canadian shield climate graph

Tundras Explained Barren tundra lands are home to hardy flora and fauna and are one of Earths coldest, harshest biomes. Thousands of fresh water bodies feed into the Bay, resulting in a lower salinity than the surrounding ocean. In the southern parts, the climate is seasonal; the average temperature in the winter is -. Distinct for its mix of coniferous and deciduous trees, high latitude location, and ability to grow in sub zero temperatures 6 to 8 months per year, boreal forests cover vast expanses in Canada, Alaska, and Russia. The region, as a whole, is composed of ancient crystalline rocks whose complex structure attests to a long history of uplift and depression, mountain building (orogeny), and erosion. It is an exposed subsection of the Laurentia craton signifying the area of greatest glacial impact (scraping down to bare rock) creating the thin soils. The climate in this area has four distinct seasons. Cool summer temperatures can actually produce higher photosynthetic efficiency in plants than can warmer conditions. When the Greenland section is included, the Canadian Shield is approximately circular, bounded on the northeast by the northeast edge of Greenland, with Hudson Bay in the middle. Not only does Canada have the longest coastline in the world, its also the only country to border three oceans: the Arctic, Atlantic, and the Pacific. First Nations-Clothing An Animal Hide 22. Climate The Shield has man y climate changes. The taiga is characterized by a cold, harsh climate, low rate of precipitation (snow and rain), and short growing season. Lakes are largely the result of glacial erosion during the last ice age. Some of the rainiest places on the continent are located along the Coast Mountains. You can see this by the precipitation level in relation to the temperature. The human population tends to be scarce in the taiga, but many mammals are present in the area, such as caribou, wolverines, weasels, minks, otters, grizzlies, and black bears. The mean temperature of the warmest month, July, is generally between 15 and 20 C (59 and 68 F). ). Many mammals such as caribou, white-tailed deer, moose, wolves, wolverines, weasels, mink, otters, grizzly bear, polar bears and black bears are present. Change in temperature is slower in deep water than it is on the land, resulting in warmer autumns and cooler springs than similar continental longitudes, plus lake-effect frost and snow in the winter. Land in the Tundra region consists of lowlands, plateaus, mountains, and ice caps. The Canadian Shield, a northern region constituting almost half of Canada, has a cold, dry climate characterized by Arctic winds, heavy snowfall during the winter, cool, short summers in the north and warm summers in the south. The climate in the boreal forest is characterized by long, very cold, dry winters and short, cool, moist summers. Far Western Canada, comprising most of British Columbia, is laced with towering mountain ranges. The Canadian Shield is the part of the North American craton that is exposed. The multitude of rivers and lakes throughout the region is caused by the watersheds of the area being so young and in a state of sorting themselves out with the added effect of post-glacial rebound. Did you know that because of the extreme climate growing season lasts from 60 - 120 days, so book your trip soon! [20], The Canadian Shield is one of the world's richest areas in terms of mineral ores. Most temperate forests dont get as much rainfall as tropical rainforests, but they do get enough rainabout 30 to 60 inches each yearto grow big trees. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The Southern Province, for example, is home to the mining district of Sudbury, Ontario, known for its production of copper and nickel. Since Vancouver is near water, their climate is based on it too. Coldness is the dominant climatic factor in taiga ecosystems, although a surprising diversity of climates exists. Around the same time, silver was discovered near Cobalt , Ontario, in 1903. Due to technological advancements, humans have been able to modify their environment and adapt to many different places. Reproduced with the permission of the Minister of Public Works . Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. The Canadian shield is covered by a thin layer of soil and forms the nucleus of the North American cratonan old and stable part of the continental crust that has survived the merging and splitting of continents and supercontinents for over 500 million years. The Ekati and Diavik mines are actively mining kimberlite diamonds. It does not store any personal data. [9] The Shield was originally an area of very large, very tall mountains (about 12,000m or 39,000ft)[10] with much volcanic activity, but the area was eroded to nearly its current topographic appearance of relatively low relief over 500 million years ago. Winter daylight hours average about 5.5 hours, and in the summer the daylight hours average about 18.5 hours. Like weather, as glaciers grow and move they also smooth the landscape, as well as move sediment. What is the annual precipitation in Canada? Hydrographical drainage is generally poor, the effects of glaciation being one of the reasons. 