Geography
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| A map showing all of the geographic regions of Canada |
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| A map showing the latitude and longitude of Canada |
The Canadian Forest Lands are not only the largest physiographic region in Canada, covering 32% of all the land in the country, but also the oldest. It was formed by crystalline precambrian rocks somewhere between 4 000 000 000 and 1 000 000 000 years ago. Since it was formed, it has remained relatively unaffected by glacial erosion or the movement of tectonic plates, except for Hudson Bay and a few spots near the Southeastern border. There are small belts of hills in this area, but nothing too big. Around Hudson Bay, there is slight glacial erosion caused by the ice sheet that formed the bay. In this area, there is till, sub-glacial rivers, and moraines.
Climate
The Canadian Shield Forest Lands are divided into two ecozones: the Taiga Shield (North) and the Boreal Shield (South). The Taiga Shield is very dry, only receiving between 175mm and 200mm of precipitation each year. The Boreal Shield has much more precipitation, getting from 400mm to 1600mm each year. In both ecozones, the Summers are very short and the Winters are very long. In the Taiga Shield, the temperature is below zero for most of the year, but it can get up to 11 degrees Celsius in the Summer. In the Boreal Shield, the average Summer temperature is about 13 degrees Celsius. Temperatures in the Winter average about -1 degree Celsius in the East and -20 degrees Celsius in the West.
The Canadian Shield Forest Lands are divided into two ecozones: the Taiga Shield (North) and the Boreal Shield (South). The Taiga Shield is very dry, only receiving between 175mm and 200mm of precipitation each year. The Boreal Shield has much more precipitation, getting from 400mm to 1600mm each year. In both ecozones, the Summers are very short and the Winters are very long. In the Taiga Shield, the temperature is below zero for most of the year, but it can get up to 11 degrees Celsius in the Summer. In the Boreal Shield, the average Summer temperature is about 13 degrees Celsius. Temperatures in the Winter average about -1 degree Celsius in the East and -20 degrees Celsius in the West.
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| Climograph of Kuujjuarapik, QC (Taiga Shield) |
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| Climograph of Thunder Bay, ON (Boreal Shield) |
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| Climograph of Yellowknife, NW (Taiga Shield) |
The soil in this region in the Boreal Shield is much similar to that of the Hudson's Bay Lowlands, except that most of the soil is thin and dry instead of moist and wet as well. Because of this, most of the land here is covered in boreal forest. There is also a type of soil called Bruinsols, which means means that there are a medium amount of nutrients in it. In the Taiga Shield, there is permafrost present, resulting in water clogging because the frozen ground doesn't allow the soil to drain properly. The climate in the Taiga Shield is so much colder than the Boreal Shield because it goes up North so it is tilted away from the sun and gets less heat. This is also why days are longer here in the Summer and shorter in the Winter. The Boreal Shield is warmer than the Taiga Shield for two main reasons: it is closer to the equator, so it gets more heat from the sun, and it is closer to the Hudson's Bay, causing it to be influenced by air masses. Global warming could effect both the Taiga and Boreal Shields, but I think that it would have a greater impact on the Taiga Shield. This is because of the permafrost. Permafrost has vast amounts methane stored in it, so if the permafrost melted, all of the methane would be released into the air, which could be extremely dangerous. As for the Boreal Shield, increasing temperatures could cause more rainfall, creating a potential for flooding in the region.
Flora And Fauna
Most of the plant life in the Canadian Shield Forest Lands is made up of many different kinds of trees, like black spruce, white spruce, jack pine, and balsam fir. As you go farther South, yellow birch, sugar maple, and black ash trees also start to appear. Other plant life in the area includes lichens, small shrubs, mosses, and sedges. Like most of the regions in Canada, this is part of the Boreal Forest biome, so the plants have very similar adaptations as those in other regions. For example, the trees keep their leaves all year round and produce chemicals to ward off predators. Some unique adaptations of this region are that the dark green colour of the leaves and needles help absorb lots of energy from the sun and that snow slides off the branches easily, reducing the risk of the branches breaking by the weight of the snow.
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| A valley in the Canadian Shield Forest Lands |
There are many different types of animals in this region, such as moose, deer, caribou, wolves, bears, bats, raccoons, and bobcats. Reptiles and amphibians of the region include frogs, salamanders, toads, and turtles. Birds that live here are ducks, sparrows, and turkey vultures, among others. Some animals in this region, especially birds, will only come during the Summer and migrate to warmer places in the Winter. Other animals, like bears, hibernate during the Winter, or have developed thick fur to stay warm.
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| A bull moose in the Canadian Shield Forest Lands |
Human Geography
The Canadian Shield Forest Lands have a population of about 2 928 100 people, most of whom reside in the Boreal Shield. Only around 41 700 people live in the Taiga Shield, the reason being that there are not many opportunities in this area involving natural resources. For example, although there are many trees here, most of them are not the proper type of wood for forestry. The forestry in the Boreal Shield, however, is a very major industry and, along with mining and hydroelectric generation, has attracted many people to the region. The Boreal Shield has a population of around 2 886 400 people. Some cities in the Canadian Shield Forest Lands include Yellowknife, St. John's, and Labrador City.
The Canadian Shield Forest Lands have a population of about 2 928 100 people, most of whom reside in the Boreal Shield. Only around 41 700 people live in the Taiga Shield, the reason being that there are not many opportunities in this area involving natural resources. For example, although there are many trees here, most of them are not the proper type of wood for forestry. The forestry in the Boreal Shield, however, is a very major industry and, along with mining and hydroelectric generation, has attracted many people to the region. The Boreal Shield has a population of around 2 886 400 people. Some cities in the Canadian Shield Forest Lands include Yellowknife, St. John's, and Labrador City.
