GBET EC EarthCache
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(other)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
Definition.
raised bog
noun
a peat bog in which growth is most rapid at the centre, giving it a domed shape.
Now lets learn a little about this beautiful bog.
Girley Bog is a raised peat bog, Girley Bog represents the eastern extreme of the range of raised bogs in Ireland. Raised Bogs are dome-shaped bogs which have developed in former lake basins in the midland counties of Ireland. At the end of the last ice age, about 10,000 years ago, the central lowlands of Ireland comprised of many large shallow lakes. These lakes gradually became totally overgrown with vegetation that slowly accumulated into peat. Bog mosses (species of Sphagnum) began to grow on this unique water-logged environment. These bog mosses soaked up rainfall like a sponge and over the millennia the bog mosses accumulated to a depth of up to 10 metres (30feet) creating the peat that now forms the ‘high bog’ part of Girley Bog.
Habitats on Girley Bog
The living carpet of Bog Mosses that cover the surface of Girley Bog is between 10 and 50cm thick. As the mosses grow they form a series of small cushions called hummocks, flat areas or lawns, depressions called hollows and pools. After heavy rain the hollows fill with water to form temporary pools. The hummocks and hollows are quite different habitats and attract their own particular communities of plants. Species that prefer slightly drier conditions on the bogs such as the different Heathers are found growing on the hummocks while species preferring wetter conditions such as Sundews grow in the damp hollows or pools. Species that can tolerate both wet and dry conditions at different times grow in the lawns and at the edges of pools. Different species of Bog Moss or Sphagnum construct the hummocks and lawns or line the hollows or grow submerged in small pools. So the Bog Mosses form a living growth pattern all over the surface of the bog.
Plants and Animals of Girley Bog
The most obvious plant species on the bog is Ling Heather (Calluna vulgaris) and in the wetter areas Cross-leaved Heath (Erica tetralix) is also found. However, on closer inspection there are a host of other species including Hare’s-tail Cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum), Cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccus) and Bog Rosemary (Andromeda polifolia).
In the wettest parts of the bog there are several species of bog mosses. These bog mosses can form dense cushions or hummocks, flat lawns or they can line hollows or fill pools. Each species has a unique colour and together they can form a richly coloured mosaic or carpet on the bog surface. The scarce bog mosses Sphagnum fuscum and S. austinii are found at the centre of the bog. The insectivorus plant Great Sundew (Drosera anglica) and the Round-leaved Sundew (see above Drosera rotundifolia) are also found. These plants get nutrients by ingesting insects that they trap on their sticky leaves. Many species of lichen can be found on the bog. They belong to the genus known as Cladonia. Lichens are ancient and simple plants that result from a symbiotic relationship between fungus and bacteria. They form many interesting shapes including antler horns, pyxie cups, matchsticks and bearded types. The presence of the lichens is an indication that the area is free of air pollution.
Snipe and skylark are the two birds most often seen on the high bog. Snipe rise from the dense heather vegetation with a startle and zig-zig away over the bog. Skylark are most obvious in the middle of summer singing their incessant and tuneful song as they hover high above the bog. Frogs (Rana temporaria) are common on Girley Bog while Badgers, foxes and hares are sometimes seen criss-crossing the bog as they forage for food.
Girley Bog has a significant core area that is rich in Sphagnum Mosses . The presence of a thick living layer of these mosses on a bog coupled with a high water level is indicative of active peat formation in the peatland. At Girley the conservation of the core Sphagnum-rich area will be a priority action for conservation managers. Work involves raising the water levels in the high bog surrounding the core conservation area as this is regarded as supporting habitat, removing invasive pine and birch trees from the bog surface, preventing fire, monitoring water levels and restoring Sphagnum moss growth to suitable rewetted areas of the cutover bog.
To log this earth cache please go to the coordinates and make the following observations and send me the answers. Please log the cache and I will contact you if there are any issues with the answers, ty.
1 Look around you from gz, can you see the high point of the bog, how much higher is it than where you are standing?
2 Look around your feet, can you see any of the fauna that is mentioned in the above text ? please list what you see.
3 What else can you see that really should not be there ?
4 Sphagnum moss was harvested extensively during the great war, can you tell me why ??.
5 What depth is the deepest part of the bog.
6 You must take a picture of yourself or a thumbs up sign at the site, those that do not post a photo may have their log deleted.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
Loading Treasures