12 – Canada’s Terrestrial Ecozones – CGC 1D1

What is an ECOZONE? They are large geographic zones that can be defined by the characteristics within them.

How many Ecozones are there in Canada?

Terrestrial Ecozones: Marine Ecozones:

What Characteristics do we use to define an Ecozone? (6)

The Ecozones:

1-Boreal Shield:

Largest ecozone in Canada (reaches across Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland

Glaciers responsible for wetlands, lakes in the area

Many diverse landscapes

Variety of Wildlife and Vegetation

2-Atantic Maritime:

Comprises the Maritime Provinces

Very high precipitation rates – home to the most storms in all of Canada

New Brunswick is densely forested

Forestry, fisheries, agriculture

3-Artic Cordillera:

Northern Nunavut, including sections of Baffin Island and Ellesmere Island

Most inhospitable ecozone

Little to no vegetation

About 1,000 permanent residents, mostly Inuit

NAME:

Too harsh for reptiles, amphibians or insects

4-Northern Arctic:

Northern Nunavut and NWT

Coldest and driest ecozone

Total permafrost, which can extend to over 1km in thickness

Little vegetation

5-Southern Arctic:

Northern edge of continental NWT and northern Quebec

Landscape formed through glaciation

The tree line is at the very south edge of this ecozone

Population is around 10,000

6-Taiga Shield:

Stretches eastward from NWT to Quebec

Part of the Canadian Shield, with some of the world’s oldest rock deposits

Landforms include wetlands, shrub lands and forests

No national parks

“Taiga” – Boreal (sub-arctic) or Snow Forest

7-Taiga Plains:

Centred along the Mackenzie River

Population is around 22,000

Mining, forestry

8-Boreal Plains:

Population around 750,000 scattered in small communities

Canada’s oil and gas industry

Located in the northern sections of Prairie provinces

Rocky Mountains create rainshadow effect

9-Prairie:

Southern Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba

Major land use is agriculture

80% of the population resides in cities

Glaciers formed landscape – the “Bread Basket” created when an inland lake dried up leaving fertile land

10-Taiga Cordillera:

Along the border between Yukon and NWT

Most northern section of the Rocky Mountains

Landforms consist of mountains and valleys

11-Boreal Cordillera:

Southern Yukon and northern B.C.

Mining is a primary industry, starting with Klondike Gold Rush

Landforms include mountains, plateaus and valleys

12-Pacific Maritime:

BC’s west coast

Wettest weather and tallest trees in Canada

Climate is dictated by Pacific Ocean

Glaciers found in high elevations

13-Montane Cordillera:

Southern BC and western Alberta

Most diverse ecozone because of its two mountain ranges

Susceptible to orographic (relief) precipitation

National parks include Banff and Jasper

14-Hudson Plains:

Area surrounding Hudson Bay

Large system of natural wetlands

Large vegetation (trees) found only at higher and drier elevations

15-Mixedwood Plains:

Southern Ontario and Quebec

Most heavily populated ecozone

Smallest ecozone

Major land use is agriculture

Highly changeable weather patterns

Terrestrial

Ecozones ofCanada