- Boreal Cordillera
The Boreal Cordillera is a Canadian terrestrial ecozone occupying most of the northern third of
British Columbia and southern half of theYukon . Within it is foundKluane National Park and Reserve , and a small portion of the southern range ofNahanni National Park Reserve .Cite web
url=http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/nt/nahanni/natcul/natcul1_e.asp
title=Nahanni National Park Reserve of Canada
publisher=Parks Canada
accessdate=2008-02-07] Most of the area's population is based in the city of Whitehorse, and it contains most of the Yukon's population. The portion in British Columbia is not that populated.Cite web
url=http://www.ec.gc.ca/soer-ree/English/vignettes/Terrestrial/bc/default.cfm
title="Klondike Country"
work=Boreal Cordillera Ecozone
publisher=Environment Canada
accessdate=2008-02-07]The main economic activity is
mining , particularly ofgold , which discovery in the region led to theKlondike Gold Rush .Cite web
url=http://canadianbiodiversity.mcgill.ca/english/ecozones/borealcordillera/borealcordillera.htm
title=Boreal Cordillera
work=Canada's Ecozones, Canadian Biodiversity project
last=Bernhardt
first=Torsten
publisher=McGill University , Redpath Museum
accessdate=2008-02-07] In addition to the area's richmineral deposit s, active industries exist inforestry ,tourism , and hydroelectric power generation.Cite web
url=http://ecosys.cfl.scf.rncan.gc.ca/classification/classif08-eng.asp
title=Forest Ecozones of Canada
publisher=Natural Resources Canada
accessdate=2008-02-07]Geography
This
mountain ous region is between theMontane Cordillera to the south and theTaiga Cordillera to the north. The three zones contain theCanadian Rockies . To the east are theTaiga Plains , and to the west isAlaska , though the ecozone is also adjacent to narrow strips of thePacific Maritime . It is characterised by tall peaks and extensive plateaux.Cite web
url=http://www.pc.gc.ca/apprendre-learn/prof/itm2-crp-trc/htm/ecozone05_e.asp
title=Boreal Cordillera Ecozone
publisher=Parks Canada
accessdate=2008-02-07] The plateaux have a fairly gentle terrain, broken by numerous watercourses running through them, and are separated by widevalley s and theirlowland s.Just over 15% of the Boreal Cordillera, or roughly 73,320 km² consists of
wetland s, of which 92% is treed wetland.Cite web
url=http://www.ccmf.org/ci/rprt2005/English/pg21-30_1-1-1.htm
title=Indicator 1.1.1 - Area of forest, by type and age class,and wetlands in each ecozone
work=Criteria and Indicators of Sustainable Forest Management in Canada, National Status 2005
publisher=Canadian Council of Forest Ministers
date=2005
accessdate=2008-02-07] It covers a total area of 471,400 km², with 241,240 km² of forest cover, of which 78.6% issoftwood , 17.8% is mixedwood, and 3.6 ishardwood . The spruce beetle has been proliferating since the 1990s, and has destroyed vast areas of the spruce forest. The ecozone contains four forest regions - tundra, sub-alpine, coast, and boreal.Cite web
url=http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/environment/ecology/humanactivities/timber_table.html#2
title=Table 1. Forest Regions and Principal Tree Species by Ecozone
publisher=Atlas of Canada
accessdate=2008-02-07] There is also concern that the softwood harvest in southeastern Yukon does not have adequate natural regeneration.Cite web
url=http://www.health.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/BorealCordillera/index_e.html
title=Boreal Cordillera Ecozone
work=Forest Conditions - Ecozone Reports
publisher=Natural Resources Canada
accessdate=2008-02-07]Climate
The interior intermontane plateau receive about 400 mm of annual precipitation, much less than the 1000 to 1500 mm levels in the eastern mountains, and the even higher levels in the western mountains.
Snow fall accounts for 35 to 60% of all precipitation.Cite web
url=http://www.ec.gc.ca/soer-ree/English/vignettes/Terrestrial/bc/land.cfm
title=Landforms and Climate of the Boreal Cordillera Ecozone
work=Boreal Cordillera Ecozone
publisher=Environment Canada
accessdate=2008-02-07]Winter s are long and cold, with January mean temperatures between -15ºC and -27ºC.Summer s are warm but short, with July mean temperatures between 12ºC and 15ºC.Alpine weather is more typical beyond the
tree line at elevations above 1000 m, where frost can develop year-round. Average temperatures here remain below freezing for most of the year, and snowfall accounts for at least 70% of precipitation. Permafrost is typical in these regions, allowing for the growth of onlyshrub s,moss es andlichen s.Cite web
url=http://www.spaceforspecies.ca/resources/ecozone/canada/
title=Canada's Ecozones
publisher=Space for Species
accessdate=2008-02-07]Sudden violent storms are possible in the area during the summer, usually due to moist air masses arriving from the
Pacific Ocean . Usually, however, the Pacific moderates the climate in this ecozone.The Cordillera receives a lot of precipitation it is mostly rain but when it snows it melts very quickly.
References
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.