Chapter 6.1
the subarctic climate regions have earth's ------------
widest temperature ranges, varying by as much as 120°F (49°C) from their bitterly cold winters to cool, short summers.
what is it like in the tundra
winter darkness and bitter cold last for months and the brief summer period brings only limited warming effects
are mineral resources plentiful in canada
yes
did the rockies form like the pacific ranges formed
yes
are there any exceptions in soil in forests
yes, the soils in the mixed and deciduous forests
what can winter temperatures fall to in the tundra
-70 degrees F
What is canada made up of
3 territories and 10 provinces
where does the St. Lawrence river flow
760 miles (1,223 km) from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawrence in the Atlantic
what has made Canada wealthy
Abundant natural resources such as energy, minerals, timber, and fish
what favored industrial development and urban growth along the Great Lakes
Deposits of coal, iron ore, and other minerals nearby
------------ have helped make Canada prosperous
Freshwater lakes and rivers
what does the Gulf Stream do
It moderates coastal temperatures and carries nutrients as far north as Newfoundland
what is one of the tallest mountains in the world and how tall is it
Mount Fair-weather at 15,300 feet
what else forms part of the US-Canadian border
Niagara Falls
what cities are along the St. Lawrence river's tributaries
Quebec, Montreal, and Ottawa
where does the Mackenzie river flow
River, which flows from the Great Slave Lake to the Arctic Ocean, drains much of Canada's northern interior.
what do mountains on the eastern and western edges of canada cradle
a central region of plains
what survives the subarctic climate
a few evergreens alone with herds of woodland caribou they are endangered in some areas
what does Canada's great expanse of latitude cause
a large variation in climate and vegetation types
What does Canada's pacific coast have
a marine west coast climate
what did people find when they first arrived to the plains
a sea of grass and dark, fertile soil that later became some of the world's most productive farmland.
what is the Gulf Stream
a warm, northward-flowing ocean current off the southeastern coast of Canada
how much area does canada cover
about the northern third of North America stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific
what satisfies the needs of cities and rural areas
abundant water
what is the timberline
area above which trees can grow
what areas are dryer due to the rain shadow effect
areas between the pacific ranges and the rocky mountains
what is canada is characterized by
biomes common to the midlatitude and high latitude
what is the worlds second largest area of uninterrupted
boreal forest
what occupies the bulk of Canada's northern areas
boreal forests, also known as taiga
how were the Appalachians formed
by tectonic plate movements and over timed they were shaped by ice and running water
how were the Great Plains shaped
by the glacial activity during the ice age
what do energy resources include
coal, petroleum, a dn natural gas
what lies to the east of the appalachians
coastal lowlands
what thrusted up a series of sharp peaked mountains called the pacific ranges
collisions between tectonic plates millions of years ago
what do the Great Plains have
deep arable soil that makes it important for agriculture
what does the extraction of natural resources cause
depletion and environmental problems
what do the Athabasca Tar Sands contain large deposits of
extremely heavy crude oil, most of which is in semi solid form
what grows on Canada's pacific coast
ferns, mosses and coniferous forests
what are the plains generally
flat
Merging with the colder air and water of the southward-flowing Labrador Current off eastern Canada, the potential for --------------- is always present
fog-bound coastal conditions
what do the pacific ranges do
force moist ocean air upward, where it cools and releases moisture, causing heavy rainfall
what is it like in high latitude climates
freezing temperatures are common all year because of a lack of direct sunlight, and the amount of variety n vegetation is limited
what are the different types of climates found in canada
frozen tundra and cold subarctic, climates in the north to the steppe and humid continental along the US border
what is the Canadian shield
giant core of rock anchoring the continent and centered on Hudson Bay and James Bay.
