Geography Chapter 3: The Land and the People

Chapter 3: The Land and the People

• The ecology of the prairies remained unchanged for centuries, altered only by European expansion, causing widespread environmental change.
• Settlers, primarily farmers, cleared land for agriculture, significantly altering native flora, and consequently, the environment.
• A comprehensive study of Canada necessitates understanding its geography's impact on its development.

The Importance of Place

• Geography primarily involves defining and analyzing "place."
• Place comprises five elements:
  • Location: identified by longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates.
  • Physical and cultural characteristics: topography, flora, fauna, determining human activities and settlements and influencing the environment.
  • Change: geological structures and processes cause places to change over time, including changes via natural or human causes (e.g., weathering, erosion, human activity).
  • Interaction: size and location of a place impact interactions with the world (e.g., transportation technology has expanded contact).
  • Regions: despite differences, places within a region have shared characteristics (e.g., climate, landforms, vegetation, soil). Similar regions, separated geographically, can share similar characteristics.

Physical Regions of Western Canada

• Western Canada consists of three major landscapes:
  • Canadian Shield: A massive, old rock formation providing the base for younger continental rock. It spans from the Arctic islands, around Hudson's Bay, south to the Adirondack Mountains of America, and east to Labrador, remains of a once-high volcanic mountain range. It contains rich mineral deposits (e.g., copper, gold, lead, nickel).
  • Interior Plains: West of the Canadian Shield, covering much of Alberta, formed from deposited material eroded from the Canadian Shield; the area is sedimentary and was once a tropical region with abundant flora and fauna, yielding fossil fuels and potash.
  • The Western Mountains/Cordillera: Ranges of parallel mountain ranges and valleys separated by plateaus. Created by tectonic plate collisions; mountains were shaped by river erosion and glaciers. The area features fertile river valleys that are rich in minerals (e.g., copper, gold, molybdenum).

Climates of Western Canada

• Factors influencing climate include:
  • Latitude: Distance from the equator influencing sunlight duration and intensity.
  • Altitude: The higher the altitude, the colder the temperature (typically a drop of one degree for every 150 meters of elevation).
  • Distance from the Sea: Land heats and cools more quickly than water; bodies of water moderate temperatures. The further from water, the wider the temperature range.
  • Wind Direction: Wind direction impacts temperature (e.g., sea breezes moderating temperature). Wind can increase or decrease precipitation.
  • Ocean Currents: Hot or cold ocean currents can significantly influence land temperature. Changes in currents ("switches") can affect regional climates.
• Precipitation: Affected by distance from the sea, prevailing winds. Precipitation occurs in three main forms:
  • Orographic Rainfall: Clouds rising over mountains release water.
  • Convectional Rainfall: Daytime heating warms air, causing it to rise and release water.
  • Frontal Precipitation: Cold and warm air masses meet, causing cool air to drop rain or other precipitation.

Water Resources

• High precipitation and melting snow in the cordillera lead to constant river flow, but in dry years, water resources are limited.
• Water usage restrictions may be needed for water scarcity. The key problem is water distribution and quality.
• Runoff from agricultural land (e.g., pesticides, herbicides) and untreated sewage waste can contaminate water sources. Improper disposal of these materials negatively affects regional water supplies. Improper waste disposal, or lack of proper sewage treatment plants, contaminate water sources.

Explore the intricate relationship between geography and the development of Canada in this quiz based on Chapter 3. Understand how ecological changes driven by human activity, such as farming and settlement, have shaped the environment. Dive into the key elements of place that influence human activities and the natural landscape.