11) – CGC 1P1 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_____________________

LANDFORMS:

-Landforms are the or natural features, of the land's surface.

Topography may be described in the following terms:

Elevation Height above

Relief Differences inbetween points on the surface of the earth

Gradient The of slopes

Geology The types of and their

General Appearance descriptions Examples: Mountains may be young which meansor if they are older they may be:

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:

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 Shield. This is the ancient hard rock that 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 contains many deposits of lead, gold, nickel, copper 
and zinc.

The area has been subjected to a number of major . The scraping and gouging action of the ice has left 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 ,,.

The is impervious – meaning 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.

SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Candian Shield

When was it formed? billion years old ( Era)

What is the geology of the area? Main types of Rock:

What does it look like? Large (non-leaf or needle trees often called ‘evergreen’) forests, many lakes and rivers, and exposed (igneous)

How was it created? By moving and through and

Why is it important?

INTERIOR PLAINS: Pages-

Many people think of the as flat, but they also have rolling
 hills and deep, wide valleys. Overall, the land downward from west to east.

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 dried, they left behind
, that now makes up very 
 _and (good for growing things) soil. This region is excellent for growing and and is often know as: "".

SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Interior Plains

When was it formed?Early Era to Era

What is the geology of the area?

What does it look like? Flat with rolling hills and deep wide

How was it created? Created when (dried up or want away)

Why is it important? Growing Crops (“”), reserves, and potash

THE LOWLANDS pages:

A surrounding series of plains or lowlands that are made of rock, in part eroded from the ancient Shield (that huge section of igneous rock).

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)

Great Lakes portion - formed from gouging (digging) out the landscape leaving a rolling landscape with flat plains, glacial hills (called & ) and deep river valleys.

St. Lawrence Lowland portion - is a created when the land between dropped or sank down ()

Due to , filled soils and a - 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?Era

What is the geology of the area? Rock

What does it look like? Great Lakes Lowlands - landscape with and glacial hills; St. Lawrence Lowlands - created when two dropped down

How was it created? Champlain waters receded and (dug it out)

Why is it important? , routes (Hwy.401) and it’s Canada's industrial and heartland

1, HUDSON BAY/ARCTIC LOWLANDS: Pages-

1, Very flat, low area covered by . Region has layers of rock overtop of the ancient .

In this region the swampy areas are called – the water is often stagnant (doesn’t move much). Several rivers (curve back and forth) through the area. The vegetation is mostly and isolated (a few, here and there) .

2, Artic Lowlands include a group of Northern Islands 
with a gently rolling landscape.

It has a very harsh that does not permit (the ground is frozen for most of year) - .

Sedimentary rock formed in the era contains some , , and gas deposits.

SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Hudson Bay/Arctic Lowlands

When was it formed?

What is the geology of the area? Rock

What does it look like? Hudson Bay Lowlands- Very , area with forests;

Arctic Lowlands - Gently , lichens (type of plant), moss and sparse (very little) vegetation

How was it created? Poor leads to , tundra and bog (referred to as )

Why is it important? due to and (contains some and deposits)

HIGHLANDS: Page-

Canada is surrounded by a rim, also partly made up of sediments from the ancient Canadian

. 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 mountains. 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 the era (300 million years ago).

These mountains are made of mainly rock (rich in deposits of non-metallic minerals like 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 (sharp and high) 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 freighters and have become the sites for major cities.

SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Appalacians

When was it formed?Era

What is the geology of the area? Rock

What does it look like? with and broad (wide)

How was it created? collided creatingwhich were then wore down by and

Why is it important?Created deep, , and great for

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 by erosion.

(not much there) landscape, covered by and snow.

resources have not been explored since the region is too(far away from most settlements/transportation routes), it would also cost too much 
to .

SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Innuitian Mountains

When was it formed?Era

What is the geology of the area? Rock, extremely (not much will grow there) – (the ground is always frozen)

What does it look like? (not as worn down as ). Mostly covered by

How was it created? By colliding into each other. has not yet worn down the mountains

Why is it important?

WESTERN CORDILLERA: Pages-

Consists of a range of along the separated by plateaus and valleys.

Created when the plate under the plate, causing a great deal of folding, faulting and volcanic activity.

Great and(sharp) 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 (area). This makes it lightly(very few people live here).

Most people live in or towns 
located in river valleys (__________ and ). It’s easier to earn a living and/or get food.

Many were created as glaciers scraped out. When the glaciers melted the water and sea the valleys. The region thrives on (is successful in) .

SECTION REVIEW QUESTIONS: Western Cordillera

When was it formed? Era

What is the geology of the area? A mixture of:

What does it look like? Vast (very large) , and ( Mountains, Plateaus and mountains [Columbia and Rocky])

How was it created? driving up and glaciers (melting back to colder areas) and leaving flooded valleys (fjords)

Why is it important? (in river valleys), , , and extensive (a very large amount of)

Profile of Southern Canada's Landform Regions

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.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

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