Bog Formation

a soil-forming process that results in excessive wetting of soil. Bog formation starts with a change in the water and aeration budgets, an accumulation of moisture, and the development of anaerobic conditions in the soil. It is manifested by signs of gleying and by the accumulation of the semidecomposed plant residues forming peat. Bog formation may be caused by ground or slope water or by atmospheric precipitation. Bog formation is increased by man’s industrial activity. For example, the destruction of trees in the northern part of the taiga zone leads to the disruption of the water balance in the soils, the elevation of the groundwater level, and bog formation. Bog formation also results from a rise in the groundwater level after the construction of hydraulic works (along the shores of artificial seas and canals) and after unregulated irrigation. The most efficient and promising method of controlling steady bog formation is to install closed drainage. Temporary bog formation can be prevented by deep plowing and construction of temporary ditches and trenches.