Agriculture & Vegetation Regions
Definitions
Barren: without trees.
Boreal and Taiga Forest: coniferous (needle-leaved) forest that stretches from east to west across Canada, south of the Tundra but north of the Grasslands and Mixed Forest. Calcification: process by which, in dry climates, water carrying dissolved minerals moves upward through the soil. At the surface, the water evaporates, leaving the minerals behind. The surface soil is then considered calcified. Capillary Action: movement of water upward through small spaces, as in soil. Coniferous Trees: trees with cones and often needle-like leaves; evergreen. Deciduous Trees: broad-leaved trees that shed their leaves annually in the Fall. Humus: dark, upper layer of soil made up of partially decayed plant material. Leaching: removal of minerals from soil by water as it moves downward through the soil. Leaching occurs in wet climates. Loam: a well-balanced mixture of sand, silt, clay, and humus. Long-Grass Prairie: type of vegetation in the Canadian prairie provinces where higher precipitation levels cause grasses to grow longer than in the drier, short-grass prairies. Mixed Forest: vegetation region that contains both coniferous and deciduous trees. It is a transition zone between the deciduous forest and the boreal forest. Natural Vegetation: refers to the plants that can grow in an area without any human interference and grow in response to different climatic and soil conditions. Parkland: vegetation region that is a transition zone between Grassland and Boreal Forest. Permafrost: permanently frozen ground that does not completely thaw in the summer. The top metre or so of permafrost, known as the active layer,is the only layer to thaw during the short northern summers. Short-Grass Prairie: type of vegetation in the Canadian prairie provinces where very little precipitation causes grasses to be shorter than in the slightly wetter long-grass prairies. Soil: surface layer of Earth, composed of mineral and organic materials, air, and water. Soil Profile: different horizons (layers) in the soil and the rock layer (bedrock) below the soil. Each horizon has different physical, biological, and chemical characteristics. Sustainable Agriculture: approach to agricultural production that can be maintained indefinitely without harming the environment. Transition Zones: areas where the characteristics of one region gradually change into those of another. Tree Line: boundary between the Tundra and the Boreal Forest zone. North of this line it it too cold for trees to grow. Tundra: northernmost vegetation region, found in areas too cold for trees to grow. Bushes, grasses, mosses, and similar plants dominate. |
Chapters
13 Canada's Climate Connections (p. 145-158)
14 Canada's Soil & Natural Vegetation Connections (p. 159-171) Presentations & Handouts
Vegetation Regions of Canada
Tundra
Taiga / Subarctic Forest
Boreal Forest
Mixed Forest
Deciduous Forest
Short Grass Prairie
Long Grass Prairie
Grasslands / Parklands
Cordilleran Vegetation
West Coast Forest
|