Geography 2011A/B Chapter : Physical Geography.docx
10 Oct 2014
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Document Summary
Overview of the physical setting of ontario. Ontario lies (predominantly) in 2 natural regions: Figure 2. 2 maximum extent of ice, 18,000 bp. Between 1. 5 and 3. 5 billion years old. High mountains eroded down to rocky ridges. Thousands of lakes -- result of glaciation over million years. Massive ice sheets scoured and gouged the earth = changing drainage patterns. Glaciers scraped the soil from the rocks. Since the last ice age ended -- 15,000 years ago in southern ontario, but only. 6,000 years ago in northern quebec the land has become covered with a thick boreal forest of coniferous trees. Jack pine, balsam fir, white and black spruce. Trees continue north to treeline where trees dwindle and tundra begins. Except for forestry operations, mining, and native canadian villages, few people penetrate this vast, rugged landscape. Slopes toward sea at gradient < 1m per km. Water in the form of permafrost underlies much of the region.
