Which ecozone is the largest in area

The maritime influence on Newfoundland produces precipitation level ranging from mm to mm. Forest covers more than three-quarters of this ecozone. Conifers, including balsam fir, white spruce, black spruce, and tamarack, are widely distributed.

Broadleaf trees, such as white birch, trembling aspen, and balsam poplar, and needle-leaf trees, such as white, red, and jack pine, are found in the south. Lichens and shrubs are common on areas of exposed bedrock. The Hudson Bay Lowlands is the northernmost ecozone in Ontario and covers 23 per cent of the province. It is mostly wetlands but also supports boreal and subarctic forests, tundra, tidal marshes and numerous rivers and lakes.

Its extensive wetlands provide essential migratory and breeding habitats for birds such as the Snow Goose. Only about 0. Major human activities in this region include fishing, hunting and trapping.

Deciduous and coniferous trees are largely absent except in sheltered locations like waterways or on higher-elevated grounds. Prior to agricultural settlement in the late 19th century, the Prairie ecozone was the home of millions of bison. Now these are confined to national parks farther north. Today, mammals of this ecozone include mule and white-tailed deer, coyote, pronghorn south-central portion , badger, whitetail jack rabbit , Richardson's ground squirrel, northern pocket gopher and the prairie dog.

Unique bird species include ferruginous hawk , greater prairie chicken, sharp-tailed grouse, American avocet , burrowing owl, great blue heron, black-billed magpie and Baltimore oriole.

The ecozone is also a major breeding, staging and nesting area for waterfowl using the central North American flyway. More than half of all of the North American ducks are believed to be born in these ecozone wetlands. With agriculture being so extensive, many of the traditional habitats for animals have been lost, and species with them.

Plains grizzlies, swift fox and greater prairie chickens are examples of species that have disappeared. Habitats for species like the burrowing owl, whooping crane and piping plover are also endangered. The Prairie grasslands are among the largest farming areas of the world. Their nutrient-rich soils and favourable terrain encourage a range of agricultural activities from ranching to cereal grain production.

Field crops grain, oilseeds and pulses and forage crops occupy the greater part of cultivated areas. Crops such as canola have seen marked increases and now surpass wheat in the amount of area seeded. They also provide rangelands for livestock. The prairies are also important for their mineral industry, particularly fossil fuels.

Calgary , Saskatoon , Regina and Winnipeg are among the larger urbanized areas. This is the most southerly and one of the smallest two per cent of Canada, or , km 2 ecozones. It is the industrial and commercial heartland of the nation. The breadth and importance of economic activities has earned this area the title of being the golden triangle.

It is an area with a warm growing season and productive soils. It is the most intensely used and the most populated area of Canada. Most of this ecozone is a nearly level or gently rolling plain. During glacial times about 9, years ago , much of it was once the bottom of the ancient Champlain Sea. The more rolling aspects of the terrain in this ecozone are associated with the deposits of moraines.

The undulating nature of the landscape often is the result of drumlin formations — a series of cigar-shaped mounds lined up in the direction of the movement of the glacial ice sheets.

Soils are usually forest soils Brunisols and Luvisols , but much of the landscape has long since been converted to agricultural and urban uses. The lakes are important shipping corridors and recreation centres. The climate in this region is continental and marked by warm summers and cool winters. The weather is highly changeable because the ecozone is situated along one of the major storm tracks of North America.

Precipitation ranges from to 1, mm per year. At one time, this ecozone was heavily forested. Little of the original forest remains today. Less than 10 per cent is now forested and much of this comprises isolated pockets. The mixed forest area included species such as eastern white pine, eastern hemlock, yellow birch, red pine, sugar maple, red oak and basswood. Deciduous trees are more common in the southerly portion of this ecozone. The remnants of the deciduous Carolinian forest region are home to unique species.

Unlike conifers, deciduous trees lose their leaves in the fall. This produces the splendid show of colour familiar to most Canadians. The warm climate and the extensive amount of soils supports more species of trees than any other ecozone of Canada. The area's most beautiful trees are the hardwoods: walnut , oak , maple and hickory. Dutch elm disease, which was brought to Canada in , destroyed many of the stately elm trees that once lined city streets throughout Ontario.

