Geography

• Soil

  It nourishes our agriculture and creates healthy environments and biodiversities
• Benefits of soil


  • Growth and production of fruits and vegetables
  • Healthy growth of these products benefits human health
  • Protects plant roots from weather issues and erosion
  • Helps with climate change by absorbing carbon
  • Provides jobs to people
  • Is a home for decomposers such as worms and fungi
  • Helps grow plants that can be used as shelters for animals
• Components of soil


  • Gravel
  • Sand
  • Silt
  • Clay
  • Water
  • Air
  • Nutrients
  • Organic Things
• Four Main Elements of Soil

  • Minerals
  • Bacteria and Organic Material
  • Air
  • Moisture
• Minerals


  Come from a parent material which is usually rock or loose materials that have been deposited, the minerals become part of the soil when the rock is broken down into smaller particles of sand, silt or clay, Many of these minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus and potassium are nutrients needed by plants for growth
• Bacteria and Organic Material

  When plants die, they decay and form humus, Humus is important because it is a source of nutrients for plant growth, Humus gives soil its dark color, The bacteria in the soil breaks down organic matter so that it can be recycled, Once the decaying process is complete, the material that remains has nutrients ready for re-use in the soil
• Air


  Plants need air around their roots, A high humus level helps produce air in the soil which results in air pockets, Worms can also help produce air pockets
• Moisture


  Water dissolves nutrients in the soil and is then taken up by plants through their roots
• Where and how are new minerals added to the soil?

  1. New mineral materials are added at the bottom of the soil by the weathering of the parent material

  2. Organic materials are added at the top. This top layer of soil contains HUMUS and is called topsoil
• Soil Leeching


  Leaching → removal of minerals from soil by water as it moves downwards through the soil, Dissolves the chemical nutrients in the soil and carries them away, The movement of water removes the nutrients the plants need
• Soil is more productive for farming if fertilizer is added
• Capillary Action


  Movement of water upwards through small spaces in the soil, As water in the topsoil evaporates, water from below is drawn upwards to replace it
• Calcification


  Process by which, in dry climates, water carrying dissolved minerals moves upwards through the soil, At the surface, the water evaporates, leaving the minerals behind, The surface soil is then considered to be calcified because of all the calcium left behind in the soil at the surface
• Loam


  A well balanced mixture of sand, silt, clay and humus, It encourage root growth and holds moisture and allows water to pass through it to take up nutrients
• The best soil in Canada for agriculture are found in the southern prairies and Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Lowlands
• Soils in the northern regions and across most of the Canadian Shield are usually rocky and thin
• Dangers of Contaminated Soil

  • Contamination of crops and plants
  • Damage to biodiversities
• Permafrost


  Ground that remains frozen for more than two years, The active later of permafrost can thaw
• Some natural disasters related to permafrost include rockfalls and debris flows
• Arable Land


  Land that is fit for, or suitable for growing crops (farmland)
• Land Use


  • Arable Land 5%
  • Permanent Crops 0%
  • Permanent Pastures 3%
  • Forests and Woodland 54%
  • Other 38%
• Vegetation Regions in Canada

  • Tundra
  • Forest – Taiga and Boreal Forest, Mixed Forest and Deciduous Forest, West Coast Forest
  • Grasslands – Short Grass Praire, Long Grass Prarie, and Parkland
  • Cordilleran Vegetation
• Natural Vegetation


  Plants that would grow in an area without human influence
• Vegetation Region


  An area with similar natural vegetation. For example: the Temperate Forest Region
• Types of Vegetation Regions in Canada

  • Coniferous Trees
  • Deciduous Trees
  • Grasslands
  • Tundra
• Vegetation regions often support a characteristic animal community
• Vegetation composition in Canada changes depending on precipitation amounts in the region
• Vegetation composition in Canada changes depending on temperature of region
• Arctic Tree Line


  Edge of the region at which trees are capable of growing. Beyond the treeline, they are unable to grow due to cold temperatures.
• Tundra


  • Small shrubs, mosses and lichens grow, Flowers bloom and produce seeds quickly during the arctic summer, Most of the Tundra has permafrost – which is permanently frozen ground
• Taiga Forest (Subarctic Forest)


  • Part of the Boreal forest along the edge of the tree line, Forest trees are spindly, Conifer trees such as black spruce, tamarack and white spruce
• Boreal Forest


  • Largest forest region in Canada, Lumber industry harvests trees in area for paper and sometimes lumber, Conifer trees such as black spruce, balsam fir and jack pine, Deciduous trees such as trembling aspen and birch
• Mixed Forest (Coniferous and Deciduous Trees)


  • South of the boreal forest in Ontario and Quebec, Both conifer and deciduous trees are abundant
• Coniferous Trees


  • Trees that have needles and cones, such as spruce and pine, They can survive in colder and drier areas than Deciduous trees, Timber (oak, maple, pine) and maple syrup are large industries in this forest region
• Deciduous Trees


  • Smallest forest region located in southern Ontario, where we live, Trees that have leaves and seeds, such as maple and birch, They need moisture, they shed their leaves in the Fall and are dormant in the winter, Moderate climates with high moisture levels, Rare plant, tree, and animal species are found in these forests, Few forests remain due to human development (roads, subdivisions, farms)
• Grasslands(Short Grass Prairie)


  • In South Saskatchewan and Alberta, Dry area with short grasses and drought tolerant plants, Used for grazing cattle
• Grasslands(Long Grass Prarie)


  • In Saskatchewan and Manitoba, More moist areas and grasslands and has a larger diversity of plant species, Used for farming wheat and grains
• Grasslands (Parkland)


  • In Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba, Changing boundary between the boreal forest and the true grasslands, Used for farming and cattle grazing
• Cordillera Vegetation


  • Mountain vegetation in British Columbia, Alberta and Yukon, Vegetation changes as you travel up the mountainside, Forestry is common here
• West Coast Forest


  • Pacific B.C. coastal area, Very productive forest with large trees due to lots of rainfall, Forestry is a very important industry