Canada has 20 major ecosystems—ecozones, comprising 15 terrestrial units and 5 marine units. These ecozones are further subdivided into 53 ecoprovinces, 194 ecoregions, and 1,027 ecodistricts.[1] These form the country's ecological land classification within the Ecological Land Classification framework adopted in 2017. They represent areas of the earth's surface representative of large and very generalized ecological units characterized by interactive and adjusting biotic and abiotic factors.[2]
On November 20, 2017, Statistics Canada approved the Ecological Land Classification (ELC) framework as the official government standard in classifying the ecological regions of Canada.[3] This framework mirrors that which was originally established in 1995, but revises number of ecodisiricts to 1,027 in order to better align them with the Soil Landscapes of Canada (SLC) database of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Though this framework originally included 5 marine ecozones, these were never formally adopted by Statistics Canada.[1][4] It is based on a hierarchy with ecosystems nested within ecosystems. The Ecological Framework for Canada defines four levels of ecosystems as a nested hierarchy of areas:[2]
Canada is divided into 5 marine ecozones based upon the National Ecological Framework for Canada established by the Ecological Stratification Working Group in 1995 in accordance with the requirements of the CEC. The Canadian marine ecozones adjoin to each other, except for the Pacific ecozone which is adjacent to international marine ecozones and terrestrial Canadian ecozones. The largest is the Arctic Archipelago, which actually extends to subarctic regions.
In 1991, a collaborative project was undertaken by a number of federal agencies in cooperation with provincial and territorial governments to establish a common ecological framework for Canada. The resulting report, A National Ecological Framework for Canada, released by the Ecological Stratification Working Group in 1995, established the 20 ecozones (15 terrestrial and 5 marine), 194 ecoregions, and 1,031 ecodistricts of Canada. A second report published in 1999 established the 53 ecoprovinces of Canada in accordance with the requirements of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC).[1][5]
Further developmentsedit
In 2009, Fisheries and Oceans Canada developed the 13 federal marine bioregions of Canada as the official spatial planning framework in classifying and preserving the ecological integrity of Canada's internal waters and exclusive economic zone.[6]
In 2010, Environment Canada published the report Canadian Biodiversity: Ecosystem Status and Trends 2010 utilizing a modified hierarchy called "Ecozone+". Major modifications included adjustments to terrestrial boundaries to reflect improvements in ground truthing, the combining of three Arctic ecozones, and the addition of two ecoprovinces (Western Interior Basin and Newfoundland Boreal) and nine marine ecosystem-based units.[7]
Canadian Ecological Framework 2014edit
In 2014, the Canadian Council on Ecological Areas (CCEA) released an update to the first digital version of the Canadian Ecological Framework (CEF). The new spatial framework was designed to replace the 1995 ecological framework as well as the Ecozone+ framework used in the Canadian Biodiversity: Ecosystem Status and Trends 2010 Report. This new ecozone map includes 18 terrestrial, 12 marine and 1 freshwater ecozone, the latter two of which were derived from the marine bioregions outlined by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in 2009.[8][6]
^ abcGovernment of Canada, Statistics Canada (2018-01-10). "Introduction to the Ecological Land Classification (ELC) 2017". www.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
^ abBiswas, A.K. (2013). Water Resources of North America. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 7. ISBN978-3-662-10868-0. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
^Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2017-12-20). "Ecological Land Classification (ELC) 2017". www23.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
^Secretariat, Treasury Board of Canada. "Terrestrial Ecozones of Canada - Open Government Portal". open.canada.ca. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
^"Introduction to Canada's Ecozones". ecozones.ca. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
^ abSecretariat, Treasury Board of Canada. "Federal Marine Bioregions - Open Government Portal". open.canada.ca. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
^"Ecological classification system for the ecosystem status and trends report (ESTR) | biodivcanada". biodivcanada.chm-cbd.net. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
^ abCanada, Service (2015-10-23). "Canada's conserved areas". aem. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
External linksedit
Parks Canada (2003), Terrestrial Ecozones of Canada
February 16, 2024
