LOCALadk Magazine

LOCALadk 29 How are peatlands formed? Many of the defining features in Adirondack Park were shaped by glacial activity, and peatlands are no exception. When glaciers retreated more than 10,000 years ago, they left behind depressions in the land- scape. These depressions filled with water, and these waterbodies soon blossomed with life, thriving in the warmer climate. Over thousands of years, dead plants started to accumulate on the edge and bottom of these water bodies, making the water acidic. This acidity killed off many of the microbes that were helping to break down the surplus of organic material. Without this army of decomposers, fewer nutrients were recycled back into the ecosystem, and the rate of accumulation of partially-decomposed plant material increased. On the surface, plants that can survive in acidic, wet, and nutrient-poor conditions took over. Sphagnum moss and bog plants created a living carpet covering a graveyard of decomposing plants. The rate of organic material accumulation accelerat- ed as the rate of decomposition slowed down, filling the water column from top to bottom. Old organic material was compressed by the weight of new deposits. The carbon and nutrients once held in living tissues were trapped in this slowly-decompos- ing mass of organic material– –a carbon-rich substance we call peat. Where can I explore peatlands in Adirondack Park? Paul Smith's VIC in Franklin County and Silver Lake Bog Preserve in Clinton County both have boardwalks and interpretive signage allowing visitors to experi- ence peatlands without harming this fragile ecosys- tem. Spring Pond Bog Preserve is the second-largest peatland in New York State, but it is a bit less accessi- ble – visitors can request a gate pass from The Adiron- dack Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Blooming- dale Bog Trail just north of Saranac Lake also follows an old railroad corridor transecting a bog. The trail cuts through one of the larger bogs in the region, and there's always a good chance to see beaver activity nearby. What are some of the plants and animals that I might see in a peatland? When you visit a peatland, you won't be able to miss the carpet of green, red, orange and yellow sphagnum moss stretching across the surface of the bog. Stunted tamaracks and black spruce pepper the sea of sphag- num moss. Keep an eye out for clusters of red-and-green pitch- er plants– – carnivorous plants that feed on flies, ants, snails, and other small macroinvertebrates. All of the native mammals you might see through- out Adirondack Park can also be found in peatlands. A mat of sphagnum moss can support the weight of a moose. But there are a few birds you likely won't see anywhere else– – Canada jays, boreal chickadees, and black-backed woodpeckers all benefit from peatlands and can be found year-round, and Palm Warblers and Lincoln's Sparrows can be seen in the spring and sum- mer. Below : L ate fall foliage compliments a colorful carpet of sphagnum moss in mid-November. Opposite, lef t: A dusting of snow coats a peatland in Adirondack Park . Peat deposits beneath the surface can be more than thirt y feet deep. Opposite, right: A pitcher plant emerges from a blanket of sphagnum moss. To survive nutrient-poor conditions in bogs, these carnivorous plants feed on insects, slugs, and snails.

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