Unit 2- Physical Geography Flashcards
What are the 4 eras in order?
Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic
How old is the earth?
4.600 000 years ago.
Name 1 event that happened in the Precambrian era?
4 shields are formed. Canadian, Brazilian, African and Australian
First great extinction
Name 1 event that happened in the Paleozoic era?
The Appalachians formed
Breakup of one super continent Pangea
1 event that happened during the Mesozoic era?
Innuitian mountains formed
1 event that happened in the Cenozoic era?
Ice sheets cover much of North America
Contents take on their present shape
Humans became the most dominant life on earth
What is continental drift?
It means eventually the continents are drifting from each other.
Why didn’t scientist believe Alfred Wegener theory?
They thought it was impossible for a whole continent to break up since it was such a big mass. Also because Wegener didn’t have enough evidence to back up his answer.
What was Wagners proof?
- If you squish all the continents together it will fit just like a puzzle.
- The mountains were the same in eastern USA and east coast Brazil.
- Same rock types in the coast of 2 continents
- Glacier deposits
What is the theory of plate tectonics?
The theory is that the outer rigid layer of the earth is divided into a couple of dozen plates that move around across the earths surface relative to each other.
Give 2 examples of how the movement of plate tectonics shaped Canada?
- Mountain ranges
2. We use to be one supercontinent but now we are separated into North America.
What is a glacier?
A huge mass of ice that moves slowly over land
How are glaciers formed?
Formed in areas where more snow falls each year than melts.
As snow builds up it changes from light, fluffy crystals to round granules
As granules become buried under additional snow they compress and form firn (grainy ice)
Over time, the weight of continued snow accumulation cause more compaction and recrystallization
Eventually, ice fuses into a massive sheet that moves underneath its own weight.
What is an ice age?
Glaciers that have existed for billions of years
The most recent ice age was 10 000 years ago.
What are the 6 glacial features?
Striations Till plains Moraines Drumlins Eskers Lake plains
How is igneous rock formed?
Formed by melting+cooling eg. Granite
How is sedimentary rock formed?
Formed by weathering and compaction.
Eg. Limestone
How is metaphoric rock formed?
Formed by heat + pressure eg. Marble
What are the 8 physical regions in Canada?
Know places on map*
- Canadian Shield
- Interior plains
- Hudson Bay Lowlands
- Arctic Lowlands
- Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Lowlands
- Western Cordillera
- Appalachian Mountains
- Innuitian Mountains
What are the physical characteristics of the Hudson Bay Lowlands?
Very flat Marshy Permafrost Forested (southern areas) Muskeg environment Largest wet land in Canada
Is it weather or climate?
It was raining outside yesterday.
Weather
Is it weather or climate?
Wind speed on the lake was perfect for my sailing lessons nearly everyday this week
Weather
Is it weather or climate?
You need to wear sunscreen everyday on Jamaica’s hot beaches.
Climate
What is weather?
The day-to-day characteristics of the atmosphere.
What is climate?
The weather patterns of a region over a long period of time.
What are the factors affecting climate?
Latitude Ocean currents Winds and air masses Elevation Relief Near water
How does latitude effect climate?
Warmer at equator & colder at police
More precipitation at low latitudes (where we find rainforests)
How does ocean currents affect climate?
The temperature of an ocean current affects the temperature of the air above it
Warm currents being higher temperatures and more precipitation
There are 3 majors ocean currents in Canada
How does wind and air masses affect climate?
Carry temperature and moisture from one place to another
Have characteristics of the place over which they were formed
E.g. Air mass formed over the Canadian Arctic is cold & dry, but air mass formed over the Gulf of Mexico is arm & moist
In Canada, the prevailing winds carry weather from west coast to east coast (called westerlies)
How does elevation effect climate?
As you get higher, the temperature gets colder and the amount of precipitation increases (think cold, snowy mountain …)
How does near water affect climate?
Areas away from cost (Continental Climate) have low precipitation and large annual temperature range
Areas near coast (maritime climate) have high precipitation and moderate annual temperature range.
Is it climate or weather? And which lower N is this statement?
When warm, they help create wet costal climates. When cold, they help create drier coastal climates.
Precipitation
Ocean currents
Is it climate or weather? And which lower N is this statement?
The further from the equator (north or south) the cooler the temperatures.
Temperature
Latitude
Is it climate or weather? And which lower N is this statement?
Precipitation is higher next to oceans. It is lower when areas are located far inland.
Precipitation
Near water
What is a climagraph?
A climagraph shows the average monthly temperature and precipitation values for a given location (or station).
What should temperature be on a climagraph?
Line graph (red)
What should precipitation be on a climagraph?
Bar graph blue
How do you find Average annual temperature?
Add all 12 monthly temperatures together and divide by 12
How do you find temperature range?
Temperature of warmest month - temperature of coldest month
What is high temperature range?
Continental
What is low temperature range?
Maritime
How do you find total annual precipitation?
Add all 12 monthly precipitation together
Name the climate regions in Canada?
Know where they are on the map*
West Coast Mountain Prairie Boreal Arctic Southeastern East Coast
How is the West Coast climate like?
Cool summers and mild winters Very wet in the winter Summer months do not receive much precipitation Annual precipitation 2400 mm or higher Maritime climate
How is the mountain climate like?
Many different climates in this region
Elevation affects local wether
Western mountain face (near water) gets more precipitation
How is the Prairies climate like?
Large annual temperature range Moderately dry (annual precipitation is approx. 400 mm) Hot & dry summers Extremely cold & dry winters Continental climate
How is the Boreal climate like?
