The acrotelm is one of two distinct layers in undisturbed
peat bog
A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and muskeg; a ...
s. It overlies the
catotelm. The boundary between the two layers is defined by the transition from peat containing living plants (acrotelm) to peat containing dead plant material (catotelm). This typically coincides with the lowest level of the
water table
The water table is the upper surface of the zone of saturation. The zone of saturation is where the pores and fractures of the ground are saturated with water. It can also be simply explained as the depth below which the ground is saturated.
T ...
.
Definitions and explanations on the Peatland Ecology Research Group (PERG) website (Accessed 18 May 2010)
/ref> Fluctuations in water table in a peat bog occur within the acrotelm, and hence conditions may vary from aerobic to anaerobic with time.
See also
References
Bogs
Pedology
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