Older bogs are dominated by spruce and larch trees in the dry areas where the mat is thickest, by shrubs in the intermediate zones, and by herbs in the saturated soils. Bogs are not totally restricted to northern latitudes. The are found in the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains, as well as in the southeastern states. These southern bogs often lie over shallow bedrock or hardpan soils that trap water at the surface. They are similar in ecology to northern bogs, but the peaty soils are much shallower.
Bogs are home to an astonishing array of plant and animal life.
Bears, lemmings, amphibians, and many songbirds live amongst shrubs, orchids, ferns, and pitcher plants. Swamps Swamps are wetlands dominated by woody vegetation, with soil that is inundated for all or part of the year. Shrub swamps grow on the edges of bogs, wet meadows, streams, floodplains, and other wetlands. Shrub wetlands are important nesting sites for songbirds such as sparrows and warblers, and provide winter shelter for mammals. Deciduous swamps are found in ancient lake beds and other low-lying areas with poor drainage, seepages, and the oxbows and floodplains of rivers.