what do the Rocky Mountains yield
gold, silver, and copper
the higher elevations of the Canadian rockies and pacific ranges are --------
high latitude climate regions
What types of landscapes can the Great Plains have
hills, escarpments, low mountains, forests, and river valleys
what is Niagara Falls needed for
hydroelectric power
where do Canada's petroleum and natural gas reserves lie largely
in and near alberta
what is a chinook
in the spring, a warm dry wind that blows down the eastern slopes of the rockies and melts the snow
where does the water from the lowlands drain
into the Atlantic Ocean through the St. Lawrence river
what does the Alaska current do that invites whales to follow a moving feast during their migrations
it churns up nutrients from the ocean floor
how does the layer of thawed soil int the tundra compare to that in the subarctic region
it is thinner in the tundra
what is the weather like in canada
it varies from bitter cold of the high latitude area to the radically changing seasons of the interior regions
what is required to transform the tar sands into synthetic crude oil for use by humans
large inputs of energy and water
what is found above the timberline
lichens and mosses
what is it like in the boreal forest
long winters and moderate to high precipitation each year
what is vegetation limited to in the tundra region
low bushes, short grasses, mosses and lichens
what lives in the boreal forest
moose, black bears, beavers, Canada lynx, wolves, snow shoe hares, Canada jays, blue jays, crows, and ravens.
how long are the rockies
more then 3,000 miles from New Mexico to alaska
what is the boreal forest covered by
mostly with coniferous evergreens making it an important source of pulpwood and lumber
what caused the great lakes
moving glaciers tore at the earth leaving behind basins
what formed Great Bear lake and Great Slave lake in northern canada
naturally occurring dams created by glacial ice
the extreme temperatures -------------- are less common.
needed for thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hail
how do the Canadian rockies extend
northward from the rockies in the US
what plays a major role in Canada's climates
ocean currents
where is Mount Fairweather
on the border of Alaska and western British columbia
in the subarctic regions what thaws during the summer
only a thin layer of surface soil, with a permanently frozen subsoil, or permafrost under it
what does the St. Lawrence river form
part of Canada's border with the US
what is a province
political unit similar to a state
what does water provide for the people
power for homes and industries and moves resources across the country
what are the soils like in Canada's forests and why
quite acidic due to the leaching (removal) of minerals out of the topsoil during rainfall
how often is canada affected by natural weather hazards
rarely
What is to the East of the plains
rocks of the Laurentian Highlands, the Canadian Shield, and the ancient, rounded Appalachian Mountains
what type of climate predominates the east of the rocky mountains
semi-ard (steppe) climate because of the rain shadow effect
what animals live in the southern latitudes of the mountains
sheep, mountain goats, elk, mule deer, and black bears
what has erosion and glacial ice from the last ice age done
smoothed the surface ad created lakes, rivers, and streams
where is climate and vegetation variable
southern third of Canada- from about 40 degrees north to 50 degrees north latitude
where does the Fraser river flow
southwest and drains into the Pacific Ocean just south of Vancouver.
what covers the middle elevations of the ranges
spruce and fir trees
what are the climates in the north
subarctic, tundra, and ice cap
what lies on the eastern edge of the interior lowlands
the Canadian shield
what do the pacific ranges include
the Cascade range and the Coast range
what is east of the rockies
the Great Plains and the Interior Lowlands which extend across the center of the region and south into the US
what climate region is closer to the north pole
tundra region
with fewer minerals the soil is
unfit for agriculture
what is the southern third of Canada's climate like
The area's humid continental climate ranges from hot and humid to cool and wet.
what his it like between the pacific ranges and rocky mountains
This area has a semi-arid (steppe) climate, with grasslands and coniferous forests.
what are winters and summers like on Canada's pacific coast
Winters are overcast and rainy. Summers are cloudless and cool, appealing to many varieties of warblers and other small birds that go north to nest
what do the rockies link together
the US and Canada
what flows southward and parallel to British Columbia
the cold Alaska current
what does the Canadian Shield make up
the eastern half of canada and parts of the northeastern US
what are North America's oldest mountains
the heavily eroded Appalachian Mountains
what happens the farther north one travels
the more severe and snowy the winter become with shorter and cooler summers
why doesn't canada have hurricanes
the pacific and Atlantic coasts are too cold to cold to support them
what climates are just south of the arctic circle
the subarctic climates
what part of canada is mountainous
the western third
what is to the west of the plains
the younger Rocky Mountains.
where are the Appalachian mountains
they extend from Canada's Maritime provinces south through the eastern US to the state of Alabama
how does the number of coniferous evergreen trees compare to the number of deciduous trees in the northernmost areas
they outnumber them