Landforms in Atlantic Canada

LandformsMost of Atlantic Canada is rugged terrain. In Northern New Brunswick, much of the land is mountains and hills. A mountain can be defined as a mass of land that is significantly higher than the surrounding area. A mountain is often considered to be a mass of land with an elevation of 600m or more. These mountains in Atlantic Canada are formed by folding – a bending of the earth’s’ crust to form physical features, such as mountains. To the right are the Long Range Mountains in Newfoundland.

Long Range MountainThe Long Range Mountains were formed over 450 million years ago.They are the highest mountain range on the island, (more than 500 km from Cape Race in the south to the Northern Pennisuala) The average height of these mountains is 610m.Woody Point is near Gros Morne Park, one of the four places in the world where the earth’s mantle rises above ground.

Highest Mountains in each province

• Province Mountain Elevation• Nfld & Lewis Hills 806 m• Labrador Mount Caubvick 1652m• N.S Cape Breton

Highlands 532m• N.B Mount Carleton 817m• P.E.I Queen’s County 142m

The two main structural features in the Atlantic region are the Appalachian Mountain region and the Canadian Shield.

These are the White Mountains in Maine that make up part of the Appalachian Mountain region

This is the Eastern most part of the Canadian Shield in Labrador

The Appalachian Mountains: Mainly sedimentary rocks (rock formed by the build up of layers of rock particles) and metamorphic rocks, which are sedimentary rocks that have been changed by pressure and heat as folding occurred. They extend across the Atlantic region and into the United States as far south as the state of Georgia.

The Canadian Shield: An area of igneous (rock formed from magma after volcanic activity) and metamorphic rocks. A vast area of rock that stretches across central Canada.

The Power of a Glacier

A Glacier: A large, permanent (non Seasonal) mass of ice that is formed

on land and moves under the force of gravity. Glaciers may form anywhere that snow accumulation exceeds seasonal melt. They are powerful agents of erosion and leave characteristic landforms behind them.

Different types of Glaciers

Continental Glaciers: May cover large section of continents, as in Greenland and Antarctica

Alpine Glaciers: Form in the Mountains.

Valley Glaciers: One that occupies a valley. A typical valley glacier will add snow at its head and lose snow to melt at its foot.

Ice Sheet: a mass of ice that covers a large area, as in Greenland.

Life Cycle of a Glacier

First sequence in the development of a FiordA Fiord is a long narrow inlet of the sea, boarded by steep mountain slopes. All Fiords were once river valleys, called “V” shaped valleys. Interlocking spurs are rocks that jut into the river creating a zipper like shape to the river.

Second Sequence to the development of a FiordDuring the last ice age, glaciers scoured these valleys, making them deeper and sides steeper. During glaciation the interlocking spurs are removed by the valley glacier. The river valley is straightened, widened and deepened (below sea level) by the glacier.

Last sequence of the development of a FiordThe final stage the “V” shaped valley is now changed to a “U” shaped. Once the ice melts from the glacier, the sea “drowned” the valley, creating a fiord. This happens as the valley becomes submerged, partly as a result of deepening and partly as a result of a rise in sea level.

Nachvak Fiord in Northern LabradorFiords are considered to be one of the most dramatic of land forms because of their sharp and deep formation lines. They are also relatively unusual.

Lowlands

Lowlands: Large low lying areas of flat or gently rolling landA lowland area that straddles N.B and N.S borders the Northumberland Straight and is called the Tantramar Marshland.

What province in Atlantic Canada has the largest share of its area in the form of lowlands?

Water Forms in Atlantic Canada

Rivers

A river can be defined as a long, narrow body of water that flows in a channel from high to low land and empties into a body of water such as an ocean or lake.

Margaree River, Nova Scotia

St. Croix River, New Brunswick

LakesA lake is a body of water that is completely surrounded by land.

Pond & PoolsA Pond is a fairly small body of still water

A Pool is a shallow, small body of water.

WetlandsAre waterlogged areas that are neither solid ground nor open water, including bogs, fens, swamps and marshes.

Bogs, Swamps, and Marshes

Bogs: Wetlands composed mainly of peat, featuring mosses, decomposing plants, low shrubs, and sparse black spruce or tamarack.

Swamps: Wetlands occurring where water collects in pools and containing mature trees such as black spruce. In thicketed areas, swamps contain tall shrubs.

Marshes: Wetlands either seasonally or permanently covered by water; stands of sedges, grasses, and rushes are divided by channels that carry off water very slowly. Cattails and water lilies are typical marsh plants.

Fens: Wetlands composted mainly of peat and fed by streams, so that the water table is at or above the surface of the peatland. They share the same vegetation as a bog. +

Importance of Wetlands

Major bodies of water

• The major bodies of water that influence Atlantic Canada are the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Gulf

• A gulf is a very large area of the sea that is partially enclosed by land.

Bay

• A bay is a partially enclosed body of water that has an opening to the sea.