Boreal Plains Ecozone (CEC)

Last updated
Boreal Plains
Sagitawa Lookout, Peace River, Alberta.jpg
Peace Lowland ecoregion of the Boreal Plains ecozone
Ecology
Borders
List
Geography
Area737,287 km2 (284,668 sq mi)
Country Canada
Provinces
Climate type Humid continental and subarctic

The Boreal Plains Ecozone, as defined by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), is a terrestrial ecozone in the western Canadian provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. It also has minor extensions into northeastern British Columbia and south-central Northwest Territories. [1] [2] The region extends over 779,471 km2, of which 58,981 km2 is conserved (7.6 percent). [3]

Contents

Wood Buffalo National Park, the largest national park in Canada, and Whooping Crane Summer Range, the only nesting and breeding area for the critically endangered whooping crane, are both located in the northern portion of this ecozone. [4]

Industry in this ecozone once consisted primarily of forestry and agriculture, but in 1967 Great Canadian Oil Sands Limited began extracting bitumen from the Athabasca oil sands. Operations there have expanded significantly since 2003, and the oil sands are becoming an increasingly significant economic factor in the region.

Geography

Overlaying a bedrock of Cretaceous shale and Tertiary sediments are thick deposits of soil that form a flat terrain in the Interior Plains. [5] It borders the Montane Cordillera to the west, closely following the border between Alberta and British Columbia. To its south is the Prairies ecozone for its entire extent, while to the north are the Taiga Plains, with its northeastern periphery adjacent to the Taiga Shield. 20 sub-region are located within the ecoregion. [6]

Covering 650,000 square kilometres (250,000 sq mi), it is a region of subdued relief with few lakes. However, meltwater from glacial retreat between 11,000 and 8,000 years ago resulted in extensive deltas and dunes, forming Lake Winnipegosis at the eastern end of this zone. [7] It is a remnant of Lake Agassiz, a large glacial lake. [7] Most rivers originate in the Rocky Mountains, flowing eastward through the zone. [7]

Oil, Forestry, and agriculture are the largest industries. The region is nearly covered by timber, about 84% of the region, [8] The Athabasca oil sands area around 141,000 square kilometres (54,000 sq mi) of land. Agriculture takes place mainly in the Peace River Country in Alberta and British Columbia. This can employ up to 20% of the land area, though it is typically less than that. Large communities include, Fort St. John, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, Hayriver, La Ronge, and The Pas.

Ecoprovinces

This ecozone can be further subdivided into three ecoprovinces: [9]

Climate

Lying east of the Rocky Mountains, the region experiences low precipitation, averaging 450 millimetres (18 in) annually, [7] with 300 millimetres (12 in) in the west and 650 millimetres (26 in) in the east. However, this is greater than the rate of evaporation by over 100 millimetres (3.9 in) in the south, and 300 millimetres (12 in) in the north and at the foothills of the Rockies. The excess moisture promotes the development of wetlands and peat bogs, which account for between 25–50% of the ecozone's area. [10]

Summers are moderately warm, with mean July temperatures of 13 to 15 °C (55 to 59 °F), whereas winters may be very cold, with mean January temperatures of −17.5 to −11 °C (0.5 to 12.2 °F). [10]

EcoRegions

Each province continues to work on defining subregions within the larger national ecozone system. [11]

The Alberta Natural Subregion – Natural Regions (2006) found within this ecozone are: [12]

The Manitoba Ecoregions within this ecozone are: [13]

The Saskatchewan Ecoregions within this ecozone are: [14]

Protected areas

A number of protected areas have been established to protect representative and/or significant portions of this ecozone. These include:

Alberta

Manitoba

Saskatchewan

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boreal Shield Ecozone (CEC)</span> Largest ecozone in Canada, stretching from Saskatchewan to Newfoundland

The Boreal Shield Ecozone, as defined by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), is the largest ecozone in Canada. Covering 1.8 million square kilometres it covers almost 20% of Canada's landmass, stretching from northern Saskatchewan to Newfoundland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montane Cordillera</span> Ecozone in south-central British Columbia

