Mshara is what? Structure and historical significance of sphagnum bogs

Mshara is one of the names of sphagnum bogs. These amazing water areas have long attracted the attention of scientists. After all, their ecosystem is different from the one that prevails in the world we are accustomed to. In addition, the bogs of mshara are a unique source of fossil organisms, thanks to which it is possible to restore lost fragments of the history of the planet.

Meaning of the word

It is difficult to say when exactly people began to apply this word to sphagnum bogs. It is only known that "mshara" is a word that originated in the north of Russia. Based on its lexical meaning, it is easy to guess that it means a terrain covered with a layer of moss.

Structure of sphagnum bogs

Sphagnum bog, or mshara, is a water area covered with a large amount of sphagnum moss. This pale-green plant tightens almost the entire surface of the water, forming a kind of crust. Because of this, it turns out an acidic, poor in composition environment in which only the most resistant organisms survive.

In addition to moss in sphagnum marshes, plants such as sedge, cranberry, cloudberry, cotton grass and sundew grow. However, the lack of nutrients leads to the fact that most herbs experience severe discomfort. They lag behind in their growth, because of what many die earlier than young shoots can give.

Historical value of sphagnum bogs

Mshara is a marsh with a unique ecosystem. Sour environment kills most bacteria and microorganisms. Thanks to this, objects and plants that have fallen into water do not decompose for hundreds, or even thousands of years. In return, they form a solid layer of the bottom, which later becomes peat.

Exploring these deposits, scientists can learn a lot about the region. For example, what was the climate here before or what animals and plants lived in these parts. Later, all this information will form the basis of the historical map of the area, which in itself is a great discovery.