CANADA S LANDFORM REGIONS
Canada s Regions Canada is divided into Eight major regions. A Region is an area that is defined on the basis of the presence or absence of certain characteristics: Age of rock Type of rock Relief Gradient Process that has shaped the area (i.e. weathering, erosion, etc)
Canadian Shield Has the oldest rock in Canada at about 4 billion years old. Acts as the foundation of Canada s other landform regions. Has experienced active volcanoes, extensive plains and great mountains. Sediment and plate movement has formed the Appalachian Mountains, the Interior Plains and the Hudson Bay Lowlands.
Canadian Shield Continued Has thin acidic soils called podzols. These soils support coniferous forests but are not suited to agriculture but farming is possible in areas of Quebec. Canadian Shield covers much of Central Canada: parts of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Labrador, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
Appalachian Mountains Have valleys of deep, fertile soils, Forest vegetation of the region is mixed with coniferous and deciduous, with a greater concentration of coniferous in cooler northern locations. The Appalachian Region includes most of Atlantic Canada.
Western Cordillera Made up of a series of parallel mountain ranges - the Coast Mountains, the Columbia Mountains, and the Rocky Mountains These mountains separated by extensive plateaus In some areas of the interior valleys good soils have developed where rivers have deposited sand and silt. City of Vancouver is built on a large DELTA(rich soils deposited by the Fraser Rivera as it empties into the ocean. Has the most beautiful, fastest growing forest in Canada. The Western Cordillera includes British Columbia, Yukon and part of Alberta.
Innuitian Mountains Located in the far north and have rugged peaks and steep sided valleys. Include Ellesmere Island. Younger than the Appalachians so erosion has not yet worn down summits This area is too cold for trees to survive.
Arctic Lowlands To the south of the Innuitians It is a region of upland plateau surfaces and lowland plains. A region of tundra ( a treeless plain with a cold dry climate and poorly drained soil) Short growing season allows for only sparse vegetation of lichens and moss. Most of this region is located in Nunavut
Interior Plains Located between the Shield and the Western Cordillera Is an extensive area of plain that was created when inland seas receded. Erosion carved out three prairie plains separated by two long steep slopes called ESCARPMENTS - the Manitoba Escarpment and the Missouri Coteau.
Interior Plains Continued Southern central area is semi-desert with little vegetation besides cacti. Has black earth soil called chernozem that is ideal for growing wheat. The Interior Plains stretch south all the way to Gulf of Mexico and covers most of Alberta and large sections of Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories.
Great Lakes St. Lawrence Lowlands Located to the south of the Canadian Shield Is a region of plain Has small areas that experienced volcanic activity and faulting (fractures in the earth s crust) Has an excellent base for the formation of a fertile soil called BROWN EARTH. The Lowlands stretch from southwestern Ontario along the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River to the mouth of the Sagueney River in Quebec.
Hudson Bay Lowlands Located within the Canadian Shield in northern Ontario and Manitoba Mainly flat and poorly drained with recent coverings of materials from seas, rivers and glaciers. Soil in this area is generally a mix of tundra and podzols, leading to the growth of swamp forests.
*Define the following words by using the glossary in your textbook: 1.landform regions 2. podzols 3. physical map 4. delta 5. chernozem 6. brown earth