Muskeg

Muskeg is wet, acidic, and relatively infertile, which prevents large trees from growing, although stunted shore pine, cottonwood, some species of willow, and black spruce are typically found in these habitats.

Thinner patches can collapse under significant weight, and cause larger animals to fall-through and become trapped underneath, drowning if an escape route is not found.

Hunters and hikers may occasionally encounter young moose in muskeg-covered ponds submerged up to their torsos or necks, having been unaware of the unstable ground.

One method of working atop muskeg is to place large logs on the ground, covered with a thick layer of clay or other stable material.

To increase the effectiveness of the corduroy, prevent erosion,[4] and allow removal of material with less disturbance to the muskeg, a geotextile fabric is sometimes placed down before the logs.

Water is often sprayed on these roads to thicken the ice allowing heavy trucks and equipment to safely access remote sites in the winter.

[citation needed] In Jack London's short story, "Love of Life," the starving protagonist eats muskeg berries along the trail.

In Martha Ostenso's novel Wild Geese, the land owned and beloved by the antagonist plays an important role: "Southeast, under the ridge, bottomless and foul, lay the muskeg, the sore to Caleb's eye.

(p. 12) In Rick Riordan's novel The Son of Neptune (in the Heroes of Olympus series), Percy Jackson steps off a path near Seward, Alaska, and falls through the muskeg.