Home›Species›Habitat›FenBiomeFenFreshwater and Wetland BiomesReference and ClassificationDevelopingA fen is a peat-accumulating wetland fed by mineral-rich ground or surface water, which gives it a higher mineral content and a more basic pH than a bog; rich fens run near pH 7 to 5 while poor fens are more acidic, around pH 5.5 to 4. Because fens receive a continuous supply of minerals from groundwater rather than depending on precipitation alone, they support higher biodiversity and species richness than nutrient-poor bogs. Fens are dominated by sedges and mosses, particularly graminoids, with the sedge genus Carex and brown mosses typical of rich fens and Sphagnum moss more typical of poor fens, and woody vegetation is sparse or absent.FactsFenConnectionsSourcesTake a Related QuizComments (0)Reader Challenges (0)FactsDisputedAnnual Precipitation (mm)Scholarly debate1143 11143mm is the midpoint of the cited source stated 10 to 80 inch range; fens occur from boreal to temperate zones so no single figure is fully meaningful.Typical Low Temperature (C)Scholarly debate1.7 21.7C converts the source 35F winter figure. Same caveat as temperature-high-c.Typical High Temperature (C)Scholarly debate23.9 223.9C converts the source 75F summer figure. Fens range from boreal groundwater-fed peatlands to temperate lowland ones, so no single figure is fully meaningful; the general freshwater range already used on Freshwater and Wetlands is applied here.FenFilter Results14 entriesCommon GroupAllAcrocarpous Mosses (Upright Growth) (2)Butterflies And Moths (Lepidoptera) (1)Carnations And Cacti (Caryophyllales) (1)Dragonflies And Damselflies (Odonata) (1)Heaths, Camellias And Primroses (Ericales) (1)Horsetails (Equisetum) (4)Mints, Nightshades And Allies (Lamiales/Solanales) (1)Peat Mosses (Sphagnum) (1)True Ferns (Polypodiopsida) (2)TaxonomyAllBryophyta (1)Drosera (1)Erebidae (1)Magnoliopsida (2)Odonata (1)Plantae (3)Pteridophyta (2)Conservation StatusAllEndangered (1)Least Concern (6)Not Evaluated (6)Everyday GroupAllAcrocarpous Mosses (Upright Growth) (2)Butterflies And Moths (Lepidoptera) (1)Carnations And Cacti (Caryophyllales) (1)Dragonflies And Damselflies (Odonata) (1)Heaths, Camellias And Primroses (Ericales) (1)Horsetails (Equisetum) (4)Mints, Nightshades And Allies (Lamiales/Solanales) (1)Peat Mosses (Sphagnum) (1)True Ferns (Polypodiopsida) (2)DietAllCarnivore (3)Herbivore (1)Photosynthetic Autotroph (10)System (Realm)AllFreshwater (5)Terrestrial (9)Terrestrial and Freshwater (3)Relationship to PeopleAllAgricultural or Structural Pest (1)Invasive or Introduced Species (1)No Significant Interaction with Humans (1)Used in Traditional Medicine (7)Living or ExtinctAllYes (9)Where It LivesAllAfghanistan (2)Africa (2)Albania (6)Algeria (4)Asia (1)Australia (3)Austria (8)Belarus (8)Belgium (9)Bulgaria (7)Canada (3)Chile (1)Colombia (3)Cyprus (3)Democratic Republic of the Congo (2)Denmark (9)Finland (7)France (8)Gansu (1)Georgia (1)Germany (8)Greece (7)Hungary (8)Iceland (4)Iran (6)Iraq (1)Ireland (8)Italy (8)Japan (5)Kazakhstan (3)Libya (1)Luxembourg (3)Manchuria (3)Mongolia (3)Morocco (3)Netherlands (8)North America (12)Norway (10)Pakistan (2)Palestine (1)Parana (1)Philippines (1)Poland (8)Portugal (9)Rio Grande do Sul (1)Romania (8)South Africa (2)South America (1)South Asia (3)Spain (8)Sweden (9)Switzerland (7)Tunisia (1)Ukraine (7)United Kingdom (1)United States (5)Uzbekistan (1)Show ResultsBrowseCompareSelect all 14Adder's Tongue FernFenCommon ButterwortFenDrosera rotundifoliaFenEquisetum palustreFenGreat HorsetailFenHine's emeraldFenLysimachia vulgarisFenMarsh BryumFenMarsh HorsetailFenNorthern Giant HorsetailFenOphioglossum VulgatumFenOrgyia antiquaFenPapillose PeatmossFenRibbed Bog-mossFenConnectionsDemonstratesDecomposition, Natural Phenomena Well-attested Home ToAdder's Tongue Fern, Species Well-attested Source Plants For A Future: Ophioglossum vulgatumCommon Butterwort, Species Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Pinguicula vulgarisDrosera rotundifolia, Species Well-attested Source Drosera rotundifolia (Wikipedia)Equisetum palustre, Species Well-attested Source Plants For A Future: Equisetum palustreGreat Horsetail, Species Well-attested Source Equisetum telmateia (Wikipedia)Hine's emerald, Species Well-attested Source Hine's emerald (Wikipedia)Lysimachia vulgaris, Species Well-attested Source Lysimachia vulgaris (Wikipedia)Marsh Bryum, Species