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 reigns in the world we are used to. In addition, the Mshara swamps are a unique source of fossil organisms, thanks to which it is possible to restore the lost fragments of the planet's history.
Meaning of the word
It's hard to say exactly when people started applying this word to sphagnum bogs. It is only known for certain 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 an area covered with a layer of moss.
Structure of sphagnum bogs
Sphagnum swamp, or m'shara, is a body of water covered with large amounts of sphagnum moss. This faded green plant absorbs almost the entire surface of the water, forming a kind of crust. Because of this, there is an acidic, poor in composition environment in which only the most resistant organisms can survive.
Besidesmoss on sphagnum bogs grow plants such as sedge, cranberry, cloudberry, cotton grass and sundew. However, nutrient deficiencies cause most herbs to experience severe discomfort. They lag behind in their growth, which is why many die before they can give young shoots.
Historical value of sphagnum bogs
Mshara is a swamp with a unique ecosystem. An acidic environment kills most bacteria and microorganisms. Thanks to this, objects and plants that have fallen into the water do not decompose for hundreds or even thousands of years. Instead, they form a hard bottom layer, which later becomes peat.
By exploring these deposits, scientists can learn a lot about the region. For example, what kind of climate was 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.
