conductivity. The great Russian poet N. Nekrasov said that nature in Russia means "Kochi, and moss swamps, and stumps."
Famous Moss Bogs
|
Title |
Short description |
|
Staroselsky Moss |
The bog is located in the Tver region in the Central Forest Reserve. It occupies a huge area of 617 ha. |
|
Vasyugan marshes |
Moss peat bogs are located between the Ob and Irtysh rivers, between the Novosibirsk and Tomsk regions. The area covers 53, 000 km 2. They are a source of fresh water for Western Siberia. Many rare plants and animals are counted. |
|
Pinsk swamps |
They are located in Polesie and occupy an area of 98, 419.5 km 2. |
|
Mshinsky swamp |
Located in the Leningrad region. Area - 60, 400 ha. |
|
"The big moss swamp" |
It is located in the Kaliningrad region and has an area of about 4900 hectares. Peat power is up to 11 meters. |
Animals and birds
Most of the inhabitants of the swamps are small and adapted to semi-aquatic habitats. In moss swamps live such animals:
- Birds that nest on the bogs of swamps: plovers, partridges, black grouse, cranes, ducks, herons and lapwings, moorhen, meadow mint, yellow wagtail, oatmeal, kestrel, meadow skate, and cheglock.
- Animals: raccoon, elk, otter, muskrat and mink.
- Mammals: water rat, kutora, housekeeper vole, common shrew, dark and red vole. Moss bumps serve as a refuge for them, feed on the found seeds of pine and herbs, berries.
- Various insects (mosquitoes, flies, ticks).
- Reptiles: viper and viviparous lizard.
- Amphibians: gray toads and grass frogs, marsh turtle.
In moss swamps live some animals listed in the Red Book.
Plants
The following plants grow on mossy swamps:
- Berries: cloudberries, lingonberries, cranberries (grows in transitional and upland swamps) and blueberries.
- Dwarf clumsy pine and dwarf birch.
- Swamp cypress grows in North America and the Danube.
- Dewdrop, sedge, ledum, pemphigus, calamus.
- Ground cover: moss sphagnum and cotton grass.
The moss swamp fauna is poor. Trees are scattered in small quantities, so the food is scarce for animals. Birds and large animals lack places for shelter.