The Montane Cordillera Ecozone, as defined by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), is an ecozone in south-central British Columbia and southwestern Alberta, Canada. A rugged and mountainous ecozone spanning 473,000 square kilometres, it still contains "two of the few significant agricultural areas of the province", the Creston Valley and the Okanagan Valley. Primarily a mountainous region, it consists of rugged ecosystems such as alpine tundra, dry sagebrush and dense conifer forests. The interior plains are encircled by a ring of mountains. The area has a mild climate throughout the year, with typically dry summers and wet winters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boreal Cordillera</span> Canadian terrestrial ecozone

The Boreal Cordillera Ecozone, as defined by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), is a Canadian terrestrial ecozone occupying most of the northern third of British Columbia and southern half of Yukon. Within it is found Kluane National Park and Reserve, and a small portion of the southern range of Nahanni National Park Reserve. Most of the area's population is based in the city of Whitehorse, and it contains most of Yukon's population. The portion in British Columbia is barely populated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of Saskatchewan</span>

The Fauna of Saskatchewan include several diverse land and aquatic animal species. From the multiplicity of invertebrates and vertebrates, two have been chosen as symbols of Saskatchewan. Cenozoic vertebrate fossils reveal the geological evolution of the interior plains and its prehistoric biogeography. Today, Saskatchewan's ecosystems range from the sub-arctic tundra of the Canadian Shield in north Saskatchewan to aspen parkland, the Mid-Continental Canadian forests in the centre of the province and grassland prairie. Fauna inhabit areas unique to their own specific and varied breeding, foraging and nesting requirements. With a large land and water area, and small population density, the ecoregions of Saskatchewan provide important habitat for many animals, both endangered and not. Naturalists observing wildlife have enumerated shrinking and growing wildlife populations. They advocate programs and methods to preserve or re-introduce endangered species and identify programs of control for outbreaks of wildlife populations. A broad diversity of wildlife habitats are preserved as parks and reserves protecting the feeding and breeding grounds of protected and indigenous fauna of Saskatchewan.

Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in northern Alberta, Canada. The park was established on 20 December 2000 with an area of 144,505 hectares. On 14 May 2018, the park was enlarged slightly to an area of 145,969 hectares. The park is contained in the Lower Athabasca Region Land Use Framework finalized in 2012. It contains a free roaming wood bison herd. The park is named for the Birch Mountains that are partially contained within the boundaries of the park.

Hubert Lake Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in central Alberta, Canada. The park was established on 4 October 2000 and has an area of 9,665.46 hectares. The park is included in the Upper Athabasca Region Land Use Framework.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluerock Wildland Provincial Park</span> Protected area in southwestern Alberta, Canada

Bluerock Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park located in Kananaskis Improvement District, Alberta, Canada. It was established on 24 July 2001 and has an area of 12,719.59 hectares. The park was named for the Bluerock Creek that flows through and forms part of the western boundary of the park and Bluerock Mountain which is the creek's source. The park is included in the South Saskatchewan Region land use framework and administered by the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan. Sheep River Provincial Park and Bluerock Wildland Provincial Park are managed under the same Management Plan.

Birch Island Provincial Park is a remote provincial park located on Lake Winnipegosis in Manitoba, Canada. The park is bordered on its western boundary by the Swan-Pelican Provincial Forest and on its eastern side by Chitek Lake Anishinaabe Provincial Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forests of Canada</span>

The forests of Canada are located across much of the country. Approximately half of Canada is covered by forest, totaling around 2.4 million km2. Over 90% of Canada's forests are owned by the public. About half of the forests are allocated for logging.

Basket Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is a provincially designated protected area in Manitoba. It is located north of Lake Manitoba and west of Hwy 6. It was designated under the Manitoba Wildlife Act by the Government of Manitoba in 1974. It is 7,260 hectares (28.0 sq mi) in size. The WMA is named after 'Basket Lake', a shallow lake surrounded by marsh, located in its southern portion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bakers Narrows Provincial Park</span> Provincial park in Manitoba, Canada

Bakers Narrows Provincial Park is a provincial park south of Flin Flon in the Northern Region of Manitoba, Canada. It is 145 hectares (0.56 sq mi) in size. It was designated as a provincial park in 1961.

