Beaver Lake Nature Center (BLNC) has over nine miles of well marked trails and offers a wide variety of habitats to explore and watch wildlife. Their mission is "To foster local and global stewardship of nature through diverse recreational and educational opportunities that enhance visitors' awareness, appreciation, and understanding of the natural world" (1). Visitors should note that there is a parking fee (currently $4.00) and that pets are not allowed in the park. Additionally, the trail on which you will be visiting to complete this EarthCache is sometimes frequented by school groups. If this is the case, the trail will be closed and the park management has kindly asked that you please refrain from using the area and attempt to complete your quest another time. This trail is open during the winter season however snowshoeing and skiing are not allowed on this section, and heavy snowfall will likely cover the interpretive signage that you will need to answer your questions. Lastly, the habitat is very fragile, so please stay on the boardwalk and trails, and of course, never pick the plants.
A bog represents one of North America's most unique types of wetlands. Characterized by acidic waters with a pH of about 3 (3), spongy deposits of peat, and a floor covered by a thick carpet of sphagnum moss, they receive most of their moisture from precipitation rather than from runoff. Consequently, bogs are low in the nutrients required for plant growth, and are home to some of the most interesting plants in the United States, like the carnivorous pitcher plant(2).
Bogs mainly form in one of two manners. During paludification the ground becomes over saturated and conditions exist for bog development. This can occur when beavers build dams, causing the surrounding area to become oversaturated and allowing sphagnum moss to grow. Additionally, the process can occur naturally around springs and can be related to physical geography(3).
Terrestrialization occurs when a water body, such as a pond or small lake, fills up with sediments. Plant and animal life die and can settle to the bottom of the body of water. As time goes on, the area has enough sediments built up and becomes a plot of swampy soil. Should there be a current, the sediments will be removed and terrestrialization cannot take place(3).
Bogs sometimes form when sphagnum moss covers a dry land surface and holds moisture in, preventing evaporation. These are called ombrotrophic bogs.(4)
Regardless of the method involved, bogs take hundreds or even thousands of years to develop (4) and pass through several stages are required prior to the formation of a mature bog. Swamp formation is the first step. swamps have less water than a bog does, but more on the surface. The transitional bog is the next stage, and falls somewhere between the swamp stage and the bog stage regarding the physical characteristics. The final stage of the bog is generally characterized by a large amount of acidic water retained underground like a huge sponge(3).
Bogs are important for a variety of reasons. They absorb vast amounts of precipitation and control flooding while preventing runoff (4). They provide a unique habitat for wildlife, some adapted specifically to this type of ecosystem and can be found nowhere else. Peat has been harvested from bogs for thousands of years, and as a fossil fuel is used as a source of energy for heating homes, and producing electricity throughout Northern Europe. Closer to home, bogs act as carbon sinks, holding vast amounts of carbon dioxide and preventing its escape into the atmosphere.
Unlike bogs, fens typically receive their water supply from ground water, and therefore tend to have a more stable water level. Like bogs, fens typically are glacial in origin and are found in the Northern United States or on mountainsides. They have a wider pH range than bogs, anywhere from 4.0 to 8.0, due to lower amounts of sphagnum moss. Consequently, plant productivity tends to be higher than in bogs. (5)
In order to receive credit for visiting this Earthcache, you must go to the Bog Trail at BLNC and answer the following questions based on the interpretive signage along the boardwalk:
1) At waypoint 1: What two things digest the prey of these plants in the nutrient poor soils of the bog?
2) At waypoint 2: Swamps and boggy areas are home to what plant that can cause an itchy allergic reaction on the skin?
3) At waypoint 3: What was the bog considered in the past?
4) At waypoint 4: How deep is the mat of plants in spots?
5) What is marl?
6) What deposited the bottom of sand and gravel?
7) What is this area classified as?
References:
1) Onondaga County Parks. Onondaga County Parks, n.d. Web. 20 Sep. 2014. <http://onondagacountyparks.com/beaver-lake-nature-center/>.
2) United States Environmental Protection Agency Website. USEPA, n.d. Web. 20 Sep. 2014. <http://water.epa.gov/type/wetlands/bog.cfm>.
3) Emporia State University Website. Emporia State University, n.d. Web. 20 Sep. 2014. <http://academic.emporia.edu/abersusa/estonia/jeremy/bogpage/bog2.html>.
4) National Geographic Education website. National Geographic Society, n.d. Web. 20 Sep. 2014. <http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/bog/?ar_a=1>.
5) Types of Wetlands and Their Roles in the Watershed. North Carolina Extension Water Quality Program, n.d. Web. 23 Sep. 2014. <http://www.water.ncsu.edu/watershedss/info/wetlands/types3.html>.