23 2025 New Scholars Reconciling Sphagnum Bogs of Exceptional Depth With a YEC Model Kirill Ivanovich | Cedarville University School of Science and Mathematics | 251 N Main St., Cedarville, OH, 45314 | Kivanovich94@gmail.com International Conference on Creationism New Scholars Conference 2025 Abstract Sphagnum bogs such as Raheenmore and Clara bogs in Ireland have a maximum peat depth of 7-12 meters even above 15 meters in some locations. Given measured and extrapolated growth rates it ought to take 18 -150 thousand years for 15 meters of peat accumulation. This is incompatible with a YEC model, because I am interpreting these bogs as post-Flood as they sit on top of glacial deposits. Not only is growth limited to after the Flood, but core logs display evidence of glaciation which often precedes bog development. Regardless of the timing of glaciation after the Flood, the necessity of these events to precede the bog further constrains the permissible time for their growth and development. When developing a new model for the existence of post-Flood bogs of exceptional depth one must first establish that all the peat produced was in-situ and mostly sphagnum. Following this, the factors controlling the current and maximum possible growth rate must be established. Lastly it is vital to not only establish the conditions required to grow and preserve that much sphagnum but also to establish the feasibility of those conditions existing and being maintained long enough to allow that growth. Multiple reports present data supporting that at least 90% of the sphagnum peat is in-situ organic matter. This was accomplished by core logs and associated palynology as well as comparisons with modern analogous environments and the 200 years of recorded observations at these sites. These reports also argue that the growth rate used to be much faster than it is in the present day. A plethora of studies exist illustrating how factors such as temperature, pH, nutrient levels, oxygen concentrations, and light availability impact growth rate, biomass density, and preservation of sphagnum. Water chemistry specifically has the largest recorded impact with 50-fold biomass yield in ideal conditions. If it had just ideal water chemistry the rate could potentially be increased to allow the bog to form in approximately 108 years so long as that chemistry was maintained the whole time. However, any of the other factors could still decrease the growth time to about 415 years. Furthermore, if these conditions were combined and sustained in their ideal the sphagnum could theoretically grow at even faster rates. The likelihood of any one condition being ideal for the entire growth time is unlikely, though evidence suggests that there are multiple times over the history of the bogs where they had at least one or more of these conditions met, especially at the beginning of their growth. Therefore, it is reasonable for these exceptionally deep sphagnum bogs to have formed post flood and post glaciation as their measured historical growth rates were faster than present day rates and records of environmental factors suggests it grew even faster than historical rates. Acknowledgments Thank you to Dr. Whitmore and the other geology students at Cedarville university for your help and encouragement on this project. Factors Impacting Growth Rate Model for Bog Development In-situ Sphagnum Peat Growth (Breeuwer, 2008) 13-fold growth rate with 21 C (British Bryological Society, 2023) (Sijtsma &Veldhuizen 1992) (Sijtsma & Veldhuizen 1992) (National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, 2005) (Frolking, 2001) (Heck, 2021) Example of up to 50-fold growth rate. References Beggars B., 1997. Sedimentology of late glacial clays in lacustrine basins central Ireland. Quaternary Science Reviews 16:779-791 Weider, K.R., M. Novak, W.R. Schell, and T. Rhodes. 1994. Rates of peat accumulation over the past 200 Years in five sphagnum dominated peatlands in the United States. Journal of Paleolimnology 12, (March):35-47 Breeuwer, A., Heijmans, M., Robroek, B., Berendse, F. 2008. The effect of temperature on growth and competition between Sphagnum species. Oecologia 156:155-167 Sijtsma, B.R., Veldhuizen, A.A., 1992. Hydrology of Clara and Raheenmore Bog. Wageningen University (September) National Parks & Wildlife Service. 2015. Raheenmore Bog SAC (site code 000582). (October) The British Bryological Society, 2021. Sphagnum Cuspidatum. https://www.britishbryologicalsociety.org.uk/learning/species-finder/sphagnum-cuspidatum/ The Living Bog: Raised Bog Restoration Project, 2025. https://www.raisedbogs.ie/about-raheenmore-bog/ Bengtsson, F., et. al. 2021. Environmental drivers of Sphagnum growth in peatlands across the Holarctic region. Journal of Ecology 109:417-431 Borren, W., Bleuten, W., Lapshina, E.D., 2003. Holocene peat and carbon accumulation rates in the southern taiga of western Siberia. Quaternary Research 61:42 – 51 National Parks & Wildlife Service. 2005. Raheenmore Bog cSAC Sitecode 582. Heggeler, T., et.al., 2003. Subsidence of Clara Bog West and acrotelm development of Raheenmore Bog and Clara Bog East: A comparison of 1991-1992 and 2002-2003. Wageningen University. Schaaf, S., Streefkerk, J., 2002. Relationships between ecotopes, hydrological potition and subsidence on Clara Bog and Raheenmore Bog (Ireland). Wageningen University. National Parks & Wildlife Service. 2022. Raheenmore Bog SAC (Site code 000582) Raised Bog Restoration Plan (Report). Meer, J., Warren, W., Sedimentology of Late Glacial Clays in Lacustrine Basins, Central Ireland. Quaternary Science Reviews, 16: 779-791 Kuttim, M., Kuttim, L., Ilomets, M., Laine, A. 2019. Controls of Sphagnum growth and the role of winter. Ecological Research. 35:219–234. 2025 New Scholars Ivanovich, K. 2025. Reconciling sphagnum bogs of exceptional depth with a Young Earth Model In J.H. Whitmore (editor), Proceedings of the 2025 New Scholars International Conference on Creationism, pp. 22-23. Cedarville, Ohio: Cedarville University International Conference on Creationism [poster presentation]. New Scholars 2025
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