Short summers with highs of approx. 15 degrees
Long, cold winters
Precipitation is 200-300 mm annually
Continental climate
How is the arctic climate like?
Short, warm & dry summer
Long, very cold & dry winter
Precipitation is 100-150 mm annually
Mainly continental climate
How is the East Coast climate like?
Ocean moderates temperatures Winters are cool & wet Summers are warm Annual precipitation is greater than 1000 mm Maritime climate
What is a deciduous forest?
A forest consisting of mainly trees that regularly shed all their leaves, usually in the fall. The trees are dominant in the winter. May also be called a broad-leaved forest. Examples of deciduous trees include maple, oak and birch.
What is a coniferous forest?
A forest containing mainly needle-leaf trees that have cones and softwood trunks. May also be called Boreal forest. Examples of coniferous trees include Douglas fir, cedar, spruce and pine.
What is the tree line?
The line at high latitudes and altitudes beyond which trees will not grow.
What is a transition zone?
An area that shows characteristics of more than one region. In the case of natural vegetation, the area will contain vegetation from the regions to the north and to the south of it.
What is permanent frost?
Permanently frozen soil that does not thaw during the summer.
List the vegetation regions of Canada?
Know where they are on map*
Tundra Boreal and Taiga Forest Mixed Forest Deciduous Forest Grassland Cordilleran Vegetation West Coast Forest
What is it like in the Tundra vegetation region?
Most northerly region
Contains permafrost (permanently frozen ground)
No trees grow here because it is too cold
Vegetation grows close to the ground to absorb heat from the earth’s surface
What is it like in the Boreal and Taiga Forest vegetation region?
Separated from the tundra by treeline
Trees grow sparsely along the northern edge
Trees become more dense as you move south
Coniferous trees are dominant, but some deciduous trees are also present
What is it like in the Mixed Forest vegetation region?
Mix of coniferous and deciduous trees
Acts as a transition zone between the Boreal forest and the deciduous forest
What is it like in the Deciduous Forest vegetation region?
Found exclusively in Southwestern Ontario
Only small areas of undisturbed natural vegetation are left due to human activity
What is it like in the Grassland vegetation region?
Found in southern Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba
Climate is too dry for trees to grow
What is it like in the Cordilleran vegetation region?
Climate & vegetation type vary greatly
Grasses grow in dry valleys, coniferous trees grow on slopes, and tundra vegetation occurs at the highest elevations
What is it like in the West Coast Forest vegetation region?
Lush forests containing large coniferous trees
High rainfall
Sometimes called ‘temperate rainforests’
Name and describe the 4 components of soil.
Minerals: are created when rock is broken down over long periods of time.
Humus: is the decayed remains of plant and animal life.
Air: is a necessary element of soil because plants need air around their roots to grow.
Water: they need water not only to grow but also for the process of weathering and dissolving the nutrients.
What does a typical soil profile contain?
Hummus- top upper layer of soil
Topsoil- dark colour- rich in humus; zone of leaching
Sub-soil- minerals from A horizon deposited
Parent material- weathered parent material (contains mineral from the broken down bedrock)
What is humus?
It is the dark upper layer of soil, it’s made of decayed plant material, and it’s very rich in nutrients.
How are new organic materials added to the soil?
Plants and animals decay it.
What is leaching?
Leaching is the removal of the soils nutrient by water moving downward through the soil.
How does leeching affect the A horizon in soil profile?
Since nutrients move down the soil becomes lighter. It makes the actual zone smaller because there is not as much depth to it.
What calcification?
When water carrying minerals move upward threw the soil and evaporate.
How does calcification affect the A horizon in the soil profile?
It gets larger because the more it’s moving up to the surface.
Why can calcification be harmful to vegetation?
To many minerals, it could be toxic, can kill plants
Describe grassland soil?
In the grassland, the biggest horizon is the A horizon (top soil). It’s dry which means the minerals come up. More organic matter because of early death. Really deep root growth because they have to go further down for water because it’s a dry area. Less leaching and more classification.
Describe dessert soil?
A horizon in dessert are very small. In a dessert they isn’t a lot of organic material because not many plants grow, and not many plants die to create organic material. Since there is so little decomposing plants it makes the A horizon very small and thin. Horizon B and C are approximately the same.
Describe the forest soil?
Thick debris at the top. Parent material. The biggest horizon is B, because more rain. A lot of plants grow support wild life top layer really rich and organic. The A horizon is also fairly thick because there’s more rain, so that precipitation helps leech things down so that’s why the B horizon is the biggest.
What is an ecozone?
Soil Climate Vegetation Geology Landforms Human activities Wildlife
Name the ecozones in Canada? *know where it is on the map
Mixedwood plains Atlantic maritime Boreal Shield Prairie Boreal plains Montane cordillera Pacific maritime Hudson plains Boreal Cordillera Taiga Cordillera Taiga plains Taiga Shield Southern arctic Northern Arctic Arctic Cordillera
How many national parks are there in Canada?
44
What was the first national park in Canada?
Banff
What was the first national park in Ontario?
Algonquin
What our the 3 purposes of national parks?
To protect natural landscapes
To conserve wildlife & wildlife habitat
To preserve recreational site
Why does Vancouver revive more rain than Calgary?
Vancouver is located on the coast on the west side of the mountains. Calgary are in the east side of the mountain ranges. The rain can’t get over the mountains so it rains a lot in Vancouver by the time it gets to Calgary all the rain is gone.
Describe the climate and vegetation in the Mixedwood plains ecozone.
Deciduous forest
Southeastern climate