The rarest trees in Canada — such as sassafras, tulip tree, sycamore and cucumber trees — are native to the southernmost tip of this region. The large mammals, such as white-tailed deer and black bear, once abundant in this area, have largely disappeared.

Smaller mammals such as black and grey squirrels, raccoons, skunks, voles and groundhog , remain fairly common. Bird species such as the blue jay, whip-poor-will, Baltimore oriole and red-headed woodpecker are common in urban green space areas. Other species such as the cardinal , Carolina wren and green heron are unique to this area. The Great Lakes are home to many species. Lake trout, whitefish and sturgeon once dominated bottom-dwelling species.

Commercial fishing concentrates on rainbow smelt , white perch and common carp. The Great Lakes have been the site of various exotic and largely unwanted species such as the sea lamprey and zebra mussel.

The rich soils of this ecozone have been widely used for agriculture. Most of the forested areas have been cleared away for farms, orchards, highways and cities. The area consists mainly of uplands and hills — terrain features which dominate New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

The hills are the worn-down remains of an ancient mountain chain called the Appalachians. The coastline is a cluster of peninsulas and islands. Parts of PEI and local valleys on the mainland consist of coastal plains. The hills often have exposed rock formations and, more typically, are mantled by glacial moraine deposits. Nearer the coast, the soils are deeper and are usually derived from marine deposits. Forest soils Podzols and Luvisols are typical. The Atlantic Ocean has a moderating influence on the climate, which is cool and moist.

Winters are mild and the summers are cool. Precipitation ranges from 1, mm inland to 1, mm along the coast.

During the late spring and early summer, the mixing of the cold Labrador Current and the warm Gulf Stream produces large quantities of sea fog, which spreads over coastal areas. More than 70 per cent of the land area is forested.

Most of the vegetation here is associated with the Acadian forest. The coastal fringe is noted for extensive areas of stunted balsam fir and spruce. The salt spray tends to limit and deform the growth of trees. Mixed forests cover the relatively shallow soils of the uplands with red spruce, eastern hemlock, white pine, balsam fir, yellow birch, beech and sugar maple.

While not common, lowland valleys such as the Annapolis Lowlands can become sheltered from direct coastal influences. Under such protection, the warmer conditions create spots where orchards can thrive. Common mammals include white-tailed deer, moose, black bear, raccoon, striped skunk, bobcat, flying squirrel, coyote and eastern chipmunk.

Upland birds include whip-poor-will, blue jay, eastern bluebird and rose-breasted grosbeak. Loons, Canada geese and freshwater ducks blue-winged teal, ring-neck ducks are among more than 20 species that use the numerous lakes and ponds that dot the landscape.

Forestry is the major activity in the uplands, while agriculture is more common in local valleys and coastal lowlands. The beauty, history and variety of coastal landscapes all combine to give this area a unique flavour. It is popular for tourism and recreation. Commercial fisheries are also important. Most of the population and all the agriculture are confined to the less abundant coastal plains.

Halifax , Moncton and Charlottetown are examples of larger communities. The continental shelf extends beyond km in places and covers the Grand Banks. Waters are relatively shallow, being less than m deep over broad areas. The Bay of Fundy experiences tidal ranges of up to 16 m, while tidal ranges elsewhere in the ecozone average 1 to 2 m. The smallest tides occur in the southwestern part of the Gulf of St Lawrence, where the average range is less than one metre.

The waters are generally temperate, being influenced by the northward-flowing coastal current and, further offshore, the Gulf Stream.

Essentially ice-free conditions are found in localized areas around the Bay of Fundy except for the upper reaches and along the mainland coast of Nova Scotia.

In the late winter and early spring icebergs occur off the Newfoundland coast to the Grand Banks. On the Grand Banks, the Labrador Current and Gulf Stream converge and produce one of the most productive marine areas in the world. Major fish populations include flounder, plaice, capelin, turbot, mackerel , herring , silver hake and halibut. Breeding colonies for several species of marine birds are also found here. Among these are great and double-crested cormorant, Atlantic puffin, common and thick-billed murre, black guillemot and razorbill.