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| People horseback riding in the Shield Region |
Economy
Like the Hudson Bay Lowlands, the past economy of this region was built around fur trading, mining, hydroelectricity, and forestry. However, instead of INCO, this part of the region has Algoma Steel and the Aluminum Company of Canada, ALCAN. Algoma Steel founded the first ironworks in Sault Ste. Marie in 1901, and manufactured the first steel rails in 1902, making them a very prosperous company. ALCAN built aluminum smelters in the Saguenay-Lac St. Jean region and exported their goods around the world. ALCAN became even more successful when they built a huge hydroelectric project. Today, ALCAN, along with INCO, is a global corporation. Because the Canadian Shield Forest Lands are very dependant on natural resources, its economy rises and falls with the market. The forestry industry is also still prominent in this region, and will continue to be for a long time because of the abundance of trees in the area.
Like the Hudson Bay Lowlands, the past economy of this region was built around fur trading, mining, hydroelectricity, and forestry. However, instead of INCO, this part of the region has Algoma Steel and the Aluminum Company of Canada, ALCAN. Algoma Steel founded the first ironworks in Sault Ste. Marie in 1901, and manufactured the first steel rails in 1902, making them a very prosperous company. ALCAN built aluminum smelters in the Saguenay-Lac St. Jean region and exported their goods around the world. ALCAN became even more successful when they built a huge hydroelectric project. Today, ALCAN, along with INCO, is a global corporation. Because the Canadian Shield Forest Lands are very dependant on natural resources, its economy rises and falls with the market. The forestry industry is also still prominent in this region, and will continue to be for a long time because of the abundance of trees in the area.
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| An ALCAN smelter in Kitimat, BC |
Environmental Concerns
An environmental concern in the Canadian Shield Forest Lands is acid rain. Acid rain is caused by sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide mixing with water, oxygen, and other chemicals that are present in the air. The reaction creates an acidic solution known as acid rain. Things that put nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide into the air in the Canadian Shield include industrial boilers, metal smelters, and automobiles. Acid rain affects the environment, by making soils, lakes, streams, and other bodies of water acidic, which causes them to absorb aluminum and other heavy metals. Acid rain can also be harmful to marine life because many types of fish cannot survive in acidic water. Because the Great Lakes are in this region, the acid rain can also be harmful to humans because we drink the water from the lakes, and the heavy metals that are absorbed by the water are toxic if ingested. Humans have caused this problem because we are the ones that use the smelters, boilers, and automobiles that send sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide into the air. Some solutions that have been suggested to help with this issue include finding more environmentally friendly ways to travel, like walking, biking, or mass transportation like the us, stop using the smelters and boilers so much, or using solar/lunar powered cars. However, these solutions have also caused some debates. For example, if the use of the smelters and boilers were reduced, not as many pollutants would be put into the air, but the region would lose a lot of money because the smelters and boilers are a major source of income for the region. I believe the best way to fix this problem is by encouraging people to walk or ride their bikes more, not only because it would reduce the pollutants in the air, but also because it would help people become more fit and in shape.
An environmental concern in the Canadian Shield Forest Lands is acid rain. Acid rain is caused by sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide mixing with water, oxygen, and other chemicals that are present in the air. The reaction creates an acidic solution known as acid rain. Things that put nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide into the air in the Canadian Shield include industrial boilers, metal smelters, and automobiles. Acid rain affects the environment, by making soils, lakes, streams, and other bodies of water acidic, which causes them to absorb aluminum and other heavy metals. Acid rain can also be harmful to marine life because many types of fish cannot survive in acidic water. Because the Great Lakes are in this region, the acid rain can also be harmful to humans because we drink the water from the lakes, and the heavy metals that are absorbed by the water are toxic if ingested. Humans have caused this problem because we are the ones that use the smelters, boilers, and automobiles that send sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide into the air. Some solutions that have been suggested to help with this issue include finding more environmentally friendly ways to travel, like walking, biking, or mass transportation like the us, stop using the smelters and boilers so much, or using solar/lunar powered cars. However, these solutions have also caused some debates. For example, if the use of the smelters and boilers were reduced, not as many pollutants would be put into the air, but the region would lose a lot of money because the smelters and boilers are a major source of income for the region. I believe the best way to fix this problem is by encouraging people to walk or ride their bikes more, not only because it would reduce the pollutants in the air, but also because it would help people become more fit and in shape.
Comparison To Another Location
Like the Hudson's Bay Lowlands, this region is also in the Boreal Forest biome, which means that the Russian Taiga also bears a resemblance to this region. As we already know, the Taiga has animals such as elk, bobcats, and snowshoe hares, and plants such as spruce trees, fir trees, deciduous trees, and lichens. Some other animals that live in the Russian Taiga are owls, eagles, bears, and moose. Some additional adaptations that the animals here have developed are hibernating in the Winter and having thick fur to keep warm.
Like the Hudson's Bay Lowlands, this region is also in the Boreal Forest biome, which means that the Russian Taiga also bears a resemblance to this region. As we already know, the Taiga has animals such as elk, bobcats, and snowshoe hares, and plants such as spruce trees, fir trees, deciduous trees, and lichens. Some other animals that live in the Russian Taiga are owls, eagles, bears, and moose. Some additional adaptations that the animals here have developed are hibernating in the Winter and having thick fur to keep warm.
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| Climograph of Chokurdah, Russia |
As previously discussed, the biggest industry in the Russian Taiga is forestry, which provides timer to the whole world and is used for building materials, paper, and cardboard. Other smaller industries in Russia include oil, agriculture, mining, aircraft building, and automotive manufacturing.
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