Taiga Cordillera Ecozone
Geographical Location: The Taiga Cordillera Ecozone is located along the northern extent of the Rocky Mountain system, covering the western segment of the Yukon Territory and the southwestern portion of the Northwest Territories.
Landforms:Steep mountains, (including valleys).
Climate:The climate is generally dry and cold. Total precipitation averages about 300 mm per year. The mean daily January temperature ranges from -25 to -30 °C, with the mean daily July temperature ranging from 12 to 15 °C.
Vegetation: The arctic tundra formations are more common in the north, the alpine tundra in areas of with areas of scattered forest in the south.
Wildlife:Mammals of the Tundra Cordillera Ecozone include Dall's sheep, woodland and barren-ground caribou, moose, mountain goat, black and grizzly bears, lynx, arctic ground squirrel,American pika and wolverine. Gyrfalcon, willow ptarmigan and rock ptarmigan are representative bird species.
Human Activity: Hunting, trapping, forestry, tourism
Major Cities: Old Crow
Geographic Location: The Boreal Cordillera Ecozone is located in the
mid section of the Canadian Rocky Mountain system. It covers sections of
northern British Colombia and the southern Yukon Territory.
Landforms: The area is generally characterized by the mountain
ranges which contain many high peaks and extensive plateaux,
intermontane plains and some hills.
Climate: Long, cold winters and short, cool to warm summers (depending
upon elevation and latitude). The mean daily January temperature ranges from
-15 to -27 °C, with the mean daily July temperature ranging from 12 to 15 °C.
Precipitation is about 400 mm per year over much the intermontane plateau areas;
it is extremely high on the mountains in the west and ranges from 1000 mm to
15000 mm on the mountains in the east.
Vegetation: The vegetation for this section is typical of the Boreal
Forest - mainly coniferous. Tree species include white spruce, black spruce,
alpine fir, lodgepole pine, trembling aspen, balsam poplar and white birch.
Wildlife: Mammals of the Boreal Cordillera Ecozone include woodland
caribou, moose, Dall's sheep, mountain goat, black and grizzly bears, marten,
lynx and American pika.
Human Activity: Hunting, trapping, forestry, tourism and mining.
Major Cities: Whitehorse, Dawson.
Landforms: As the name implies, the Pacific Maritime Ecozone includes
the land margin along the entire Pacific Coast, as well as the marine portion. Mountainous topography dominates,
cut through by numerous fjords and glacial valleys and bordered by coastal
plains along the ocean margin.
Climate: This ecozone has some of warmest and wettest climatic
conditions in Canada. This maritime-moderated climate receives as little
as 600 mm of precipitation per year in the lower Georgian Strait, while
the overall area is typically much wetter, receiving up to 3000 mm.
There is generally relatively little variation between the mean monthly
temperatures, compared to elsewhere in Canada: average July temperatures
are in the 12 to 18 °C range, while average January temperatures are
relatively warm 4 to 6 °C.
Vegetation: The western coastal forest is composed mostly of
western red and yellow cedar, western hemlock, Douglas fir, mountain hemlock,
amabilis fir, Sitka spruce and alder.
Wildlife: Characteristic mammals of the Pacific Maritime Ecozone
include white-tailed deer, black and grizzly bears and mountain lion.
Bird species include black oyster catcher, California and mountain quail,
tufted puffin and chestnut-backed chickadee.
Marine environments are typified by northern seal lion and by different
species of seal and whale.
Human Activity: Forestry, urbanization, agriculture and fish processing.
Major Cities: Victoria, Vancouver
Landforms: Most of southern British Colombia and a portion of
southwestern Alberta are contained within Montane Cordillera Ecozone.
This ecozone is essentially a rugged mountain unit which rings
several major interior plains. The plains are more extensive to the north.
Climate: Moderately long, cold winters and
short, warm summers, varying with elevation and latitude. Annual precipitation is about 800 mm over the northern
section, 1200 mm along the British Columbia-Alberta border, and only 500 mm
in the desert-like environments towards the Canada-U.S. border. The mean daily
January temperature ranges from -7.5 to -17.5 °C, with the mean daily July
temperature ranging from 13 to 18 °C.
Vegetation: Dominated by coniferous trees; varies according to elevation.
Wildlife: Characteristic mammals of the Montane Cordillera include
woodland caribou, mule deer, wapiti, bighorn sheep, fisher, badger and hoary
marmot.
Typical bird species include blue grouse, Steller's jay and black-billed
magpie.
Human Activity: Forestry, agriculture and tourism.
Major Cities: Quesnel, Kamloops, Banff
Landforms: The Boreal Plains Ecozone extends as a wide band from the Peace River country
of British Columbia in the northwest to the southeastern corner of Manitoba.
