Geography
The Interior Plains have miles upon miles of rolling hills, and these were caused by glaciation from the last Ice Age. This is evident by the glacial deposits in the area, such as moraine and former glacial lakes. Further sculpting of the land was caused by erosion. The land in this region is mostly made up of sedimentary bedrock, which consists of shale, siltstone, and sandstone. All of the oil, fossil fuels, and natural gas deposits were caused by deposits of decomposed plants and animals being crushed and compressed by the sedimentary rocks. Unique features of the Interior Plains are the peat-covered plains in the valleys of the Hay, Athabasca, and Peace Rivers, which are also evidence of glaciation in the area.
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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 Interior Plains have miles upon miles of rolling hills, and these were caused by glaciation from the last Ice Age. This is evident by the glacial deposits in the area, such as moraine and former glacial lakes. Further sculpting of the land was caused by erosion. The land in this region is mostly made up of sedimentary bedrock, which consists of shale, siltstone, and sandstone. All of the oil, fossil fuels, and natural gas deposits were caused by deposits of decomposed plants and animals being crushed and compressed by the sedimentary rocks. Unique features of the Interior Plains are the peat-covered plains in the valleys of the Hay, Athabasca, and Peace Rivers, which are also evidence of glaciation in the area.
Climate
The Interior Plains are a relatively cool region, with the average temperatures in the Winter range from -9.4 degrees Celsius to -18.3 degrees Celsius, depending on where you are in the region. In the Summer, the average temperature is about 19.7 degrees Celsius. However, the temperatures can get much higher and much lower, up to 40 degrees Ceslius and down to -40 degrees Celsius. The prairies are also quite dry, only receiving between 300mm to 500mm of precipitation each year.
The Interior Plains are a relatively cool region, with the average temperatures in the Winter range from -9.4 degrees Celsius to -18.3 degrees Celsius, depending on where you are in the region. In the Summer, the average temperature is about 19.7 degrees Celsius. However, the temperatures can get much higher and much lower, up to 40 degrees Ceslius and down to -40 degrees Celsius. The prairies are also quite dry, only receiving between 300mm to 500mm of precipitation each year.
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| Climograph of Edmonton, AB |
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| Climograph of Winnipeg, MB |
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| Climograph of Regina, SK |
In the Interior Plains, Summers are often short and the Winters are very long. The soil in this region is mainly Chernozemic soil, which means that it is dark coloured and has a high percent of humus, ammonia, phosphorus, and phosphoric acids. The soil is dark coloured because of the accumulation of organic matter in the root zones of the grasses in the region. This region is so dry because of the Rocky mountains creating a rainshadow over this region. While most effects of climate change in this region, like flooding, drought, hailstorms, and grass fires, are harmful, some are actually helpful. For example, the warming climate causes longer and warmer growing seasons.
Flora And Fauna
The plants in the Interior Plains are almost all grasses, be it bluestem grass, porcupine grass, or june grass. Bluestem grass grows up to 10 feet tall, porcupine grass grows 8 feet fall and has a bloom at the end, and june grass grows 2 feet tall, and has either green, silver, or yellow coloured flowers. Other plants in this region include fir trees, pine trees, spruce trees, cottonwood trees, lichens, mosses, and varying types of shrubs. Since the prairies are very dry and susceptible to fires, the plants here have developed many adaptations to help them survive. Some of the adaptations include deep and extensive roots, which can help them survive fires and get more nutrients from the ground, narrow leaves to reduce evaporation, small flowers in dense heads that are pollinated by wind, and an ability to photosynthesize without losing moisture.
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| June grass in the prairies |
There are hundreds of different species of animals that live in this region, and they have all adapted to this environment the best they can. For example, animals like elk, deer, and bobcats find shelter in river valleys or similar environments find find shelter from the Summer's heat and the Winter's cold. Other mammals in this area, like badgers, squirrels, and gophers, have adapted by borrowing holes in the ground to escape the heat/cold. Reptiles, like snake and lizards, and amphibians like toads hibernate underground during the Winter. In the past, bison grazed on the prairies and were hunted by natives, bears, and wolves. Now the prairies are mainly grazed by domestic livestock.