3 What biome is South Florida? The northeastern portion, however, became tilted up so that, in northern Labrador and Baffin Island, the land rises to more than 1,500 metres (5,000 feet) above sea level. The Coast Mountains puncture cloud cover and force wet, westerly winds upwards, with some areas experiencing up to 170 inches a year of precipitation. The Canadian Shield also contains iron ore, including deposits near Wawa, Ontario. Quebec is a city with a significant rainfall. In the southern part, there are very cold snowy winters, while the summers are warm and long. The Canadian Shield is so large that the climate varies across it. The Shield can be divided into seven geologically distinct regions sometimes referred to as provinces. For a plain-language summary, please see Canadian Shield (Plain Language Summary).). At 5 million km2, the Shield makes up roughly 50 per cent of Canadas land mass. Long, severe winters last up to 6 months, with average temperatures below freezing. The first was colonial politician Thomas D'Arcy McGee's vision, articulated in 1860, of "one great nationality bound, like the shield of Achilles, by the blue rim of ocean" encompassing "the Western mountains and the crests of Eastern . The nearby but less-known Temagami Magnetic Anomaly has striking similarities to the Sudbury Basin. Today, Canada's 348 million hectares of forest lands represent about 9% of the world's forest cover, but account for only 0.3% of global deforestation. The growing season of about 120 days coincides with summer daylight averaging about 15 hours, while winter daylight averages about 8.5 hours. The biggest part of Canada has a continental climate, although average winter and summer high temperatures across Canada vary according to the location. 4 degrees F (-18 degrees C), and in the summer it is 77 degrees F (25 degrees C). It is the world's largest continental shield covering 8 million square km (3 million square miles) and mostly consists . Learn about four types of historical data: historical weather station data, adjusted and homogenized data, gridded historical data, and modelled historical data. The Canadian Shield Taylor, Rachel, Jessica, Artem, & Luc 3. The exposed metamorphic rock of the Canadian Shield mostly traces to the Precambrian era, between 4.5 billion and 542 million years ago, including extensive exposed rock from the Archean eon. Such temperature swings make this an extreme environment, where many animals have to burrow underground to find more stable temperatures in order to survive. Explore all the available data through high resolution maps and graphs. Many of Canada's major ore deposits are associated with Precambrian volcanoes. Each belt probably grew by the coalescence of accumulations erupted from numerous vents, making the tally of volcanoes in the hundreds. Various minerals and precious stones have been mined or continue to be mined on the Shield, including gold, silver, copper, zinc, nickel, iron, uranium and diamonds. Unique geographic features and formations can significantly impact the climate in an area. Large . The shield contains some of the most ancient volcanoes on earth. 4 degrees F (-18 degrees C), and in the summer it is 77 degrees F (25 degrees C). Ontario is the most populous province in Canada. Most of Antarctica is too cold and dry to support vegetation, and most of the continent is covered by ice fields. [19] In the case of polar bears (Ursus maritimus), the Shield area contains many of their denning locations, such as the Wapusk National Park. In the northern parts, the climate is very cold. ClimateData.ca provides historical climate simulations from 24 climate models developed by scientists from around the world. Compaction in the Rock Cycle: Understanding the Process Behind Sedimentary Rock Formation, Crystallization in the Water Cycle: A Fundamental Process in Water Distribution and Purification, Understanding Crystallization in the Rock Cycle: A Fundamental Process in Rock Formation, Extracting Lat/Lng from Shapefile using OGR2OGR/GDAL. With the exception of the Canadian Shield, the rocks of the North American Craton are buried deep within the continent and covered by soil and other material. Tropical rainforest 7. The terrain consists of tundra except in mountainous regions of the east. The crust, also known as the North American Craton, extends from northern Mexico to Greenland and consists of hard rocks at least 1 billion years old. While the east coast of North America frequently suffers from cyclonic weather, the Appalachians flatten and slow incoming cold fronts, weakening the winds and causing a course shift to the south and east of the mountain range. Canadian Shield: As observed on the map, the Canadian Shield, covering the eastern half of Canada's landmass is an ancient bedrock base of gneiss and granite covered by a shallow layer of soil. While Canada's fertility rate is 1.53 births per woman, below the population replacement rate, the population continues to grow as migration plays an increasing role in the population. