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To put it plainly: If you're trying to dispose of something unsavory, you should look elsewhere.
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When something dies in a bog, it will decompose at a much slower rate and therefore could be perfectly preserved for thousands of years [source: Johnson. Most bacteria and fungi cannot survive without oxygen as a result, these agents of decay are no longer present. As dead matter decomposes within it, the bog becomes even more stagnant and oxygen deficient. Interestingly, the bog's acidity, cold temperatures and lack of oxygen slows the biological activity of the bog itself. On the other hand, in parts of the U.S., bogs have developed only in depressions where water collects in the basins or in low areas where drainage slows or stops completely. Why? The bogs there have a nearly constantly available supply of water. In Canada, the bog-like landscapes are vast and can spread for thousands of miles. Many environmental factors can influence a bog's formation, but nothing's as important as a plentiful water supply. The kettle bogs can be relatively small - or they can spread out over up to several hundred acres and measure up to 40 feet deep (12.2 km) The open water may be surrounded by sedges, dwarf shrubs and an enclosing forest of conifers. A typical bog that might be found in a New England basin often appears as a circular pond with a floating mat of peat mosses or heath shrubs. They may vary in consistency, shape, depth and size. Keep in mind that no two natural cranberry bogs are exactly alike. Present-day natural bogs, like the Tannersville Cranberry Bog in the Pennsylvania mountains, are believed to have been formed around 10,000 years ago. These kettle holes, lined with impermeable materials like clay, became filled with water and organic matter soon after, unique plants like cranberries began to grow and thrive there. These glaciers became lodged in depressions in the land and had melted by the end of the ice age. Many bogs began as ponds and small lakes called kettle holes that were created when glaciers began to separate from one another. Scientists discovered that bogs were made by glacial deposits thousands of years ago. On the next page, we'll take a closer look at these cranberry bogs and discuss the increasingly pivotal role that man plays in creating these environments. We'll also see the fruits of the farmers' labor once the fall harvest season arrives. In this article, we'll explore farmers' efforts to keep their berries healthy all year long. To meet the global demand, farmers must take extensive measures to keep their cranberry bogs in pristine condition to keep their crop strong. Ĭranberries have become a sought-after crop because they're versatile and packed with nutrients and antioxidants. In fact, some vines in the cranberry bogs of Massachusetts are more than 150 years old. What's more, cranberry vines are resilient - an undamaged one can last indefinitely. The plant's fine roots also absorb and use organic nitrogen to survive, despite the scarcity of nutrients in the bog's sterile soil. This enables the plant to retain as much fresh water as possible by restricting the amount of usable water that passes through. Luckily, the fruit's woody stems are tough and their small leaves have a leather-like consistency. Of course, the fact that bogs consist of mostly acidic water represents a challenge to the plant. For example, cranberries need fresh water to survive. Plants that grow in bogs have to contend with a host of unfavorable conditions, but the cranberry plant's durability allows it to survive in this habitat.