Common marine mammals are seals harp, hooded and grey , whales northern bottlenose, blue, beluga, Atlantic pilot, minke and humpback , harbour porpoises and dolphins. Precipitous declines in groundfish stocks, particularly cod , led to drastic cutbacks in the fishing and fish-processing industries.

This ecozone maintains higher temperatures than the two Arctic marine ecozones Arctic Archipelago, Arctic Basin. Just as in the Pacific Marine ecozone, it is a transitional area between polar waters and the more southerly temperate waters. Because of the danger of collisions with icebergs, sailors know these waters as "Iceberg Alley.

Much of the continental coastline is characterized by glacially eroded fjords, and there are over , coastal islands. The marine waters are influenced by the south-flowing Labrador Current, which transports cold water from the north. The continental shelf supports a wide range of marine mammals. Twenty-two species of whales occur off Canada's Atlantic coast, as well as six species of seals.

Concentrations of humpback, bluefin and minke whales are typical in this ecozone. Killer whales, porpoises and dolphins are less common. Sperm whales are found offshore. Seabird colonies include storm-petrels, cormorants and thick-billed murres. Common fish include halibut, cod, redfish and plaice near shore.

In this marine ecozone, the ocean waters are of a rather unusual type. They thread themselves around an extensive matrix of islands and never become an open ocean with vast expanses of water. The Hudson Bay area is the exception. Most of the uplands that are surrounded by these waters belong to the terrestrial Northern Arctic ecozone. The marine waters of the Arctic Archipelago ecozone include numerous channels, bays, straits, gulfs, sounds and fjords.

In the more southerly waters, the area is largely ice-free during the two to three summer months, but north of Parry Channel , the sea ice often breaks up into massive fragments, but may only move around regionally.

When the ice fractures in the summer, the patterns of ice leads and large floating fragments are dramatic. Dislodged sea ice can be driven by strong surface winds and be sandwiched into spectacular ice jams along the coastline. During the winter, the sea ice is largely continuous and land-fast. Some polynyas — open areas of up-welling waters — remain open throughout the winter. Like desert oases, these are biological hot spots in a sea of ice.

There is generally high coastal relief in the east and low relief in the south and west. The climate is characterized by long, cold winters and short, cool summers. The short summer is enhanced by long periods of daylight. Locally intense use of this marine ecozone by migratory birds and marine mammals occurs during the summer ice-free period. This is a major feeding area for sea birds that nest on coastal cliffs and for waterfowl that inhabit coastal wetlands. Marine wildlife includes walrus and seals ringed, harp and harbour.

Like many other sea mammals, seals use arctic waters as calving and rearing areas. There are many types of whales: pods of the white whales belugas , narwhals, killer whales, sperm and bowhead. Harvesting of both fish and marine mammals contributes significantly to the livelihood and culture of Aboriginal peoples. Arctic char is particularly important. Beluga and bowhead whales, walrus and seals support subsistence hunting. Marine waters are used to transport goods to northern settlements, and to ship ore, oil and other goods to more southern markets.

This marine ecozone is the extension of the vast northern polar ice cap. While it is formally part of the Arctic Ocean, it has a permanent cover of ice. The arctic sea ice rotates in a counter-clockwise, circumpolar gyre i. Water depths are generally more than 2, m. The freshwater input from adjacent lands is low. The Mackenzie River discharge is perhaps the only significant exception. The presence of permanent sea ice over much of the area contributes significantly to the predominantly low biological productivity of this ecozone.

The climate is dry and cold, with annual precipitation ranging from to mm. Overall, species numbers and diversity are low. The year-round ice cover creates desert-like conditions for most sea mammals. Typical species that tend to hug the margin of the permanent sea ice cover include polar bear, beluga whale, narwhal and seals bearded and harp. The Bering Strait restricts water exchange between the Arctic and Pacific oceans.

This restriction has contributed to the development of unique water properties in the Pacific, where temperatures and salinities are higher than in the Arctic Ocean.

