Canada's Physical Geography
By: Vishaal, Pablo, Nithin, and Sheetal
Biomes
Tundra
Tundras have harsh and cold climate. This type of biome is located in some parts of Canada. Since Canada is located on the top half of Earth (near the North Pole), the climate is extreme. The climate of a tundra includes very little rain, and very cold temperatures throughout the year.
Grasslands
Grasslands consist of trees and look like fields of grass. Grasslands are specifically in Canada’s prairie provinces (Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta) but they also occur in southern Ontario. Grasslands exist in Canada because there is good climate for soil growth.
Coniferous Forests
There are many conifer trees in Canada (trees that produce cones). The one is Canada is called the Northern coniferous forest. The climate in this biome is warm and and growing seasons are longer.
Shrub lands
Canada has locations that are like tundras, cold regions, but more desertlike and dry. These are Shrub lands. The environment can not support other types of vegetation, so the this environment provides a perfect habitat for shrubs since competition is not dominated by taller plants.
Seasons
Winter
The earth’s tilt toward the southern half of the earth causes winter in canada. Canada is located in the northern half of the earth, so when the sun is facing the southern half of the earth, the northern half of the earth would not receive as much sunlight as in the southern half of the earth.
Spring
The tilt of earth’s axis and revolution of the earth causes spring in canada. When it is spring in Canada, sunlight is evenly distributed to both halfs of the earth, a little bit more in Canada
Summer
The tilt of earth’s axis and revolution of the earth causes spring in canada. When it is spring in Canada, sunlight is evenly distributed to both halfs of the earth, a little bit more in Canada
Winter
The tilt of earth’s axis and revolution of the earth causes spring in canada. When it is spring in Canada, sunlight is evenly distributed to both halfs of the earth, a little bit more in Canada
Landforms
Canadian Rockies
First, mountains have a convergent boundary. The Rocky Mountains were formed by the collision of the Pacific Oceanic Plate and the North American Continental Plate Plate.
Lake Ontario
At first there was a glacier (a big sheet of ice) that was covering Lake Ontario and the Great Lakes. Then the glacier started to melt and recede and the ice turned into water. This water collected to form Lake Ontario.
Bella Coola Valley
The Bella Coola Valley was formed by the glacier that covered Canada. The weight of the glacier created imprints and formed the Bella Coola Valley. Once the ice melted away, the valley was what remained.
Red Deer River
The Red Deer River is a river that is close to the Rocky Mountains. As the snow melts from the Rocky mountains, the water goes down and more and more water starts to cut through the land to create glaciers.
Mackenzie Delta
Particles of sediment were picked up and carried by the Mackenzie river, and were deposited. As the amount of sediment started to increase, it builded the Mackenzie Delta.
Cape Breton Island
450 to 360 Million Years Ago, the continents were separated and were colliding with each other. During this period, the Bras d'Or and Avalon terranes collided with the edge of the Laurentian Plate and the Laurentian Plate went to the middle.
Interior Plateau
This formed when the magma inside the Earth pushes up, but does not reach the surface. The magma just lifted the land up and created the Interior Plateau.
Hudson Bay
Due to the pressure from the last glacier that was in Canada, the imprints for Hudson Bay were laid out. The glacier melted and the water is now located in Hudson bay.
Pacific Ocean
This ocean was formed millions of years ago after the breakup of pangaea 250 millions of years ago. It formed out of the panthalassa Ocean that surrounded the Pangaea continent. It was formed when the ocean floor constantly recycles itself as it moves and is the ocean floor constantly recycles itself as it moves and one plate goes under another, melted into the Earth's mantle and then forced up again at ocean ridges.
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island: The Island was formed when an undersea volcano had gone off, then the cooled lava hardens to form the landmass. Eventually, the hardened lava gets to the point where the island is large enough to live on.
Natural Disasters.
Canada has faced earthquakes, avalanches, cyclones, and fires; caused by the extreme temperatures, high winds, and the movement of the Earth's tectonic plates.
Climate Zones
There are many different climate types in Canada. Depending on the location in Canada, that are may experience different climate than any other region in Canada. For example, during winter the northern tip of Canada has no daylight and it is really cold, while southern Canada receives at least 8 hours of daylight(sun). When it comes to climate conditions in southern Canada, it is a mix. This region will receive cold fronts from the arctic side and warm air from the south. Climate types not only have a part in their geographic location to the poles and the equator but the oceans play a role as well. There are many different climate types in Canada. Depending on the location in Canada, that are may experience different climate than any other region in Canada. For example, during winter the northern tip of Canada has no daylight and it is really cold, while southern Canada receives at least 8 hours of daylight(sun). When it comes to climate conditions in southern Canada, it is a mix. This region will receive cold fronts from the arctic side and warm air from the south. Climate types not only have a part in their geographic location to the poles and the equator but the oceans play a role as well.
Sources
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caland.htm
http://www.woodroffehs.ocdsb.ca/geomatics/en/pdf/l4b.pdf
http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/themes.aspx?id=canadianlandforms&lang=En
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/before-seasons.asp
http://geography.about.com/od/specificplacesofinterest/a/geography-pacific-ocean.htm
http://www.novascotia.com/en/home/planyourtrip/traveltocanada/climateofcanada.aspx