Point Escuminac Peat Bog EarthCache
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Welcome to Point Escuminac Peat Bog, a unique wetland called a Coastal Raised Plateau Bog, which is one of several found along the northeast Atlantic coast.
The peatlands in New Brunswick make up 2% of the terrestrial landmass of the Province. The peatlands in this area are sitting on top of a fossil filled sandstone formed in a shallow sea during the Carboniferous period which was a geologic period that extends from the end of the Devonian Period between 250 and 320 million years ago. The fossils that you find along the shore are from a period of time known as the Age of Ferns. The bog that sits on top of the sandstone was deposited toward the end of the last glacial period. What makes this location interesting is the view of the bog is a rare cross-sectional view.
This bog is significant as it is one of the finest examples of coastal raised plateau bogs. Coastal plateau bogs are raised or elevated above the surrounding landscape. Many raised coastal bogs have a relatively flat surface, giving rise to the name 'plateau bog', a morphological form found within about 5 miles of the coast only in eastern New Brunswick and adjacent Maine, coastal Scandinavia, and New Zealand. In bogs, the peat has built up to such an extent that the living vegetation is raised above sources of surrounding surface water or underlying groundwater. These raised peatlands are called ombrotrophic (rain-fed), and receive water solely from the precipitation of rain, snow, or fog. Because the amount of mineral nutrients carried by precipitation is very low, bogs are the most nutrient-poor of peatland communities. The lack of minerals contributes to highly acidic conditions in bogs. The plants, animals, and microbes that are characteristic of bogs have special adaptations to these nutrient poor and acidic conditions. Sphagnum or peat mosses are typically the dominant plant in raised peatlands, and are the most common plant to make up peat. Shrubby plants common to this wetland include labrador tea, small-leaved cranberry, and leatherleaf. Plant decomposition is slow in raised bogs, so peat continues to build up over time. Eventually, water draining from the built up peat layers of the raised bog changes the way the water flows in the surrounding wetland communities, which may lead to changes in nutrient content, acidity of the water, and the types of plants that grow in these communities.
While exploring this earthcache you do not venture into the bog, as it is much deeper then it appears. At the posted coordinates you are looking at an eroded cross section of a bog. As you walk along the shore to reach this location you should be able to see just how the forces of the sea have shaped the shore. You can see the foundation and the various layers of the bog right down to the sandstone base. It is also easy to see why you do not want to walk on the surface. Describe the layers that have formed in the bog starting at the bottom working your way to the surface. Email me through my profile the description. It also would be nice if you would post a photo so others would know what they have to look forward to at this earth cache.
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