Peat and moorland: Combs Moss
The hilly country to the west of Buxton is typical Dark Peak moorland rising to over 500m above sea level. Moors such as Combs Moss are wide, treeless expanses of heather, reeds, sedges and tussock grass suitable only for sheep-grazing and grouse-shooting. The rocks, Millstone Grit sandstones and shales, are largely covered by thick deposits of peat. These form wide areas of boggy ground known as blanket bogs. Peat bogs occur in areas of high rainfall, and where vegetation is characterised by acid tolerant communities, such as sphagnum moss.
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The peat cover is sometimes as much as three metres thick, but is generally thinner on the sandstone outcrops which are better drained.
Peat is an unconsolidated deposit of plant remains in a water-saturated environment. It has built up slowly since the Ice Age, although more rapid accumulation occurred during a relatively warm climatic period of lush vegetation growth about 8000 to 6000 years ago. Erosion of the peat bogs started about 5000 years ago. This degradation continues today, with rapid erosion along stream courses forming a network of gulleys across most peat bogs. |
