Curran Bog lies within the flood-plain of the Moyola River. The surface retains a high cover of Sphagnum bog-mosses (indicating active peat growth) and well-developed surface patterning (i.e. pool, hummock and hollow complexes).
The pool system is a particularly important feature, as these are generally very rare in NI lowland raised bogs. The pools vary in shape and size, but are generally linear with a carpet of aquatic Sphagnum bog-mosses, particularly S. cuspidatum, with lesser amounts of S. auriculatum and scattered Bogbean Menyanthes trifoliata.
Curran Bog is also important for invertebrates. There are large numbers of recently-created acid pools, which show few signs of enrichment and support an aquatic fauna typical of acid and base-poor waters. The recorded fauna includes seven species of dragonfly, eight aquatic Heteroptera and twenty-three species of water beetle.
Related articles
- ASSI Guidance for Public Bodies/Competent Authorities
- Coastal Areas of Special Scientific Interest
- Conservation Management Plans (CMPs)
- European Marine Sites - Marine Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas
- Introduction to Conservation Management Plans (CMPs) for Northern Ireland’s Special Areas of Conservation
- Marine Conservation Zones
- Marine Protected Areas
- Marine Ramsar sites
- Protected Areas – Protected Areas Monitoring Results
- Protected Areas – What are the features of Protected Areas, and how are they monitored?
- Special Areas of Conservation
- Special Areas of Conservation for Harbour porpoise
- Special Protection Areas