[Tagging] wetland=bog, why only "receive their water and nutrients from rainfall"?

[Christoph Hormann]

On Sunday 24 January 2016, Andy Mabbett wrote:
>
> > Mires fed by
> > groundwater or water inflow from the outside are usually not bogs.
> > See:
> >
> > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mire
>
> That's contradicted by:
>
>    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bog

Well - I don't want to pass judgement here on the articles - I only 
provided the link because it contains a well readable description of 
the differences.  That being said the bog article is quite clearly not 
a shining example of quality in Wikipedia.

The established values for wetland=* in OSM are mostly based on wetland 
classification schemes common in North America which generally make the 
distinction between bogs and fens as indicated.  You can find this for 
example on:

http://www.water.ncsu.edu/watershedss/info/wetlands/types3.html
http://www.epa.gov/wetlands/wetlands-classification-and-types
http://www.env.gov.yk.ca/animals-habitat/documents/canadian_wetland_classification_system.pdf

which is of course somewhat biased towards the types of wetland common 
in the region.  There would be no problem in using more precise tags 
more clearly distinguishing the nuances in wetland types.  There is 
already some limited use of wetland=string_bog/palsa_bog/raised_bog.

Current tag use indicates severe underuse of wetland=fen and overuse of 
wetland=bog.  Probably more than half of what is tagged wetland=bog is 
actually incorrect.

-- 
Christoph Hormann
http://www.imagico.de/