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| A wild bison grazing on the prairies |
Human Geography
The Interior Plains have a total population of about 5 348 350 people, with most of them residing in the Southern area of the region. The North still has a population of around 22 000 people, but the colder temperatures and smaller land area have caused the population to be much less dense. The central area of this region sees an increase in population to about 812 000 people. This is mainly because of the warmer climate and more arable land. However, in the South, there is a leap in population to around 4 514 100 people. There are so many more people here than the rest of the region because of the ideal farming conditions, the oil field, and the close proximity to the United States, which provided more trading opportunities when the region was just being settled. For this reason, most of the major cities in this region are in the South. The major cities include Edmonton, Calgary, and Winnipeg. Most of the major industries in the Interior Plains are based off the natural resources found in this area, such as oil, forests for forestry, and the prairies for farming and ranching.
The Interior Plains have a total population of about 5 348 350 people, with most of them residing in the Southern area of the region. The North still has a population of around 22 000 people, but the colder temperatures and smaller land area have caused the population to be much less dense. The central area of this region sees an increase in population to about 812 000 people. This is mainly because of the warmer climate and more arable land. However, in the South, there is a leap in population to around 4 514 100 people. There are so many more people here than the rest of the region because of the ideal farming conditions, the oil field, and the close proximity to the United States, which provided more trading opportunities when the region was just being settled. For this reason, most of the major cities in this region are in the South. The major cities include Edmonton, Calgary, and Winnipeg. Most of the major industries in the Interior Plains are based off the natural resources found in this area, such as oil, forests for forestry, and the prairies for farming and ranching.
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| A farmer in the Southern Interior Plains |
Economy
In the past, the economy of the Interior Plains was based on the fur trade, as the Europeans bought the fur that the Native Peoples acquired during the bison hunt. Other past industries include forestry, agriculture and farming, especially of wheat, ranching, and the petroleum industry. Today, the biggest industry in the Interior Plains is the petroleum industry. The big break came when the Leduc Oil Field opened Southwest of Edmonton in 1947. It was an extreme success, and helped the petroleum industry take over the economy of Alberta. Although most of the petroleum industry is controlled by other countries, companies like Husky Oil and Petro-Canada are Canadian-owned. Forestry, saw mills, pulp mills, ranching, and agriculture are all still major industries as well. Agriculture, however, has slightly changed. In today's economy, the value of certain crops depends on the market, so farmers today also grow canola, beans, carrots, and potatoes as well as wheat. Calgary has also emerged as a Western center for financial and corporate head offices. The biggest sources of exporting goods in the Interior Plains are crops and oil. The most used natural resource in this region is oil.
In the past, the economy of the Interior Plains was based on the fur trade, as the Europeans bought the fur that the Native Peoples acquired during the bison hunt. Other past industries include forestry, agriculture and farming, especially of wheat, ranching, and the petroleum industry. Today, the biggest industry in the Interior Plains is the petroleum industry. The big break came when the Leduc Oil Field opened Southwest of Edmonton in 1947. It was an extreme success, and helped the petroleum industry take over the economy of Alberta. Although most of the petroleum industry is controlled by other countries, companies like Husky Oil and Petro-Canada are Canadian-owned. Forestry, saw mills, pulp mills, ranching, and agriculture are all still major industries as well. Agriculture, however, has slightly changed. In today's economy, the value of certain crops depends on the market, so farmers today also grow canola, beans, carrots, and potatoes as well as wheat. Calgary has also emerged as a Western center for financial and corporate head offices. The biggest sources of exporting goods in the Interior Plains are crops and oil. The most used natural resource in this region is oil.
