Soils in the BMW region are varied and generally of poor quality, compared to the GDA. From Fig. 5 we can see that BMW regions have more peat and gley soils while the Midlands has areas of raised bog as well as fertile brown earth soils. Heavy rainfall has led to leaching of
soils and the creation of podzol soils which have a hard pan and are poorly drained. As a result of glacial deposition, the
Mountain blanket peat and podzolised soils Mainly blanket peat Basin peat/raised bog Mainly lowland gleys Mainly acid brown earths and brown podzolics Lowland grey brown podzolics and brown earths
Fig. 5 Soils of the BMW region
Border region has boulder clay soils and a Drumlin landscape with several large lakes (e.g. Lough Erne). In Connemara, glacial erosion has removed the soil cover, leaving a landscape of lakes and shallow peat soil. In East Galway, the limestone parent rock has led to the formation of shallow soils. The drainage basin of the River Shannon around Clonmacnoise has fertile
alluvial soils but is often flooded and as a result has a unique callow landscape of flooded meadows. Fluvio-glacial deposition has left several eskers running across the landscape which provide well-drained dry areas (the Esker Riada).
Human characteristics/factors influencing the development of the BMW Region
Physical factors also interact with several human factors affecting the BMWregion. These factors combine to influence the primary, secondary and tertiary activities that occur in the BMWregion. Threemain human factors that affect the BMWregion are: population, transport infrastructure and government/EU policies.
1. Population characteristics of the BMW region The area has a lower than average population density (32 people per km2
compared
to 60 per km2 nationally). Leitrim has the lowest population density in Ireland with just 18 people per km2. The lowpopulation density is due to themountainous relief, poor soils and the impact of out-migration of young people from the region.