bog

views updated May 14 2018

bog / bäg; bôg/ • n. wet muddy ground too soft to support a heavy body: the island is a wilderness of bog a peat bog fig. a bog of legal complications. ∎  Ecol. wetland with acid, peaty soil, typically dominated by peat moss. Compare with fen1 .• v. (bogged, bog·ging) [tr.] (usu. be bogged down) cause (a vehicle, person, or animal) to become stuck in mud or wet ground: the car became bogged down on the beach road. ∎  (be bogged down) fig. (of a person or process) be unable to make progress: you must not get bogged down in detail.DERIVATIVES: bog·gy adj.bog·gi·ness n.ORIGIN: Middle English: from Irish or Scottish Gaelic bogach, from bog ‘soft.’

bog

views updated May 11 2018

bog A plant community of acidic, wet areas. Decomposition rates in it are slow, favouring peat development. Typical plants include bog-mosses (Sphagnum species), sedges (e.g. Eriophorum species), and heathers (e.g. Calluna vulgaris and Erica tetralix). Insectivorous plants (e.g. sundews, Drosera species) are especially characteristic. They compensate for low nutrient levels by trapping and digesting insects. Three types of bog community are commonly distinguished: ombrogenous blanket, raised bogs (see also TOPOGENOUS MIRE), and valley bogs. These reflect the different physiographic and climatic conditions that may give rise to bog formation. Compare FEN.

bog

views updated Jun 08 2018

bog A plant community of acidic, wet areas. Decomposition rates in it are slow, favouring peat development. In Britain and high northern latitudes typical plants include bog-mosses (Sphagnum species), sedges (e.g. Eriophorum (cottongrass) species), and heathers (e.g. Calluna vulgaris and Erica tetralix). Insectivorous plants (e.g. sundews, Drosera species) are especially characteristic; they compensate for low nutrient levels by trapping and digesting insects. Three types of bog community are commonly distinguished: ombrogenous bogs, raised bogs (see also topogenous mire), and valley bogs. These reflect the different physiographic and climatic conditions that may give rise to bog formation. Bogs supporting different plants occur in the tropics. Compare fen.

Bog

views updated May 23 2018

Bog Spongy wet soil consisting of decayed vegetable matter; often called a peat bog. It develops in a depression with little or no drainage, where the water is cold and acidic and almost devoid of oxygen and nitrogen. A bog rarely has standing water like a marsh, but plants such as cranberry and the carnivorous sundew readily grow there.

Bog

views updated May 09 2018

Bog ★ 1984 (PG)

Boggy beast from the Arctic north awakens to eat people. Scientists mount an anti-monster offensive. 90m/ C VHS, DVD . Gloria De Haven, Marshall Thompson, Leo Gordon, Aldo Ray, Glen Voros, Ed Clark, Carol Terry; D: Don Keeslar; W: Carl Kitt; C: Jack Willoughby; M: Bill Walker.

bog

views updated Jun 08 2018

bog See hydrosere.

bog

views updated May 23 2018

bog XIV. — Gael. and Ir. bogach, f. bog soft.
Hence bog vb. XVII. boggy XVI.