The physical features of this unit are similar to those of the Prairie Ecozone
to the south - level to gently rolling plains.
Climate: A moist climate with long cold winters and short, moderately
warm summers. Precipitation is about 400 mm over much of the ecozone, nearing 500 mm along
the southern boundary. The mean daily January temperature ranges from -17.5
to -22.5 °C, with the mean daily July temperature ranging from 12.5 to
17.5 °C.
Vegetation: White and black spruce, jack pine and tamarack are the
main conifer species. Nevertheless, there is a wide distribution of broadleaf
trees, particularly white birch, trembling aspen and balsam poplar, as well
as extensive marsh areas.
Wildlife: Characteristic mammals of the Boreal Plains Ecozone include
woodland caribou, mule deer, white-tailed deer, bison, coyote, fisher and
least chipmunk. Representative birds include boreal owl, great horned owl, blue jay, evening grosbeaks and brown-headed
cowbird.
Human Activity: Forestry, farming, tourism and oil and gas development.
Major Cities: Edmonton, Flin Flon
Climate: The climate is semi-arid and cold - long, cold winters and
short cool summers. Annual precipitation
ranges from about 400 mm in the south to about 200 mm in the north. The mean
daily January temperature ranging from -22.5 to -30 °C with the mean daily
July temperature ranging from 10 to 15 °C.
Vegetation: Dwarf birch, labrador tea, willows, bearberry, mosses
and sedges are associated with the environment of tundra arctic. Upland and
foothills areas and southerly locales tend to be open forest to dense forest,
and are better drained, warmer and
support mixed wood forest characterized by white and black spruce, tamarack,
white birch, trembling aspen, balsam polar and lodgepole pine.
Wildlife: Characteristic mammals of the Taiga Plains Ecozone include
moose, woodland caribou, bison, wolf, black bear, marten and lynx.
Human Activity: Hunting, trapping, tourism and oil and gas development.
Major Cities: Hay River, Inuvik, Fort Simpson
Climate: Moderate long, cold winters, and moderately warm summers.
Climatic characteristics include over 400 mm of precipitation
annually. The mean daily January temperatures of -22.5 to -25 °C and mean daily
July temperatures of 15 to 17.5 °C.
Vegetation: Little natural vegetation remains. Short and long grass
prairie, with few trees.
Wildlife: Characteristic mammals of the Prairie Ecozone include mule
and white-tailed deer, elk, coyote, pronghorn, white-tailed jack rabbit, etc.
Click here to see a picture of The Badlands -
Dinosaur Provincial Park
Human Activity: Agriculture, urbanization, and oil and gas development.
Major Cities: Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton
Climate: The climate is subarctic continental - long, cold winters,
and short cool summers. Precipitation is low
(from 175 to 200 mm annually). The mean daily January temperature ranges from
-17.5 to -27.5 °C with the mean daily Jully temperature ranging from 7.5 to
17.5 °C.
Vegetation: Along the northern edge of this ecozone is the tree line.
The forest stands are open and form lichen woodlands which merge into areas of
open arctic tundra. The central portion contains stunted coniferous and deciduous
stands, including black spruce, alders, willows and tamarack in the fens and bogs,
and open, mixedwood associations of white spruce, balsam fir and trembling aspen.
Wildlife: Characteristic mammals of the Taiga Shield Ecozone include
barren-ground and some woodland caribou, moose, wolf, snowshoe hare, arctic
fox, black and grizzly bears and lynx.
Human Activity: Tourism, mining, hunting and trapping.
Major Cities: Yellowknife, Uranium City, Happy Valley-Goose Bay
Climate: Climatic conditions vary slightly over the area, with long
winters and short summers. This ecozone is largely influenced by cold Hudson
Bay air masses, which are also responsible for relatively high levels of
precipitation, 400 mm in the west to 1000 mm in the east. Mean daily January
temperatures are -10 to -20 °C, while mean daily July temperatures average 15 to 18 °C.
Vegetation: Coniferous and deciduous stands.
Wildlife: Characteristic mammals of the Boreal Shield Ecozone
include woodland caribou, white-tailed deer, moose, black bear, raccoon,
marten, fisher, striped skunk, lynx, bobcat and eastern chipmunk.
Representative birds include boreal owl, great horned owl, blue jay and evening
grosbeak. In the Atlantic marine environment, typical mammals are the grey, harp and
hooded seals, and the northern bottlenosed, sperm, killer, Atlantic pilot,
fin and blue whales.
Human Activity: Forestry, mining, tourism, recreation and trapping.
Major Cities: Sudbury, Thunder Bay, St. John's, Rouyn-Noranda
Landforms: Low lying swampy plains. Although wetlands are distributed
throughout the ecozones, the largest wetlands area is associated with the Hudson
Plains Ecozone --- an area centered in northern Ontario that extends into
northeastern Manitoba and western Quebec.
