A floating mat () is a layer of

moss Mosses are small, non-vascular plant, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic phylum, division Bryophyta (, ) ''sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Wilhelm Philippe Schimper, Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryo ...

es and other, especially stoloniferous, plants that grows out from the shore across the surface of a lake or pond. This type of habitat is protected and is designated in the European

Habitats Directive The Habitats Directive (more formally known as Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora) is a directive adopted by the European Community in 1992 as a response to the Berne Convention. The ...

as "LRT No. 7140 Transition and Floating Mat

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 musk ...

s". Landscapes with floating mats are characterized as quagmires. Floating mats are not always capable of bearing weight. There is a risk of drowning when walking on them.

Formation

The formation of floating mats is a process of

sedimentation Sedimentation is the deposition of sediments. It takes place when particles in suspension settle out of the fluid in which they are entrained and come to rest against a barrier. This is due to their motion through the fluid in response to th ...

in water bodies. In bog ponds, floating mats of

peat moss ''Sphagnum'' is a genus of approximately 380 accepted species of mosses, commonly known as sphagnum moss, also bog moss and quacker moss (although that term is also sometimes used for peat). Accumulations of ''Sphagnum'' can store water, since ...

form as water levels fall and

nutrients A nutrient is a substance used by an organism to survive, grow and reproduce. The requirement for dietary nutrient intake applies to animals, plants, fungi and protists. Nutrients can be incorporated into cells for metabolic purposes or excret ...

accumulate. In

eutrophic Eutrophication is a general term describing a process in which nutrients accumulate in a body of water, resulting in an increased growth of organisms that may deplete the oxygen in the water; ie. the process of too many plants growing on the s ...

waters, the formation of floating mats is caused by underwater peat that floats to the surface and is colonised by plants. The vegetative mats are held together by their root systems. Reeds or rushes growing by the lakeshore can eventually cut these mats off, which results in a

floating island A floating island is a mass of floating aquatic plants, mud, and peat ranging in thickness from several centimeters to a few meters. Sometimes referred to as ''tussocks'', ''floatons'', or ''suds'', floating islands are found in many parts of t ...

. If the floating mats are stable and large enough, even trees can grow on them, as at the Kleiner Arbersee. Beneath the floating mats,

peat Peat is an accumulation of partially Decomposition, decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, Moorland, moors, or muskegs. ''Sphagnum'' moss, also called peat moss, is one of the most ...

is formed, which slowly sinks downwards and gradually fills the water body.

Flora and fauna

In nutrient-poor to moderately nutrient-rich, acidic waterbodies, floating mats form out of

es, ( feathery bogmoss ''Sphagnum cuspidatum'', species of the complex ''Sphagnum recurvum'' s.l.) or brown mosses (''Scorpidium scorpioides''). Furthermore, floating mats are colonised by characteristic species of the small sedges such as the bog sedge (''Carex limosa''), (''Carex rostrata''), beak sedge (''Rhynchospora'' ssp.), Rannoch-rush (''Scheuchzeria palustris'') and marsh cinquefoil (''Potentilla palustris''). The edges of nutrient-rich waterbodies are colonised by reeds (''Phragmites australis''),

bulrush Bulrush is a vernacular name for several large wetland graminoid, grass-like plants *Sedge family (Cyperaceae): **''Cyperus'' **''Scirpus'' **''Blysmus'' **''Bolboschoenus'' **''Scirpoides'' **''Isolepis'' **''Schoenoplectus'' **''Trichophorum'' ...

es (''Typha'' ssp.), hop sedge (''Carex pseudocyperus'') and cowbane (''Circuta virosa''). Floating mats are habitats for shelly

amoeba An amoeba (; less commonly spelled ameba or amœba; : amoebas (less commonly, amebas) or amoebae (amebae) ), often called an amoeboid, is a type of Cell (biology), cell or unicellular organism with the ability to alter its shape, primarily by ...

such as ''Amphitrema'' sp. and lake fly larvae.

Threats

* Drainage * Peat cutting * Use, especially by forestry and agriculture, but also for leisure pursuits * Nutrient introduction, fertilisation,

eutrophication Eutrophication is a general term describing a process in which nutrients accumulate in a body of water, resulting in an increased growth of organisms that may deplete the oxygen in the water; ie. the process of too many plants growing on the s ...

References

Literature

* * Hutter, Claus-Peter (ed.); Alois Kapfer & Peter Poschlod (1997): ''Sümpfe und Moore - Biotope erkennen, bestimmen, schützen.'' Weitbrecht-Verlag, Stuttgart, Vienna, Berne. {{ISBN, 3-522-72060-1 Bogs

Formation

Flora and fauna

Threats

See also

References

Literature