Portlethen Moss

Like other mosses, this wetland area supports a variety of plant and animal species, even though it has been subject to certain development and agricultural degradation pressures.

Portlethen Moss is the location of considerable prehistoric, Middle Ages and seventeenth century history, largely due to a ridge near the bog which was the route of early travellers.

Without this drovers' road, travel through the Portlethen Moss and several nearby bogs would have been impossible between Aberdeen and coastal points to the south.

Prehistoric man inhabited the Portlethen Moss area as evidenced by well-preserved Iron Age stone circles and other excavated artifacts nearby.

The entire water composition of the bog thus has been provided by precipitation with no source of surface runoff, since the topography reduces to lower elevations in every direction.

Many coastal mosses were initiated by the process of glaciation, which sheared rock formations to a generally level terrain, while also gouging moderate-sized craters that would pond.

This description fits the fundamental situation of Portlethen Moss, where sphagnum would have flourished over millennia of evaporation, further intensifying the soil acidity, fueled by organic matter decaying, with little drainage outlet.

Only in times associated with cattle grazing and significant human presence (probably the late Iron Age) would this process reverse and the bog reduce in size.

The heath also serves as a food source for the area roe deer, while Corydalis claviculata is an attractive host for numerous butterfly larvae.