Researchers are examining mountain bogs in Georgia and other parts of the southeastern United States to gain historical clues about the climate.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources says a team of researchers visited remote mountain bogs in the Chattahoochee National Forest in Rabun County last month.

Their goal was to look for deep sediments that are undisturbed by human activity. Those sediments can include important information for scientists.

Over time, organic material from the uplands gets washed into bogs and potential trapped. If conditions are right, that organic material can be fossilized, giving researchers a tool for tracking changes in local climates over time.

Officials said future explorations have been planned for bogs in Union County.

Tags: Rabun County, climate change, Chattahoochee National Forest, mountain bogs, climate research