Seasonal ice at the northern boundary in the Bering Sea and in the Sea of Okhotsk further alters the water column properties and influences biota. Marine mammals unique to the ecozone within Canada include Steller Sea Lion and California sea lions, sea otters, northern fur seals, Dall's porpoise, white-sided dolphin and whales giant, Stejneger's beaked, right, Pacific pilot and grey.

Five species of anadromous salmon, Pacific herring, halibut and other groundfish form the backbone of the commercial fishery. This ecozone provides habitats within Canada for approximately 3, species of marine invertebrates , including more than endemics, representing about 3.

Some examples of breeding bird populations unique to the ecozone within Canada include fork-tailed storm-petrels , Brandt's and pelagic cormorants , pigeon guillemot, marbled and ancient murrelets, Cassin's and rhinoceros auklets, and tufted and horned puffins. In the process, these activities have altered many of the coastal areas.

Urbanization and industrialization have introduced problems of pollution and siltation near the coast and many kilometres inland, affecting sea life. The alteration of freshwater courses and coastal areas and an expanding fishing industry have been other factors stressing marine ecosystems. Some fish such as the Salish sucker are on the endangered list. The abundance of other popular fish, like salmon and herring, have had marked shifts in numbers.

Relentless trapping had completely extirpated the sea otter from the British Columbia coast by Reintroduction of the species has been successful, but it remains endangered. See also Endangered Animals , Endangered Plants. Atlas of Canada Access a wide range of regional, national, and international online maps at this the National Resources Canada website.

Search The Canadian Encyclopedia. Remember me. I forgot my password. Why sign up? Physical descriptions focused on climate zones, bedrock types, marine areas, permafrost patterns, landforms, and soils. Other classifications specifically addressed types of human activity e.

These thematic or single-purpose studies are quite reliable tools for studying component parts of ecosystems. But in cases where it is important to understand the relationships between people and the environment, between wildlife and wildlife habitat, and between carrying capacity and resource use, the existing information tends to be rather piecemeal. Studying the component features of ecosystems has contributed to our understanding of Canada's biological and physical diversity.

For the purposes of environmental management and sustainable resource use, however, this piece-by-piece approach has led to an incomplete and often misleading view. There are those who are involved in planning and management of ecosystems and others who look at ecosystems from the standpoint of impact assessments, sustainability strategies, environmental indicators, economic factors, monitoring systems, or public reviews. There is so much work to be done in all these separate areas that we have been slow to develop an integrated and holistic approach.

Yet without a broad ecosystem perspective, it is becoming increasingly difficult to address environmental goals. Many interests are at stake, and there are short-term and long-term considerations. There are questions about the balances of land and water use to be answered; conservation and exploitation perspectives to be weighed; local and distant benefits and costs to be assessed; cumulative effects to be measured; and political, social, environmental, and economic values to be evaluated.

Understanding the wide ecosystem context is vital today. Canada has a mosaic of distinctive ecosystems, many of which are unique in the world. There are 20 major ecosystems -- ecozones -- in Canada: 15 terrestrial ecozones and 5 marine ecozones. The marine ecosystems cover parts of three major oceans settingsthe Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic. The terrestrial ecozones largely cover a broad range of forested, taiga and arctic ecosystem types. Canada also has significant representation of ecosystems which were formerly native grassland areas.

Many tools are used to convey the notion of ecosystems and their all-encompassing nature. Because people are accustomed to thinking in terms of defined spaces, of seeing their lot, municipality, or country represented on a map, depicting ecozones on a map is a fundamental starting point. Political maps show legally delineated spaces, such as city or provincial boundaries, but this type of mapped information is not of primary importance in the early stages of applying an ecosystem approach.

In contrast, ecozone maps define spaces in an ecologically meaningful way. Expressing ecosystems as units on a map provides a basis for understanding their structure and composition. The ecosystem units are used like a comprehensive set of information folders. The folders allow different agencies and jurisdictions across Canada to contribute their expertise and information on particular elements of ecosystems. They also allow people to draw from the expertise of others.

The ecosystem units have become a common protocol to build a profile and understanding of Canada's ecosystems. Common sense and ecosystem concepts What is meant by an ecozone?