Well-attested Source Ptychostomum pseudotriquetrum, WikipediaMarsh Horsetail, Species Well-attested Source Plants For A Future: Equisetum palustreNorthern Giant Horsetail, Species Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Equisetum brauniitier 2Ophioglossum Vulgatum, Species Well-attested Source Plants For A Future: Ophioglossum vulgatumOrgyia antiqua, Species Well-attested Source Orgyia antiqua (Wikipedia)Papillose Peatmoss, Species Well-attested Source Sphagnum papillosum (Wikipedia)Ribbed Bog-moss, Species Well-attested Source Aulacomnium palustre (Wikipedia)Sources1. Freshwater Biome (Earth Eclipse)tier 4Earth EclipsePrecipitation sectionQuote, Precipitation sectionOn average, precipitation in freshwater biome ranges from 10 to 80 inches per year.View the Source2. Climate In A Freshwater Biome (Sciencing)tier 2SciencingThe Biome Climate sectionQuote, The Biome Climate sectionAverage temperatures in a freshwater biome in the summer range from 65 to 75 degrees F, and from 35 to 45 degrees F in the winter.Aulacomnium palustre (Wikipedia)Home To: Ribbed Bog-moss, Habitat, moisture regime sectionQuote, Home To: Ribbed Bog-moss, Habitat, moisture regime sectionRibbed bog moss generally grows on wetlands including fens, bogs, marshes, pond margins, streambanks, wet meadows, and riparian shrublands.View the SourceDrosera rotundifolia (Wikipedia)Home To: Drosera rotundifolia, Wikipedia intro: "ndew, or common sundew, is a species of carnivorous flowering plant that grows in bogs, marshes and fens. One of the most widespread sundew species, it has a ci..."View the SourceHine's emerald (Wikipedia)Home To: Hine's emerald, Wikipedia intro: "Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Ontario, and Wisconsin. Larvae are found in shallow, flowing water in fens and marshes, and often use crayfish burrows. Major thre..."View the SourceWikipedia: Equisetum brauniitier 2WikipediaHome To: Northern Giant Horsetail, Section: Habitat; begins "It is found in damp places, spring fens and seep"Quote, Home To: Northern Giant Horsetail, Section: Habitat; begins "It is found in damp places, spring fens and seep"It is found in damp places, spring fens and seepage lines.View the SourceOrgyia antiqua (Wikipedia)Home To: Orgyia antiqua, HabitatQuote, Home To: Orgyia antiqua, HabitatIn the UK, O. antiqua may be encountered in a variety of shrub-based habitats, including gardens, parks, open woodland, fens, hedgerows, heaths, and moors.View the SourceLysimachia vulgaris (Wikipedia)Home To: Lysimachia vulgaris, Habitat, distribution and ecologyQuote, Home To: Lysimachia vulgaris, Habitat, distribution and ecologyIt grows best in moist habitats such as fens and wet woodlands as well as on lakesides and riverbanks.View the SourceWikipedia: Pinguicula vulgarisHome To: Common Butterwort, DistributionQuote, Home To: Common Butterwort, DistributionIt is generally found growing in places such as bogs, fens, alvars, and other areas with limestone bedrock and alkaline waters.View the SourcePtychostomum pseudotriquetrum, WikipediaHome To: Marsh Bryum, HabitatQuote, Home To: Marsh Bryum, HabitatIt grows on rocks and wet soil by streams and lakes and in fens, wet heaths, and marshes. at elevations of 0-4000 m.View the SourcePlants For A Future: Ophioglossum vulgatumPlants For A FutureHome To: Adder's Tongue Fern, HabitatsDamp grassland, fens and scrubHome To: Ophioglossum Vulgatum, HabitatsDamp grassland, fens and scrubView the SourcePlants For A Future: Equisetum palustrePlants For A FutureHome To: Marsh Horsetail, HabitatsBogs, fens, marshes and wet heaths, woods and meadows throughout Britain, ascending to 900 metresHome To: Equisetum palustre, HabitatsBogs, fens, marshes and wet heaths, woods and meadows throughout Britain, ascending to 900 metresView the SourceEquisetum telmateia (Wikipedia)Home To: Great Horsetail, HabitatQuote, Home To: Great Horsetail, HabitatIt is found in damp shady places, spring fens and seepage lines, usually in open woodlands, commonly forming large clonal colonies.View the SourceSphagnum papillosum (Wikipedia)Home To: Papillose Peatmoss, HabitatQuote, Home To: Papillose Peatmoss, Habitatpapillosum is oligo-mesotrophic, commonly found in shaded, nutrient-poor fen habitats to open, acidic peatlands.View the SourceTake a Related QuizWorld Biomes in ExtremesCovers this kind of entry.Comments (0)No comments yet. 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