11) – CGC 1D1 NOTES: Canada’s Landform Regions
· - are made from oceans, lakes, glaciation, folding, faulting,
erosion, and the deposition of soils and rocks.
· The oldest Landform Region in Canada –
The_____________________is 4 Billion years old.
LANDFORMS:
- are theor natural features, of the land's surface.
is an area's landforms and its cover of vegetation, water, ice
and rock
Topography may be described in the following terms:
Elevation
Relief
Gradient
Geology
General Appearance
Canada is so large that geographers divide it into regions to
make it easier to study. Geographers classify landforms based on a
combination of characteristics:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Questions to answer for each Landform Region:
When was it formed?
What is the geology of the area?
What does it look like?
How was it created?
Why is it important?
CANADIAN SHIELD: PAGES
The core (geologically speaking) of the country is the (or )
Shield. This is the ancient hard rock (4 billion years old) and it
is what all the other areas were created from.
- and make up the Shield and because it is so old it is
relatively flat
compared to other regions. It is often called the
of Canada's metallic
minerals (many deposits of lead, gold, nickel,
copper
and zinc).
The area has been subjected to a number of major or . The
scraping and gouging action of the ice has left depressions in the
bedrock which have filled with water to form hundreds of thousands
of lakes.
The soil is not good for but is ideal for with its scenic rivers
and vast forests. The industry is very important for regions in the
Southern parts of the Shield with ,, and .
The is impervious – water does not pass through it. The sand and
gravels deposited by the (from the scraping and gouging) have
forced the rivers to flow in
many different directions – resulting
in a very
disorganized pattern of winding rivers, lakes
and
swamps.
SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Candian Shield also known as -
When was it formed?
What is the geology of the area?
What does it look like?
How was it created?
Why is it important?
INTERIOR PLAINS: Pages -
Many people think of the as flat, but for the most part they are
composed of rolling
hills and deep, wide valleys. Overall, the
land from west to east.
This is due to , since harder and denser rocks erode more slowly
than the softer rocks and soil deposits.
The area was once covered by glacial seas ( ) . After the
sediments they formed
Rock () creating oil deposits, as well as
potash and natural gas.
As the lakes from the glaciers receded they left behind
, that
now make up very
-_and soil. This region is excellent for growing
and and is often know as: "".
SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Interior Plains
When was it formed?
What is the geology of the area?
What does it look like?
How was it created?
Why is it important?
The GREAT LAKES/St. LAWRENCE LOWLANDS: Pages-
Made up of two parts: separated by thin wedge of that jets
across the St. Lawrence River (near Kingston)
Made up of rock (from the era) - many areas of
differential
erosion
(Niagara Escarpment &
Niagara Falls.)
Great Lakes portion - formed from gouging out the landscape
leaving a rolling landscape with flat plains, glacial hills ( &
) and deep river valleys.
St. Lawrence Lowland portion - is a created when the land
between dropped or sank down ()
Due to , filled soils and - The area is great for
agriculture.
Very land - excellent for (% of Canada's population lives in the
Great Lakes-
St. Lawrence Lowlands, which only makes up % of
Canada's total land area)
Could be considered Canada'sand heartland
SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Lowlands
When was it formed?
What is the geology of the area?
What does it look like?
How was it created?
Why is it important?
1, HUDSON BAY/2, ARCTIC LOWLANDS: Pages-
1, Hudson Bay area is very flat, low area covered by . The
region has layers of rock overtop of the ancient .
In this region the swampy areas are called – the water is often
stagnant (never moving). Several rivers meander through the area.
The vegetation is mostly and isolated .
2, The Arctic Lowlands includes a group of Northern Islands
with a gently rolling landscape.
Very harsh does not permit (ground is frozen for most of year) -
.
Sedimentary rock
formed in era does contain some (a poor quality
of coal), oil and natural gas deposits.
SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Hudson Bay/Arctic Lowlands
When was it formed?
What is the geology of the area?
What does it look like?
How was it created?
Why is it important?
HIGHLANDS:
Canada is surrounded by a rim, also made up of, in part
sediments from the
Shield. Unlike the lowland areas, the rocks have been uplifted
by forces.
The highlands include:
: the and the lowest Mountains
due to longer erosion
: of the very far north
: the , and highest. This is actually a series of several
different ranges dominated by the famous .
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS: Pages-
highland region in North America formed at the end of era (300
million years ago).
These mountains are made of mainly rock (rich in deposits of
non-metallic minerals [i.e. coal])
Though there are areas where activity and have created igneous
and metamorphic(plateaus which consist of metallic minerals [i.e.
Iron and zinc]).
Millions of years ofhave reduced the once peaks to mountains and
hills. More recent glaciations have added to the
leveling of these
mountains. As the land sank (due to the ) long bays were created
and now they
provide deep for ocean and
have become the sites for
major cities.
SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Appalachians
When was it formed?
What is the geology of the area?
What does it look like?
How was it created?
Why is it important?
INNUITIAN MOUNTAINS: Pages-
Formed in of the era when the North American plate moved
northward.
Mainly composed ofrock.
than Appalachians, so they have not have been worn down as
much.
landscape, covered by and snow.
resources have not been explored as the region is too, it would
cost too much
to .
SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Innuitian Mountains
When was it formed?
What is the geology of the area?
What does it look like?
How was it created?
Why is it important?
WESTERN CORDILLERA: Pages-
Consists of a range of along the separated by plateaus and
valleys.
Created when plate under the plate, causing a great deal of
folding, faulting and volcanic activity.
Great and appearance means they are geologically young ( Era).
Many people use the term ‘‘ to describe the Western Cordillera -
but, in truth, the are just a small part of the Western Cordillera.
SEE FIG.
The mountains run in a -direction This creates a PROBLEM, all
travel routes run in an - direction so there are only a few or gaps
to allow travel through the region. This makes the region
lightly.
Most people live in or towns
located in river valleys
(__________ and ).
Many created as glaciers scraped out, and when the glaciers
melted the sea the valleys. With this and the beautiful mountains
the region thrives on .
SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Western Cordillera
When was it formed?
What is the geology of the area?
What does it look like?
How was it created?
Why is it important?
Many geological events occurring over hundreds of millions of
years have created Canada's diverse landforms. Canada could be
described as a "” surrounded by lowlands and then highlands on
three sides.
Profile of Southern Canada's Landform Regions
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
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