Deejesh SubramanianGeography Culminating Activity

Unit 3: Physical Connections

Geologic HistoryTheory of Plate Tectonics: Continental drift- About 300 million years ago, all of Earths land masses collided to form the supercontinent of Pangaea. About 200 million years ago, it broke up and the continents drifted to their current positions. Most scientists did not accept this theory as powerful enough to move continents. Canadian J. Tuzo Wilson developed the theory of plate tectonics in 1968: Earths outer shell is made up of about 20 plates, made up of continental and oceanic crust They are floating on a layer of hot rock deep below Earths surface Convection currents caused by unequal distribution of heat within Earths core causes the plates to moveAlfred Wegeners Proofs for Continental Drift: The continents of South America and Africa seem to fit together. There are fossils of the same plants and animals on both continents, only possible if they were once joined together. The Appalachians in eastern North America and the Caledonian mountains in the northern British Isles are similar in age and structure, formed when North America collided with Europe and northern Africa. Ice sheets covered parts of southern Africa, India, Australia, and South America, confirming that these continents were closer to the South Pole.

Major Forces: Mountain Building Folding- the folding or bending of rocks to produce mountains Ex. Rocky Mountains, Himalayas, Andes, Alps Faulting- break or crack in Earths crust (earthquake)/the fault moves vertically or horizontally Ex. B.C. coastline, Lake Ontario, Japan, San Francisco, Italy Volcanism- the release onto the Earths surface of magma, or hot molten rock that originated in underground chambers. Once the magma settles, it dries and hardens to create mountains and landmasses. Ex. Canada (active volcanoes in Precambrian era), Vesuvius, YellowstoneErosion Weathering- movement of land from folding and faulting leave rocks on mountains fractured. Wind, rain, running water, temperature and chemical changes pick up and transport these fractured pieces that come loose Ex. Niagara Falls, Appalachians, Grand Canyon Glaciation- When a large ice mass moves across land, it scrapes the soil and picks up anything in its way and leaves them when it stops. Ex. Wasaga Beach, Cherry Beach, 5 Great Lakes, fjord

Geologic Eras: Cenozoic- 66 mya to now Mesozoic- 245 to 66 mya Paleozoic- 570 to 245 mya Precambrian- 4600 to 570 mya

Rocks: Igneous Rock- type of rock formed from the cooling of molten rock(magma/lava)Ex. Granite Sedimentary Rock- type of rock usually formed in layers from the compression of sediments over millions of years Ex. Limestone, sandstone Metamorphic Rock- type of rock formed when sedimentary or igneous rocks are subjected to great heat or pressure Ex. Gneiss, coal to diamond

Landform RegionDominant LandformMajor CitiesMajor Bodies of WaterUse of Land

Canadian Shield N. Ontario Quebec- many lakes, islands- rocky outcrops- swampsSudbury, Thunder Bay, Moosonee, WinnipegLake Winnipeg, James Baymining, fishing, camping, storehouse of metallic minerals

Interior Plains (Lowland) Alberta Saskatchewan - coral reefs- plains, rolling hills- deep, wide river valleys- very dry landEdmonton, Regina, SaskatoonPeace River, N. and S. Saskatchewan Riversmining, farming, oil production, fertilizer/potash production

Great Lakes- St. Lawrence Lowlands S. Ontario S. Quebec- flat plains with glacial hills and deep river valleys- large lakes (Great Lakes)- bedrock- cliffs, escarpments- basins gouged out by glaciers- islands

Toronto, Ottawa, MontrealGreat Lakes, St. Lawrence River, Niagara Falls/ River- fishing, farming, manufacturing, tourism- highly urbanized, high population, high economic output

Hudson Bay N. OntarioArctic Lowlands NWT/ Nunavut - swampy forest- flat, low area- gently, rolling landscapeChurchill, Fort SevernHudson Bay, Big Trout Lake, Churchill Rivermining, ecotourism, forestry, fishing

Appalachian Mountains Maritime Provinces- once jagged peaks, now rolling hills- long bays- fertile river valleysHalifax, St. Johns, Fredericton, CharlottetownBay of Fundy, Gulf of St. Lawrence, Saint John Riverfishing, mining, farming, boating, potatoes

Innuitian Mountains NWT- icy watchtowers- barren (trees cannot survive extremely cold winter)- ice and permanent snowPond Inlet, Broughton Island, AlertBaffin Bay, Lincoln Seahunting, ecotourism, fishing, future oil reserve

Western Cordillera BC Yukon Alberta- range after range of mountains separated by plateaus and valleys- narrow strip of flat coastal land between the Pacific- Rockies and Coast Mt.

