2.0 - Habitat
Within this second blog I will be discussing the habitat at Drumburgh Moss, the factors that affect its development and the impact humans have had on these types of environment.
Drumburgh Moss is classified as a lowland raised bog habitat, an ombrotrophic bog which means it gets its nutrients from atmospheric moisture and is identifiable by the presence of sphagnum-rich vegetation, of which 13 species have been recorded on the nature reserve (Cumbria Wildlife Trust, 2011).
There are two factors during the development of a lowland raised bog habitat that influences its progression, these are known as abiotic factors (the non-living parts of an environment - these being pH, temperature and sunlight). The other is known as biotic factors (the living parts of an environment - these being plants and animals).
One of the most prominent abiotic factors affecting the development of environments such as Drumburgh Moss is pH, plants such as Sphagnum mosses often demand specific acidic pH's in order to grow. Similarly, a biotic factor that is consequential in the evolution of raised mires is the presence of Sphagnum Moss itself. This is because the permeable structure of the plant is vital, it holds large amounts of water and inhibits the decomposition of dead plant material, which over time forms more peat.
Drumburgh Moss - Image Credits: Cumbria Wildlife Trust, 2019
2.1 - The Impact of Humans
In the past peat was used as fuel due to its similar energy potential to wood and its high economic value. Peat is a finite resource that is extracted using the removal of the surface layer of vegetation and on site drainage, once extracted from the ground it causes irreparable damage to the environment. Once the removal is complete the area is no longer functional and a new resource site has to be found, leaving behind only a damaged ecosystem.
Fortunately, Drumburgh Moss has not undergone the devastation of mechanised peat cutting, however other methods including artificial drainage has dried out the bog. Nowadays, peat is not as common a fuel source and so locations such as Drumburgh Moss are less at risk, instead peat is more routinely used as a fertilizer for enriching soil due to its impressive water retaining properties.