Canada’s Ecozones

Unit Three Chapter 13

• Regions with similar ecological characteristics. • Include people and animals that live together. • Areas grouped according to geographic, geologic, landform, , vegetation, climate, water, wildlife and human interactions. • A recent concept – First map 1986.

R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 3 Ecozones

• Divisions/groupings based on “systems” – Geologic – Landform – Soil – Vegetation – Climate – Water – Wildlife – Human Factors R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 4 Overview

• Changes to one part of the system causes changes and adjustments throughout the system.

• e.g. Temperature changes within an ecosystem would affect the growth of , which then would have an affect on the animals ability to obtain food.

R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 5 • 15 Ecozones

• All are different/unique due to climate, weather, soil, landforms, vegetation, animals and humans.

R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 6 Physiographic Regions

R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 7 Canadian Ecozones Fifteen Land and Five Marine

• Mixed Plains • Hudson Plains • Boreal Shield • Southern • Atlantic Maritime • Northern Arctic • Prairie • Arctic • Boreal Plains ______• • Pacific Marine • Pacific Maritime • Arctic Basin Marine • • Marine • Cordillera • Northwest Atlantic Marine • Taiga Plains • Atlantic Marine • Taiga Shield R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 8 Terrestrial & Maritime Ecozones

R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 9 Ecozones

R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 10 Ecozone Lingo

• Mixed – To combine or blend.

• Plains – Extensive, level, usually treeless.

• Prairie – Treeless grassy plain.

• Boreal – Forest areas dominated by conifers: spruce, fir, and pine.

R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 11 Ecozones

R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 12 Ecozone Lingo

• Shield – ancient, stable, interior layer of primarily igneous or metamorphic rocks. AKA Continental Shield.

• Maritime – close/next to the sea.

• Montane – of, growing in, or inhabiting areas.

• Cordillera – Extensive/principal mountain ranges of a continent.

R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 13 Ecozones

R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 14 Ecozone Lingo

• Taiga – Subarctic, coniferous forest south of the and dominated by firs and spruces.

• Tundra – Treeless area between icecap and of arctic regions with permanently frozen subsoil (permafrost) and supporting low-growing vegetation: , , and stunted shrubs.

• Arctic – Region between and northern timberlines.

R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 15 Ecozones

R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 16 R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 17 Ecozones

R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 18 Ecozone Usefulness

• Helps us study how regions/areas develop

• Provides a basis for decision-making for sustaining an ecozone (ecosystem)

• Requires us to consider broader variables when attempting to change an ecozone

• AKA “Bioregion” in US terminology

R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 19 Helps us break up information (analysis) about our country/lands to help us bring it all together (synthesis)

R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 20 Why Ecozones are useful

• Before the Ecozones concept, we compartmentalized regional information into distinct and separate parts. e.g. one for land forms, another for climate data, and yet another for population characteristics, etc.

• Ecozone Theory allows us to create a collection of information about the particular place and place it into a single “file folder” of data.

• Generally, Ecozones have two characteristics:

– 1st They allow us to combine and relate information. e.g. helps us understand why forestry is an important industry in the boreal shield.

– 2nd they are constantly changing and will continue to grow and change .

R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 21 Ecozone Systems

• Landforms – Topography and type.

• Climate – Temperature extremes, precipitation, and growing season.

• Vegetation – What grows, what dominates?

• – Type? Leached, swamp, ?

• Human Activities – Population, GDP, urbanization, manufacturing, agriculture, recreation

• Major Cities R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 22 • Ecozones are always changing and growing!

R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 23 Ecozones

http://www.canadianbiodiversity.mcgill.ca/english/ecozones/atlan ticmaritime/atlanticmaritime.htm

R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 24 1)a) What is an ecozone? A region based on technological characteristics. 4) What is GDP for ecozone? How much an ecozone produces and makes from it’s resources.

R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 25 R.Schroeder Geo Unit 3 - Chapter 13 26