Vancouver, Victoria, Whitehorse, CalgaryFraser River, Columbia River, Mackenzie Riverfarming, mining, hiking, camping, forestry, tourism

Landform Regions

Climate Climate Types: Maritime Climate Small annual temperature range (below 25C) Annual precipitation greater than 1000 mm Develops in coastal locations near major water bodies Ex. Halifax, Toronto, Vancouver Continental Climate Large annual temperature range (above 25C) Annual precipitation lower than 1000 mm Develops in inland locations far from oceans Ex. Regina, Edmonton

3 Types of Precipitation: Relief (Orographic) - Relief occurs and a wet condition on the windward side of a mountain and a rain shadow on the leeward side is created. Convectional- The suns rays warm the air that is moist from ground and vegetation. It rises creating updrafts. The air expands and cools to the dewpoint. The cool air cannot hold moisture, so heavy downpours occur. The air cools, creating downdrafts, stopping the updrafts and storm. Cyclonic- Air masses different in temperature or moisture do not mix, so a front is established. The warm air mass forms a wedge with the cold air mass. The air rotates inward in a counterclockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere. The warm air is forced to rise above the cold air in the warm and cold fronts. Very, very fast and strong winds combine with rain to create hurricanes or tornadoes.

Factors Affecting Climate Latitude- At the equator, the Sun heats a small area and hit it in a shorter, direct distance. As you move away, the same energy spreads out over a larger area. Ocean currents- The temperature of an ocean current affects the temperature of air that passes over it, so warm currents give surrounding areas a milder climate. Meeting of warm and cold air produce damp/foggy conditions. Winds and air masses- Air mass created over oceans has lots of moisture and air masses created over land are dry. Maritime locations likely receive more precipitation than continental locations. Low pressure cell is good weather and high pressure cell is bad weather. Elevation/Relief- As moist air rises up the windward slope of a mountain, it expands and cools. The amount of evaporation decreases and the rate of condensation increases. As more water vapor condenses, they come down as rain or snow. The vice versa occurs on the leeward side and results in a rain shadow (drier climate). Near Water-Large bodies of water have a moderating effect on the surrounding areas and areas close to water have milder temperatures. Water has a cooling effect in the summer and a heating effect in the winter.

Soil and VegetationCalcified vs Leached Soil: Leaching- In areas with lots of precipitation, there is a continuous downward movement of water into the soil. This removes vital nutrients and carries them away. Leached soil has a poor, thin topsoil layer. Ex. Ontario, Nova ScotiaSolutions: - Buy bags of topsoil. Black earth - Plant plants that like wet soil (Lettuce, tomatoes, celery) Calcification- In dry climates, there is an upward movement of water through the soil. As water evaporates, more water is drawn up to replace it. As the water evaporates, it leaves behind its dissolved minerals. The result is a creation of a thick topsoil layer that sometimes can be so large, it is poisonous to plants. Ex. Alberta, SaskatchewanSolutions: - Loosen up the soil with garden claw/hoe - Plant plants that like dry soil (Cactus, wheat, hay, barley)

True Soil Components: Minerals- The minerals in soil come from a parent material. The parent material is usually rock but the minerals become part of the soil when the rock is weathered in sand, silt, and clay. Many of these minerals are nutrients vital to the plants growth. Bacteria and Organic Materials- When plants and animals die, they are decomposed by bacteria in the soil. Nutrients are released into the soil. It forms humus, which provides nutrients and moisture for plants, as well as give soil its rich, dark color. Air- Plants need air around their roots, which is created by a high humus level because the loose, decaying materials allow for many air pockets, as well as worms, insects, and other small animals. Moisture- Water dissolves nutrients in the soil and is then taken up by plant roots. Water is also necessary in the physical and chemical processes that weather rock and decay organic materials.

Coniferous TreesDeciduous Trees

Long roots can extract nutrients from poor soil Sticky sap prevents needles from freezing Waxy needles and thick bark prevent loss of moisture in times of drought Needles can conduct photosynthesis on warm days beyond the growing season Lose their leaves in fall as weight of snow on them might break their branches Dormant in winter, but sap flows to their buds and causes new leaves to grow in spring Most need at least 5 months with average temperatures above 5C

Ex. Pine, spruce, juniper, cedar, fir, balsamEx. Fruit trees, oak, maple, ash, hickory, birch

EcozonesEcozones: An ecozone is a distinct ecological region determined on the basis of physical, biological, and human factors. There are 15 ecozones in Canada. The largest is the Boreal Shield. The smallest is the Mixedwood Plains. The Mixedwood Plains has the highest population and GDP. The Boreal Shield does not have the highest GDP because it is not as populated as the Mixedwood Plains and there are fewer industries and businesses. Also, the Mixedwood Plains is closer to the US border.

Our Regions: Landform Region: Great Lakes- St. Lawrence Lowlands Climate Region: Southeastern Soil Region: Wet-climate soils Natural Vegetation Region: Mixed Forest Ecozone: Mixedwood Plains