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Identifying port numbers for ArcGIS Online Basemap? What kind of climate does the Canadian Shield have? What type of climate characterizes the boreal northern forest biome temperature rainfall? The Canadian Shield is so large that the climate varies across it. Its age means the rock was created approximately 300million years after the formation of Earth. Introduction to Decision Making Using Climate Scenarios, Understanding Ranges in Climate Projections, Understanding Shared Socio-economic Pathways (SSPs). The area is dominated by coniferous forests, particularly spruce, interspersed with vast wetlands, mostly bogs and fens. The average temperature ranges from -15 to -35 celcius. The climate in the Canadian Shield varies through its vast scenery and location. Some of the highest producing hydroelectric dams include Churchill Falls, Labrador, and James Bay, Qubec. Join our newsletter for periodic updates. Image by Jon Sullivan. Such a large area of exposed old rock as seen in the Canadian Shield is unusual. The Canadian Shield contains some of the oldest rocks on Earth. While the bare rock, thin soils, muskeg and insects of the Shield made living there difficult, the development of resource-based industries, such as mining and forestry, promoted increased settlement. Coastal temperate climates are found near the ocean, and they tend to have mild winters, cool summers, and high precipitation. Figure 1: Northwestern Manitoba - This photograph, taken in northwestern Manitoba, shows an aerial view of gravel ridges that mark the location of crevasses in the ice sheet that once covered the Canadian Shield.Each ridge is about 3 metres high and 10 metres wide. Acid rain is wet deposition. The processes that formed the Canadian Shield have taken over three billion years to get where it is now. The Midwestern Canadian Shield forests that run westwards from Northwestern Ontario have boreal forests that give way to taiga in the most northerly parts of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. What is the climate of Canadian Shield? Home Page > Population. The North American craton is the bedrock forming the heart of the North American continent and the Canadian Shield is the largest exposed part of the craton's bedrock. Find out which ones could be most relevant to you. The range's highest peak is Nunavut's Barbeau Peak at 2,616 metres (8,583ft) above sea level. Temperate deciduous forests are found in areas with continental temperate climates, such as the eastern United States and Canada and throughout much of Europe. The Canadian Shieldalso called the Laurentian Plateau, Laurentian Shield, Bouclier Canadien (French), or Precambrian Shieldis the massive U-shaped, almost circular region of the Earth that has extensive exposed Precambrian rock, forms the nucleus of North America, and extends from Lake Superior on the south to the Arctic Islands on the north, and from western Canada eastward to most of Greenland, including in the United States the Adirondack Mountains in the northeast and the Northern Highlands in Wisconsin. Due to its numerous rivers, the Canadian Shield region produces a significant amount of hydroelectricity. The Canadian Shield: The Canadian Shield is a North American geological phenomenon of exposed bedrock made up of igneous and metamorphic rock. There are two types of deposition processes: wet and dry. Similarly, the Shield also contains major uranium deposits, found around Great Bear Lake in the Northwest Territories, in northern Saskatchewan, and at Elliot Lake, Ontario. In the southern parts, the climate is seasonal; the average temperature in the winter is -. Currently the Ekati and Diavik mines are actively mining kimberlite diamonds. What are the climate factors that contribute to the boreal forest biome? climate change, global climate change, global warming, natural hazards, Earth, environment, remote sensing, atmosphere, land processes, oceans, volcanoes, land cover . During the Pleistocene Epoch, continental ice sheets depressed the land surface (creating Hudson Bay) but also tilted up its northeastern "rim" (the Torngat), scooped out thousands of lake basins, and carried away much of the region's soil. During this glaciation, the Shield was covered by the Laurentide Ice Sheet, a giant expanse of ice as much as 3 km thick. Composed almost entirely of volcanic rock, often exposed to the elements or with a thin layer of topsoil, the Canadian Shield is one of the most defining geographic features of Canada. The Canadian Shield, a northern region constituting almost half of Canada, has a cold, dry climate characterized by Arctic winds, heavy snowfall during the winter, cool, short summers in the north and warm summers in the south. . Wildlife-Central Canadian Shield Forests Lynx . Two main climate types are found in this region. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. [11][12] Erosion has exposed the roots of the mountains, which take the form of greenstone belts in which belts of volcanic rock that have been altered by metamorphism are surrounded by granitic rock. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The largest, and one of the best known, is Greater Sudbury, Ontario. Comparable to the present-day Himalayas in size, the Grenville Mountains may have been the largest mountain range ever created on Earth. The Canadian boreal region spans the landscape from the most easterly part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador to the border between the far northern Yukon and Alaska. The Canadian Shield once had jagged peaks, higher than any of today's mountains, but millions of years of erosion have changed these mountains to rolling hills.[4]. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. The average temperatures range from 59 degrees F (15 degrees C) in the summer to -31 degrees F (-35 degrees C) in winter. So far, temperatures have shifted up to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and by the end of the century temperatures could increase by 11 degrees Celsiusa lot for an ecosystem that is generally below freezing. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Typical Canadian Shield: pines, lakes, bogs, and rock. Omissions? Climate. The rest of the region has coarse soil that does not retain moisture well and is frozen with permafrost throughout the year. The region gets around 18 inches of rain each year. How My Regus Can Boost Your Business Productivity, How to Find the Best GE Appliances Dishwasher for Your Needs, How to Shop for Rooms to Go Bedroom Furniture, Tips to Maximize Your Corel Draw Productivity, How to Plan the Perfect Viator Tour for Every Occasion, Do Not Sell Or Share My Personal Information. Canadas boreal forest (270 million hectares) stores carbon, purifies the air and water, and regulates the climate. In 2008, researchers estimated rock found on the northern shore of Hudson Bay, 40 km south of Inukjuak, to be 4.28 billion years old. The crust, also known as the North American Craton, extends from northern Mexico to Greenland and consists of hard rocks at least 1 billion years old. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Canadian Shields most notable physical features are thousands of small lakes, thin layers of soil and rolling hills. The Canadian Shield constitutes the largest mass of exposed Precambrian rock on the face of Earth. Learn how to manage uncertainty related to greenhouse gas emissions by using emissions scenarios. Climate refers to the average weather in an area. 4 Is Florida a deciduous forest?What biome is South Florida? Located within the Golden Horseshoe, Toronto is the capital of Ontario, the financial centre of Canada, and the country's most populous city. Spanning the width of North America, Canada is the worlds second largest country after Russia, and home to a diverse topography that ranges from deserts to tundra, plus coastlines that rim not only the Great Lakes but also three of the worlds five oceans. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Snowfall is abundant in the north, which receives the least sunshine of fewer than 1500 hours annually. As the ice retreated from the southern part of present-day Canada a process that began as recently as 11,000 years ago it cut the basins of the Great Lakes as well as the thousands of lakes throughout the Canadian Shield. The climate here features long, cold winters and short, cool summers. Temperate grassland 5. savanna (tropical GL) 6. Remove unwanted regions from map data QGIS. The Canadian Shield is part of an ancient continent called Arctica, which was formed about 2.5 billion years ago. Few trees grow here, and farming is not practical. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/place/Canadian-Shield, The Canadian Encyclopedia - Canadian Shield, Canadian Shield - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). It covers parts of Saskatchewan and Alberta. Given their size and depth, the lakes gain heat in the summer months and release it during the winter. Southern Ontario is one of the densest regions in the country. In the Canadian Shield , there are short cold winters and long hot summers . [13] Much of the granitic rock belongs to the distinctive tonalitetrondhjemitegranodiorite family of rocks, which are characteristic of Archean continental crust. Canada's topography is dominated by the Canadian Shield, an ice-scoured area of Precambrian rocks surrounding Hudson Bay and covering half the country. The Canadian Shield is a large area of exposed precambrian igneous and high-grade metamorphic rock. Even if the portion of the Shield found in the Arctic is excluded, the Canadian Shield remains the largest physiographic region in Canada. ISBN links support NWE through referral fees, https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Canadian_Shield&oldid=678554, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. The Shield can be thought of as a jigsaw puzzle of different crustal blocks, sometimes known as provinces, welded together over time. 2016. Wildlife Caribou 4. From the Arctic peoples word for barren land, Canadas tundra region is characterized by low growing shrubs and lichen, few trees, and permafrost soil. Forest-land - land spanning more than 0.5 hectares where the tree canopy covers more than 10% of the total land area and the trees can grow to a height of more than 5 metres. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The Flin Flon greenstone belt in central Manitoba and east-central Saskatchewan "is one of the largest Paleoproterozoic volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VMS) districts in the world, containing 27 copper-zinc-(gold) deposits from which more than 183 million tonnes of sulfide have been mined."[22]. The growing season is only 60 days in duration. The high pressures and temperatures at those depths provided ideal conditions for mineralization. Learn about the three main sources of uncertainty in climate projections. Winters can be harsh in many regions of the country, particularly in the interior and Prairie provinces, which experience a continental climate. It[clarification needed] was split[when?] Common coniferous trees include white and black spruce; jack, red, white and eastern white pine; balsam fir; tamarack; eastern hemlock; and eastern red cedar. The boreal ecozone principally spans 8 countries: Canada, China, Finland, Japan, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States. The Canadian Shield makes up about 50 per cent of Canada. Tsuyoshi Iizuka, at al., "Geology and Zircon Geochronology of the Acasta Gneiss Complex", the largest-known meteorite impact craters on Earth, "Metallogeny and Tectonic Evolution of the Trans-Hudson Orogen", Alberta Heritage - Alberta Online Encyclopedia, 3-D Magnetic Imaging using Conjugate Gradients: Temagami anomaly, Report on the 2007 Diamond Drilling Program, McClarty Lake Project, Manitoba: The Pas Mining District NTS 63-K-08; UTM ZONE 14 N 415938 E, 6038968 N; 542928N 1001752W, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Canadian_Shield&oldid=1144657401, This page was last edited on 14 March 2023, at 21:53. This area lies between the western border of the Shield and the Canadian Rockies. In the southern parts, the climate is seasonal; the average temperature in the winter is -. Climate Snowy Terrain 21. Why is the boreal forest important to Canada? The region has numerous pine forests and sand dunes, the perfect habitat for unique plant life. into Greenland, Laurentia, Scotland, and Siberia, and is now roughly situated in the Arctic around the current North Pole. The Canadian Shield is dominated by the boreal forest ecosystem. The Canadian Shield stretches from Labrador to the Arctic. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com, Major Geographical Features That Shape The Climate Of Canada, Australia's Most Famous Geographical Features, Mexico's Most Famous Geographical Features, The Important Features Of The Mediterranean Climate. Signing up enhances your TCE experience with the ability to save items to your personal reading list, and access the interactive map. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Who wrote the music and lyrics for Kinky Boots? Temperate deciduous forests are most notable because they go through four seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Substantial gold discoveries were also made in Ontario at Kirkland Lake in 1906 and Timmins in 1912, and in Qubec at Rouyn-Noranda in 1920. How are weather station observations used to create a country-wide view of Canadas weather?
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