Canadian Geography 1202

1. Canadian Geography 1202 Canada’s Natural Vegetation Systems

2. Glossary Terms • Biome • Boreal • Coniferous • Deciduous • Natural Vegetation • Tree Line • Tundra • Temerate Rainforest • Temperate

3. Biomes • The types of plants in a biome depend on the climate and landforms in that biome. • Biomes closer to the equator have larger trees and plants while biomes further north or south have less vegetation.

4. Boreal Forest • The largest biome on Earth, the boreal forest has both coniferous and deciduous trees. Animals like moose, bears, and wolves are also found there.

5. Canada’s Rainforests • Canada’s rainforests are found along the coast of British Columbia. • Unlike tropical rainforests, the temperate rainforests of B.C. are far from the equator.

6. Recipe For a Temperate Rainforest • Rain all year round • 300 cm or more of rain per year. • Mild temperatures (0˚ - 26˚ C). • A canopy layer of coniferous trees. • Moss and ferns growing on the forest floor, covering tree trunks. • Rainwater collecting on forest floor. • Countless shades of green year round.

7. Canadian Geography 1202 Canada’s Water Systems

8. Glossary Terms • Wetland • Runoff • Drainage Basin • Watershed • Drainage Divide

9. Canada’s Drainage Basins

10. Canada’s Drainage Basins • A lot of Canada’s rain and snow ends up in rivers and lakes (runoff). • Rivers flow into oceans and bays. • Some water seeps into the soil (groundwater).

11. Canada’s Drainage Basins • 75% of the water in Canada drains north to the Arctic Ocean or Hudson Bay. • Water flows downhill (duh!), so that means areas in the north are at a lower elevation, since water flows in that direction.

12. Canada – Land of Lakes • There are about two million lakes in Canada! • The Great Lakes water system is the largest in the Atlantic Ocean drainage basin. • Nine million Canadians and 31 million Americans depend on water from the Great Lakes.

13. Toronto uses 540 billion litres of water from the Great Lakes every year!!!

14. Canadian Geography 1202 Canada’s Soil Systems

15. Glossary Terms • Fertilizer • Pesticide • Soil Profile • Humus • Podzol • Chernozem

16. Canada’s Soil Systems • It may look like soil is just a bunch of dirt, but there’s actually more living things in it than there are people on Earth.

17. The worms, fungi, bacteria, and other organisms in soil give roots space to grow.

18. Without soil, we don’t eat, drink, or even breathe. • The soil in Canada is a lower quality than it once was because of pesticides. • These pesticides kill creatures that make the soil system work well.

19. The Composition of Soil

20. The Composition of Soil • Erosion breaks apart pieces of the bedrock under the soil. • Plant roots also break apart rocks and animals dig through the soil, creating openings for roots to grow and water to flow.

21. Types of Soil Podzol Chernozem Brown or black in colour. Black chernozem is very fertile and rich in nutrients. • Ash grey colour. • Form under deciduous and coniferous trees. • Acid from coniferous tree needles makes this soil less fertile in places.