In the boreal regions, there are vast stretches of what appears to be peatland or savannas that mark out the landscape. They cover between 8 and 12 million hectares in Quebec and can be differentiated from marshes and swamp by their capacity to build up peat, a partially decomposed organic matter. This peat deposit, which can build up to a depth of several metres, is used for horticultural purposes, since its aeration and water retention characteristics are perfect for gardeners' needs.

The oldest peat bogs in Quebec can be found to the south of the boreal zone. There are some in the Chaudière-Appalaches region which are more than 8,000 years old and go back to the period when the glaciers retreated. Today, an era of deforestation and extensive agriculture, these relics from the past are one of the rare untouched habitats. When we walk though this region, the peat bogs summon up memories of that past environment and strengthen our feeling of well-being and freedom.

Thanks to the saturate conditions of the bog and its acidity, fragments of plants or insects, woody tissue from trees and shrubs, pollen, seeds and other articles from the living world of long ago may be preserved for thousands of years. These fragments reflect the then existing local conditions, so that the paleo-ecologist may reconstruct the history of the peat bog and of the region. The peat deposits are true records of past events and allow scientists to follow changes in climate, in wildlife and in plant life. European bogs have even revealed the presence of human bodies 2000 years old, strange storehouses that contain memories of a time when religious sacrifices were frequent.

But what on earth can live and survive in peat bogs? Some specific plant life has managed to adapt itself to this water-laden environment. Peat moss, for example, that dominates and carpets the surface with hardly a break, except for characteristic mounds and depressions. This form of moss not only needs the level of acidity that one finds in the bogs, but it is also able to produce it: peat moss is a true ecological engineer, the harbinger of the peat itself. The razor-edge grass that we call sedges and the Ericacea of the blueberry family, are also commonplace.  The remarkable plant life of the peat bogs includes carnivorous plants, such as the insect trap, that are more than a match even for the most agile insects.

Peat moss is not a significant factor in all bogs. In fact, ombotrophic peat bogs (or simply bogs) and minerotrophic peatlands (or fens) are dominated by rusty peatmoss rather than by the more common variety,  due to a supplement of minerals channelled in by runoff water into the fens. The cambered configuration of the ombotrophic peat bogs keeps the surrounding waters at a distance. These bogs are indeed more advanced, with more developed peat deposits that segregate them from the surrounding area.

The southern peat bogs, small samples of their northern neighbours, remind one of the boreal environment and are the home of very specific wildlife. For example, there is a species of bird, the Palm Warbler, that only makes use of these ecosystems as its nesting area south of the 50th  parallel. Because of their pristine character, the southern peat bogs contrast with their surrounding environment and attract an exclusive clientele of animal and plant species.  However, certain species are sensitive to the isolation of these ecosystems and prefer peatland located within a series of bogs, like an archipelago. The Palm Warbler thus limits its distribution range to the major, more frequented, peat bogs.

The differences between regions and between peat bogs in the same region have led scientists to suggest criteria for the selection of protected areas. For example, the presence of ponds is a positive element that can help maximize the biodiversity of the protected peat bogs, while a number of biotopes or habitats within a peat bog is also a good indication of its ecological value. A final consideration: protected peat bogs should be inter-complementary and representative of what can be found in the region. With less than 33,000 hectares (approx. 80,000 acres) of protected peatland, i.e. 0.4% of the total area, there is still a great deal to be done in the matter of conservation!

Dr. Monique Poulin
Department of Phytology (FSAA)

Laval University
Groupe de recherche en écologie des tourbières (GRET)
/ Peatland Restoration working group

May 2003