Climate: Climatically, this ecozone is heavily influenced by the cold
and moisture-laden Hudson Bay-low and Polar-high air masses. It is generally
a cold continental climate with moderate precipitation of 400 to 700 mm
annually. Mean daily January temperatures are about -19 °C, while mean daily
July temperatures hover between 12 and 16 °C.
Wildlife: Characteristic mammals of the Hudson Plains Ecozone include
woodland caribou, moose, black and polar bears, marten, arctic fox and
fisher.
A variety of waterfowl typifies the birds. The ecozone is, for example, a
major habit for substantial populations of breeding waterfowl, especially
Canada geese.
In the marine environment, representative mammals include walrus and bearded,
harbour and ringer seals.
Human Activity: Hunting, trapping, recreation and tourism.
Major Cities: Moosonee, Churchill, Attawapiskat.
Climate: The climate is continental, with warm to hot summers and
cool winters. Mean daily July temperatures are 18 to 22 °C, while mean daily
January temperatures are -3 to -12 °C. The area receives approximately 720 to
1000 mm of precipitation annually.
Vegetation: The forests in this ecozone are mixed coniferous-deciduous,
dominated by white and red pine, eastern hemlock, oaks, maples and birches.
Wildlife: Characteristic mammals of the Mixedwood Plains Ecozone
include white-tailed deer, black bear, raccoon, striped skunk, eastern
cottontail, eastern chipmunk, and grey and black squirrels.
Representative birds include great blue heron, red-shouldered hawk,
whip-poor-will, red-headed woodpecker, blue jay, eastern bluebird and
Baltimore oriole.
Human Activity: Densely populated urbanization, manufacturing,
agriculture and recreation.
Major Cities: Six of 10 largest cities in Canada: Toronto, Montreal,
Hamilton, Ottawa-Hull, Quebec and London.
Climate: The Atlantic Ocean and its current have created a moderating
and cool-moist maritime climate - long, mild winters, and warm summers.
Mean annual precipitation ranges from 1000 mm inland to 1425 mm along the coast.
The mean daily January temperature ranging between -2.5 and -10 °C and mean
daily July temperatures of about 18 °C.
Vegetation: Forest stands are mixed coniferous-deciduous,
characterized by red spruce, balsam fir, yellow birch and sugar maple, with
red and white pine and eastern hemlock. Some boreal species are present,
including black and white birch.
Wildlife: Characteristic mammals of the Atlantic Maritime Ecozone
include white-tailed deer, moose, black bear, raccoon, striped skunk, bobcat
and eastern chipmunk.
Representative birds include whip-poor-will, blue jay eastern bluebird and
rose-breasted grosbeak.
In the marine environment, representative species include grey seal, hooded
and harp seals, and Atlantic pilot, killer, and northern bottlenosed whales.
Human Activity: Forestry, fishing, agriculture, tourism, and urbanization.
Major Cities: Halifax, Mocton, Fredericton, Charlottetown
Climate: The climate is typically arctic with long, cold winters and
short, cool summers. Mean daily July temperatures tend to be cool (about 10 °C).
Winter temperatures are highly variable, but the mean daily January
temperature tends to be about -30 °C. Mean precipitation north-south ranges
between 200 and 400 mm.
Vegetation: This ecozone represents a major area of vegetation
transition (tundra soils and bare rock), and contains the major shrublands in the tundra. Typical shrubs
include dwarf birch, willows and heath species; these are commonly mixed with
various herbs and lichens.
Wildlife: Characteristic mammals of the Southern Arctic Ecozone
include moose, muskox, wolf, arctic fox, grizzly and polar bears, arctic
hare, etc. The area also includes the major summer and calving grounds of
two of the largest caribou herds.
Human Activity: Hunting, trapping, tourism, mineral development.
Major Cities: Rankin Inlet, Tuktoyaktuk, Povungnituk
Climate: The climate is very dry and cold. The annual precipitation
ranges from 100 to 200 mm. Mean daily January temperatures ranges from -30 to
-35 °C in the long winters and the daily July temperatures are between 5
and 10 °C in the short summers.
Vegetation: Herb and lichen dominated communities constitute the main
vegetation cover (permafrost and tundra soils).
Wildlife: Mammals of the Northern Arctic Ecozone include Peary and
barren-ground caribou, muskox, wolf, arctic fox, polar bear, arctic hare, and
brown and collared lemmings.
Representative birds include red-throated loon, brant, oldsquaw, gyrfalcon,
willow and rock ptarmigan, snowy owl, etc.
In the marine environment, typical species include walrus, bearded, harp and
harbour seals, beluga and narwhal.
