1.1 Landform Regions
Which major landform can be described as flat, with good soil quality (good for farming), and a high population?
What are the 4 Soil Regions in Canada?
1. Tundra soils
2. Wet-climate soils
3. Dry-climate soils
4. Wide range of soils in mountainous areas
What is natural vegetation?
Plants that grow without human interference.
What are tectonic plates?
Slabs of rock located within the earth's crust (under land/oceans) that are constantly in motion. Their movements shape the Earth's landscape.
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather is the atmospheric conditions of an area within a short period of time (i.e. a day). Climate is the average weather conditions over a long period of time (i.e. a month).
What are the 3 major landforms in Canada?
1. The Canadian Shield
2. The Lowlands
3. The Highlands
Why is there a wide range of soils in Mountainous areas?
A wide range of soils exist here because of the region’s varied relief (elevations) and climate patterns
What are Canada's 3 main types of natural vegetation?
1. Tundra vegetation (lichens and mosses)
2. Forest vegetation (trees)
3. Grasses (grasslands)
What are the 3 types of tectonic plate movements? Give a brief description of each
1. Convergent: Plates crash into each other and undergo subduction. On land, this process leads to the creation of mountains.
2. Divergent: Plates pull away from another, resulting in volcanoes.
3. Transform: Plates slide past each other, resulting in earthquakes.
What does the L in the acronym LOWER Water stand for? Explain how the L affects climate
The L stands for Latitude. As you move further North or South from the equator (as Latitude increases), the temperature decreases.
The Western Cordillera, and Appalachian Region are minor landform regions which can be grouped under which larger landform region?
The Highlands
What do you call the 2 layers in tundra soils? Give a brief description of both
1. Active layer (thin, top meter of soil) that thaws during summer
2. Permafrost (below active layer) that stays frozen all year long
What are Canada's 7 vegetation Regions?
Tundra
Boreal and taiga forest
Grassland
Mixed forest
Deciduous forest
West coast forest
Mixed mountain veg.
Why do we see more earthquake activity along BC's coast? (what causes earthquakes?)
There are many tectonic plate boundaries located along BC's coast, especially transform boundaries (fault lines). The sliding of these plates against each other creates earthquake activity.
What are air masses? What are the 2 types of air masses and how do they affect climate?
Air masses are large volumes of air that take on the climatic conditions of an area where they are formed. The two types are:
1. Maritime - air masses formed over oceans (these contain more moisture and result in rain)
2. Continental - air masses formed over land (these are dry)
Which minor landform can be characterized by cold climate, poor soil quality (not good for farming), and low populations living in the area?
Arctic Lands
Describe the process of leaching. What does it to the nutrients in soil?
Leaching: As the water moves through the soil, it carries away the nutrients that plants need
- With leaching, soil can lose its fertility, making it more difficult to grow plants & support agriculture
Describe the 2 transition zones in Canada
1. Dry to Wet
2. Cold to Warm (North to South)
What are the 2 types of glacier effects. Give a brief description of each.
1. Erosional: The glacier removes materials from the landscape through plucking and abrasion.
2. Depositional: The glacier adds materials to a landscape.
Explain the difference between the leeward and windward side of an area. How does each side affect climate?
Leeward: When air moves over a mountain, there is less rainfall and the air is more dry.
Which minor landform covers most of the West Coast? Give a brief description of this area.
The Cordillera: Mountainous area, humid and moderate climate, mixed vegetation and soil regions.
What type of soil region is found in the Interior Plains? Explain how a farmer and an urban planner might want to use the soil in the Interior Plains.
The soil in the Interior Plains is Dry-Climate Soil. A farmer might suggest using this land for farming as soil in this region is good quality for farming. An urban planner might suggest building subdivisions as there is a high population and a flat elevation.
What are the differences between coniferous and deciduous trees?
Coniferous:
- Needle leaves
- Able to survive harsher climates and poor soil quality (thick bark and sap)
Deciduous:
- Broadleaf trees
- Go dormant and lose their leaves in the winter
What processes shaped the 3 major landforms (Highlands, Canadian Shield, Lowlands)?
Lowlands - Depositional effects of glaciation (nutrients deposited through the melting of glaciers)
Highlands - Plate tectonics result in mountains
Canadian Shields - Erosional effects of glaciation (scraped away the top layer of soil, leaving rock behind)
Is Vancouver (located on the coast of British Columbia) a continental or maritime climate? Give me 3 factors to support your decision (LOWER Water).
Maritime
L - Closer to the equator than some parts of Canada, so the climate is moderate (as opposed to very cold).
O - Ocean currents from the Pacific bring warm air into the area.
W - mP: maritime polar. Maritime air masses = higher precipitation. Polar air masses = a cooler climate
E - Low elevation, so not super cold
R - Because Vancouver is on the windward slope of a series of mountains, it receives high levels of precipitation.
Water - Close to water (maritime climate) = more moderate climate annually (no extreme temperature ranges between summer and winter), and higher levels of precipitation