Bell Lake Provincial Park is a provincial park on the north shore of Bell Lake in the Porcupine Provincial Forest, Manitoba, Canada. It is 4 hectares in size. It was designated as a provincial park in 1974.

Armit Meadows Ecological Reserve is an ecological reserve located in Porcupine Provincial Forest, Manitoba, Canada. It was established in 2015 under the Manitoba Ecological Reserves Act. It is 2.63 square kilometres (1.02 sq mi) in size.

Goose Islands Provincial Park is a provincial park protecting the Goose Islands on Lake Winnipegosis in Manitoba, Canada.

Birch River Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in northern Alberta, Canada. It was established on 14 May 2018 and covers 331,832 hectares (1,281.2 sq mi).The park is contained in the Lower Athabasca Region Land Use Framework finalized in 2012. The park is named for the Birch River that flows through it.

La Biche River Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in northern Alberta, Canada. The park was established on 6 June 2000 and had an area of 16,843.975 hectares. It was expanded on 8 August 2001 to an area of 17,545.251 hectares. The park is included in the Upper Athabasca Region Land Use Framework.

Lesser Slave Lake Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in central Alberta, Canada. The park was established on 7 February 2001 and has an area of 3,581.450 hectares. The park is included in the Upper Athabasca Region Land Use Framework.

Otter-Orloff Lakes Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in northern Alberta, Canada. The park was established on 15 December 2000 and has an area of 6,948 hectares. The park is included in the Upper Athabasca Region Land Use Framework. The park surrounds Orloff Lake and Otter Lake is named for the two lakes contained within the park.

Rock Lake–Solomon Creek Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in west-central Alberta, Canada. The park was established on 20 December 2000 and has an area of 34,682.9 hectares. The park is included in the Upper Athabasca Region Land Use Framework. The park is named for the local lake and creek within the boundaries of the park.

Winagami Wildland Provincial Park is a wildland provincial park in northern Alberta, Canada. The park was established on 26 August 1998 and has an area of 17,439.886 hectares. The park is included in the Upper Athabasca Region Land Use Framework. The park is named for Winagami Lake that is adjacent to the park.