Human Activity: Hunting, tourism, some mineral development.
Major Cities: Iqaluit, Cambridge Bay, Resolute
Climate: The climate is very cold and dry, with long winters and short
summers. Mean daily January temperatures range from -25.5 °C in the south to
-35 °C in the north and mean daily July ttemperatures are about 5 °C. Precipitation
amounts to 200 to 300 mm generally with higher totals on exposed eastern slopes
and at lower latitudes. In areas, this ecozone is considered to be a "polar desert".
Vegetation: Vegetation at upper elevations is largely absent due to
the permanent ice and snow. Elsewhere is tundra vegetation.
Wildlife: The Arctic Cordillera Ecozone is largely devoid of
terrestrial mammals, although polar bears are common in coastal areas.
Representative birds in the warmer coastal margins include northern fulmar,
ringed plover, hoary redpoll and snow bunting.
The marine environment is typified by walrus, bearded, harbour, ringed and harp
seals, narwhal, and beluga and killer whales.
Human Activity: Hunting, tourism.
Major Cities: Pond Inlet, Clyde River, Broughton Island
Boreal Cordillera Ecozone
Pacific Maritime Ecozone
Montane Cordillera Ecozone
Click here to see mountains in the Montane Cordillera.
Boreal Plains Ecozone
Taiga Plains Ecozone
Landforms: The Taiga Plains are mainly located in the southwesterly
corner of the Northwest Territories; however, they also extend into
northeastern British Columbia and northern Alberta.
Representative bird species include red-throated loon, northern shrike, common
redpoll, etc. 
Ecozones Home
Prairie Ecozone
Click here to see a picture of the Prairie Ecozone
Landforms: The Prairie Ecozone, with its flat to rolling plains is
known as the "bread basket" of Canada. It occupies a semi-circular area that
has its base on the Canada-U.S. border and arcs from the western edge of
Alberta to the eastern edge of Manitoba.
Unique bird species include ferruginous hawk, greater prairie chicken, sage
grouse, American avocet and burrowing owl. Taiga Shield Ecozone
Landforms: The Taiga Shield Ecozone, with its plains and hills of
the Canadian Shield, lies on either side of Hudson Bay.
It occupies the central part of Quebec and Labrador, portions of northern Manitoba,
Saskatchewan and the south-central area of the Northwest Territories.
Representative birds include arctic and red-throated loons, northern phalarope, tree
sparrow and grey-cheeked thrust.
In the marine environment, representative species include walrus and bearded,
harbour and ringed seals. Boreal Shield Ecozone
Landforms: The Boreal Shield Ecozone is a broadly "U" shaped zone that extends
from northern Saskatchewan east to Newfoundland, passing north of Lake
Winnipeg, the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. Hudson Plains Ecozone
MixedWood Plains Ecozone
Landforms: Covering the Lower Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Valley areas,
Mixedwood Plains Ecozone is among the smallest. However, its combination of
agricultural soils, rolling hills and plains and relatively warm summer climate have
caused this region to be one of the most intensively used and highly populated. Atlantic Maritime Ecozone
Landforms: The Atlantic Maritime Ecozone extends from the mouth of
the St. Lawrence River southeasterly across New Brunswick, and into
Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. The unit is dominated by the interior
Appalachian upland and the Northumberland coastal plain.
Southern Arctic Ecozone
Landforms: The land portion of the Southern Arctic is split by Hudson
Bay into east and west portions. The Bay is included within this region as a
marine environment. The larger land portion covers the mainland of the
Northwest Territories and the smaller eastern segment bridges northern Quebec
and Labrador. It consists largely of rolling lowland plains and hills of the Canadian Shield.
Much of it is covered by glacial moraines.
The area is also a major breeding nesting ground for a variety of birds.
Representative species include yellow-billed, arctic and red-throated loons,
whistling swan, snow goose, oldsquaw, gyrfalcon, willow and rock ptarmigan,
northern phalorope, parasitic jeager, snowy owl, hoary redpoll and snow
bunting.
The marine environment include different species of seal and whale. Northern Arctic Ecozone
Landforms: The Northern Arctic Ecozone extends over most of the
non-mountainous areas of the Arctic Island and the portions of northeastern
Nunavut and northern Quebec. The western portion consists mostly of lowland plains
covered with glacial moraine. In the east, the landscape tends to be uplands
consisting of plateaux and rocky hills. Arctic Cordillera Ecozone
Landforms: The Arctic Cordillera contains the only major mountainous
environment other than the Rocky Mountain system - the Innuitian mountains.
It occupies eastern Baffin and Devon islands and most of Ellesmere and Bylot
Islands in Nunavut. The highest parts are crowned by ice caps and glaciers.
Ecozones Introduction 
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