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| The Leduc Oil Field in 1947 |
Environmental Concerns
A major environmental concern in the prairies is agricultural runoff. Agricultural runoff occurs when extra water on the surface of the soil that cant't be absorbed runs off into lakes, rivers, or streams. Because of the fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals in the soil, the run off becomes contaminated with them as it goes on. As a result, the water body in which the runoff drains into will become contaminated with the pollutants in the runoff. Other forms of pollution in agricultural runoff can include animal waste, soil particles, herbicides, heavy metals, nitrogen, phosphorous, and irrigation water, which is unhealthy. Some effects of agricultural runoff are as follows: algae blooms, death of marine life, and polluted drinking water, enough of which can cause Blue Baby Syndrome, which is very dangerous, sometimes even fatal, in young infants. Humans have influenced this problem by using excess amounts of fertilizer and pesticides/herbicides on their farmland. Some proposed solutions to this problem include nutrient management, which is applying fertilizers and pesticides only when you need to, planting buffers, which are trees and shrubs to filter out the pollutants before they reach the water, reducing how often fields are tilled, which will decrease runoff, and animal waste management, which is keeping animal waste out of rivers and streams. However, some of these solutions have created conflict. For example, some people may argue that fertilizers and pesticides are not needed at all, while some people say that they are necessary to keep the produce healthy. Also, some people have gone as far to say that putting limits on where the farm animals can and can't go is a form of animal abuse, even though they are already being kept on a farm. I believe the best solutions to this problem are the nutrient management and reduced tillage methods, because I think that these are the most effective methods, as they directly cut down the pollutants and the runoff at the source and will therefore greatly reduce the risk of water contamination.
A major environmental concern in the prairies is agricultural runoff. Agricultural runoff occurs when extra water on the surface of the soil that cant't be absorbed runs off into lakes, rivers, or streams. Because of the fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals in the soil, the run off becomes contaminated with them as it goes on. As a result, the water body in which the runoff drains into will become contaminated with the pollutants in the runoff. Other forms of pollution in agricultural runoff can include animal waste, soil particles, herbicides, heavy metals, nitrogen, phosphorous, and irrigation water, which is unhealthy. Some effects of agricultural runoff are as follows: algae blooms, death of marine life, and polluted drinking water, enough of which can cause Blue Baby Syndrome, which is very dangerous, sometimes even fatal, in young infants. Humans have influenced this problem by using excess amounts of fertilizer and pesticides/herbicides on their farmland. Some proposed solutions to this problem include nutrient management, which is applying fertilizers and pesticides only when you need to, planting buffers, which are trees and shrubs to filter out the pollutants before they reach the water, reducing how often fields are tilled, which will decrease runoff, and animal waste management, which is keeping animal waste out of rivers and streams. However, some of these solutions have created conflict. For example, some people may argue that fertilizers and pesticides are not needed at all, while some people say that they are necessary to keep the produce healthy. Also, some people have gone as far to say that putting limits on where the farm animals can and can't go is a form of animal abuse, even though they are already being kept on a farm. I believe the best solutions to this problem are the nutrient management and reduced tillage methods, because I think that these are the most effective methods, as they directly cut down the pollutants and the runoff at the source and will therefore greatly reduce the risk of water contamination.
Comparison To Another Location
A place outside of Canada that is similar to the Prairies is the Canterbury Plains in New Zealand. The temperatures in the Canterbury Plains are close to the temperatures in the Prairies, and the humidity is also close to the same. However, this region gets about 250mm more precipitation than the Interior Plains - about 750mm each year. Also, Wellington gets its precipitation at different times of the year due to its position on the Earth. Naturally occurring plants and animals in the region are prostrate herbs, small shrubs, cabbage trees, waterbirds, kiwis, and black stilts. Now, ranching and farming has brought cattle, sheep, and chickens to the area as well. Kiwis have adapted to the environment by losing their ability to fly and increasing their body mass because there are no predators to run away from. The tui, another bird, has adapted by having a long, thin, curved beak, and a long tongue to get nectar from flowers.
A place outside of Canada that is similar to the Prairies is the Canterbury Plains in New Zealand. The temperatures in the Canterbury Plains are close to the temperatures in the Prairies, and the humidity is also close to the same. However, this region gets about 250mm more precipitation than the Interior Plains - about 750mm each year. Also, Wellington gets its precipitation at different times of the year due to its position on the Earth. Naturally occurring plants and animals in the region are prostrate herbs, small shrubs, cabbage trees, waterbirds, kiwis, and black stilts. Now, ranching and farming has brought cattle, sheep, and chickens to the area as well. Kiwis have adapted to the environment by losing their ability to fly and increasing their body mass because there are no predators to run away from. The tui, another bird, has adapted by having a long, thin, curved beak, and a long tongue to get nectar from flowers.
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| Climograph of Wellington, New Zealand |
The main industries in New Zealand are agriculture and ranching. Grains, pasture seed, fodder crops, fruits, and vegetables are all grown, and cattle, chickens, and sheep are raised to provide food for the people. The cattle are also used to make dairy products.
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