Peatland wildlife
A number of factors affect the diversity of animal life in
any habitat, including:
- the availability of food
- shelter
- the presence of predators
- tolerance to physical conditions
The wet conditions characteristic of peatlands are unfavourable
for certain animal groups, but provide ideal conditions for
others, especially those with an aquatic phase in their life
cycle. The limited range of bog plants limits the diversity
of plant-eating animals (herbivores), while the lack of nutrients
such as calcium can limit the amount of vertebrates and shelled
molluscs. In general, the presence of many vertebrates on peatlands
is often opportunistic or temporary. Invertebrates such as beetles,
moths and dragonflies are better adapted to the conditions and
many are resident throughout the year. All peatland animals
are linked by food
chains and food webs.
This area of the website gives information about some of the
major groups of animals and the most common species in Northern
Ireland peatlands.