References

  1. ↑ "Terrestrial Ecozones of Canada". Teacher Resource Centre. Parks Canada. Retrieved 2016-05-14.
  2. ↑ "Ecozones – Maps (2014)". Canadian Council on Ecological Areas (CCEA). Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  3. ↑ Canada, Environment and Climate Change (9 February 2010). "Canada's conserved areas - Canada.ca". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  4. ↑ "Wood Buffalo National Park". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  5. ↑ Bernhardt, Torsten. "Boreal Plains". Canada's Ecozones, Canadian Biodiversity project. McGill University, Redpath Museum. Archived from the original on 2008-01-25. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
  6. ↑ "Ecoregions". Ecological Framework of Canada. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Landforms and Climate of the Boreal Plains Ecozone". Boreal Plains Ecozone. Environment Canada . Retrieved 2016-05-14.
  8. ↑ "Boreal Heartland". Boreal Plains Ecozone. Environment Canada. Retrieved 2016-05-14.
  9. ↑ Secretariat, Treasury Board of Canada. "National Ecological Framework for Canada - Open Government Portal". open.canada.ca. Retrieved 2020-11-07.
  10. 1 2 "Boreal Plains". Forest Ecozones of Canada. Natural Resources Canada. 10 July 2013. Retrieved 2016-05-14.
  11. ↑ "Ecozones Introduction". Canadian Council on Ecological Areas (CCEA). Retrieved 12 August 2017. This level of generalization is well suited for national scale reporting. In the last 20 years, all Provinces and Territories have refined and automated their respective regional ecological framework. It is important, then, to provide a current national perspective which accurately reflects current regional efforts. ... Detailed ecological information remains with jurisdictions.
  12. ↑ "Natural Regions and Subregions of Alberta – Alberta Parks" (PDF). Alberta Parks. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  13. 1 2 Smith, R.E.; Veldhuis, H.; Mills, G.F.; Eilers, R.G.; Fraser, W.R.; Lelyk, G.W. (1998). "Terrestrial Ecozones, Ecoregions, and Ecodistricts of Manitoba An Ecological Stratification of Manitoba's Natural Landscapes" (Technical Bulletin 98–9E). Winnipeg, Manitoba: Land Resource Unit, Brandon Research Centre, Research Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: 170. Retrieved 12 August 2017.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  14. ↑ "Saskatchewan's Ecoregions". Saskatchewan Conservation Data Center. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  15. ↑ "Cross Lake Provincial Park". Parks Alberta. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  16. ↑ "Dunvegan Provincial Park". Parks Alberta. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  17. ↑ "Executive Summary – 2011 Elk Island National Park management plan". Parks Canada. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2017. The park's purpose is to protect a representative portion of the Southern Boreal Plains and Plateaux Natural Region...
  18. ↑ "Lakeland Provincial Park". Parks Alberta. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  19. ↑ "Thunder Lake Provincial Park". Parks Alberta. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  20. ↑ "Wood Buffalo National Park". Parks Canada. Retrieved 12 August 2017. Today, it protects an outstanding and representative example of Canada's Northern Boreal Plains.
  21. ↑ "Birds Hill Provincial Park". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  22. ↑ "Brokenhead Wetland Ecological Reserve". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  23. ↑ "Clearwater Lake Provincial Park". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  24. ↑ "Chitek Lake Anishinaabe Provincial Park". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  25. ↑ "Duck Mountain Provincial Park". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  26. ↑ "Dog Lake Wildlife Management Area". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  27. ↑ "Elk Island Provincial Park". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  28. ↑ "Fisher Bay Provincial Park/App/Detail?id=08460002014&GoCTemplateCulture=en-CA". Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  29. ↑ "Grand Island Provincial Park". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  30. ↑ "Interactive indicator maps". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  31. 1 2 "Palsa Hazel Ecological Reserve / Grass River Provincial Park". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  32. ↑ "Hecla / Grindstone Provincial Park". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  33. ↑ "Hilbre Wildlife Management Area". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  34. ↑ "Kinwow Bay Provincial Park". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  35. ↑ "Little Birch Wildlife Management Area". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  36. ↑ "Little Limestone Lake Provincial Park". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  37. ↑ "Long Point Ecological Reserve". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  38. ↑ "Mars Hill Wildlife Management Area". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  39. ↑ "Narcisse Wildlife Management Area". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  40. ↑ "Peonan Point Wildlife Management Area". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  41. ↑ "Proulx Lake Wildlife Management Area". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  42. ↑ "Red Deer Lake Wildlife Management Area". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  43. ↑ "Reindeer Island Ecological Reserve". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  44. ↑ "St. Malo Wildlife Management Area". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  45. ↑ "Ste. Anne Bog Ecological Reserve". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  46. ↑ "Sleeve Lake Wildlife Management Area". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  47. ↑ "Stuartburn Wildlife Management Area". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  48. ↑ "Rat River Wildlife Management Area". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  49. ↑ "Riding Mountain National Park of Canada and Riding Mountain Park East Gate Registration Complex National Historic Site of Canada Management Plan 2007". Parks Canada. Retrieved 12 August 2017. RMNPC was established in 1929 to contribute to this network of national parks by: Protecting an area representative of the southern boreal plains and plateaux natural region of Canada;
  50. ↑ "Sturgeon Bay Provincial Park". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  51. ↑ "Walter Cook Caves Ecological Reserve". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  52. ↑ "Watson P. Davidson Wildlife Management Area". indicators-map.canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  53. 1 2 3 4 Gauthier, Lorena Patino, David A. "Conservation Areas". The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  54. ↑ "Prince Albert National Park DRAFT Management Plan 2017". Parks Canada. Retrieved 12 August 2017. The park is in a transition zone from the Great Plains to aspen parkland to mixed wood boreal forest, representing the Southern Boreal Plains and Plateaux natural region.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.