Blanket bog orblanket mire, also known asfeatherbed bog, is an area ofpeatland, forming where there is aclimate of highrainfall and a low level ofevapotranspiration, allowingpeat to develop not only in wet hollows but over large expanses of undulating ground.[1][2] The blanketing of the ground with a variable depth of peat gives the habitat type its name.
The current distribution of blanket bogs globally remains unknown but they are found extensively throughout theNorthern Hemisphere. Well-studied examples are found inIreland andScotland, but vast areas ofNorth Americantundra also qualify as blanket bogs. In Europe, the southernmost edge of range[3] of this habitat has been recently mapped in theCantabrian Mountains ofnorthern Spain.
In theSouthern Hemisphere, they are less well-developed due to the relatively lowlatitudes of the main land areas, though similar environments are reported inPatagonia,[4] theFalkland Islands andNew Zealand.[5] The blanket bogs known as 'featherbeds' onsubantarcticMacquarie Island occur on raisedmarine terraces; they may be up to 5 m (16 ft) deep, tremble or quake when walked on and can be hazardous to cross.[6] It is doubtful whether the extremely impoverished flora ofAntarctica is sufficiently well developed to be considered as blanket bogs.
In some areas of Europe, the spread of blanket bogs is traced todeforestation by prehistoric cultures.[7]
In many areas, peat is used as afossil fuel for electricity generation or as a domestic solid fuel for heating. In theRepublic of Ireland, a state-owned company,Bord na Móna, owns large areas of bogland and, until 2020, harvested peat forelectricity generation.