ecozones, canada, this, article, about, environment, climate, change, canada, classifications, alternate, classification, system, list, ecoregions, canada, canada, major, ecosystems, ecozones, comprising, terrestrial, units, marine, units, these, ecozones, fur. This article is about Environment and Climate Change Canada classifications For an alternate classification system see List of ecoregions in Canada WWF Canada has 20 major ecosystems ecozones comprising 15 terrestrial units and 5 marine units These ecozones are further subdivided into 53 ecoprovinces 194 ecoregions and 1 027 ecodistricts 1 These form the country s ecological land classification within the Ecological Land Classification framework adopted in 2017 They represent areas of the earth s surface representative of large and very generalized ecological units characterized by interactive and adjusting biotic and abiotic factors 2 Contents 1 Terrestrial ecozones 2 Marine ecozones 3 History 3 1 Ecological Framework of Canada 1995 3 2 Further developments 3 3 Canadian Ecological Framework 2014 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksTerrestrial ecozones editOn November 20 2017 Statistics Canada approved the Ecological Land Classification ELC framework as the official government standard in classifying the ecological regions of Canada 3 This framework mirrors that which was originally established in 1995 but revises number of ecodisiricts to 1 027 in order to better align them with the Soil Landscapes of Canada SLC database of Agriculture and Agri Food Canada Though this framework originally included 5 marine ecozones these were never formally adopted by Statistics Canada 1 4 It is based on a hierarchy with ecosystems nested within ecosystems The Ecological Framework for Canada defines four levels of ecosystems as a nested hierarchy of areas 2 Ecozones Ecoprovinces Ecoregions Ecodistricts nbsp ELC Ecozones and ecoprovinces of CanadaID Ecozone Total area km 01 Arctic Cordillera 242 19002 Northern Arctic 1 507 87203 Southern Arctic 839 76004 Taiga Plains 652 12505 Taiga Shield 1 381 82106 Boreal Shield 1 937 51707 Atlantic Maritime 213 86308 Mixedwood Plains 168 20409 Boreal Plains 737 28710 Prairies 465 09411 Taiga Cordillera 265 37512 Boreal Cordillera 467 87013 Pacific Maritime 207 92514 Montane Cordillera 487 89615 Hudson Plains 373 718Total 9 948 517Marine ecozones editCanada is divided into 5 marine ecozones based upon the National Ecological Framework for Canada established by the Ecological Stratification Working Group in 1995 in accordance with the requirements of the CEC The Canadian marine ecozones adjoin to each other except for the Pacific ecozone which is adjacent to international marine ecozones and terrestrial Canadian ecozones The largest is the Arctic Archipelago which actually extends to subarctic regions Ecozone Area km Territorial waters Area km Exclusive Economic Zone Percentage of total area for EEZ Percentage of marine area for EEZ Pacific Marine 102 920 457 646 3 1 8 3Arctic Basin Marine 24 997 704 849 4 8 12 7Arctic Archipelago Marine 2 051 393 2 178 998 14 8 39 3Northwest Atlantic Marine 536 895 1 205 981 8 2 21 8Atlantic Marine 72 144 996 439 6 8 17 9Total 2 788 349 5 543 913 37 7 100 0History editEcological Framework of Canada 1995 edit In 1991 a collaborative project was undertaken by a number of federal agencies in cooperation with provincial and territorial governments to establish a common ecological framework for Canada The resulting report A National Ecological Framework for Canada released by the Ecological Stratification Working Group in 1995 established the 20 ecozones 15 terrestrial and 5 marine 194 ecoregions and 1 031 ecodistricts of Canada A second report published in 1999 established the 53 ecoprovinces of Canada in accordance with the requirements of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation CEC 1 5 Further developments edit In 2009 Fisheries and Oceans Canada developed the 13 federal marine bioregions of Canada as the official spatial planning framework in classifying and preserving the ecological integrity of Canada s internal waters and exclusive economic zone 6 In 2010 Environment Canada published the report Canadian Biodiversity Ecosystem Status and Trends 2010 utilizing a modified hierarchy called Ecozone Major modifications included adjustments to terrestrial boundaries to reflect improvements in ground truthing the combining of three Arctic ecozones and the addition of two ecoprovinces Western Interior Basin and Newfoundland Boreal and nine marine ecosystem based units 7 Canadian Ecological Framework 2014 edit In 2014 the Canadian Council on Ecological Areas CCEA released an update to the first digital version of the Canadian Ecological Framework CEF The new spatial framework was designed to replace the 1995 ecological framework as well as the Ecozone framework used in the Canadian Biodiversity Ecosystem Status and Trends 2010 Report This new ecozone map includes 18 terrestrial 12 marine and 1 freshwater ecozone the latter two of which were derived from the marine bioregions outlined by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in 2009 8 6 This comprehensive framework is currently in use by Environment and Climate Change Canada to determine protected area coverage of Canada s ecozones 9 ID Ecozone Total area km Percent protected 2019 9 CL01 Arctic Cordillera 233 619 22 5CL02 Northern Arctic 1 481 481 7 1CL03 Southern Arctic 957 139 17 1CL04 Taiga Plains 554 013 10 9CL05 Taiga Shield 1 322 786 10 0CL06 Boreal Shield 1 897 364 9 9CL07 Atlantic Maritime 110 590 8 5CL08 Mixedwood Plains 116 206 2 0CL09 Boreal Plains 779 471 8 7CL10 Prairies 465 990 6 0CL11 Montane Cordillera 437 761 18 8CL12 Pacific Maritime 216 942 24 2CL13 Boreal Cordillera 557 937 17 3CL14 Taiga Cordillera 231 161 9 3CL15 Hudson Plains 350 693 12 5CL16 Tundra Cordillera 28 980 24 6CL17 Atlantic Highlands 93 017 4 1CL18 Semi Arid Plateaus 56 434 9 4CW19 Strait of Georgia 8 969 4 7CW20 Southern Shelf 28 158 2 8CW21 Offshore Pacific 315 724 3 3CW22 Northern Shelf 101 663 16 4CW23 Arctic Basin 752 053 37 8CW24 Western Arctic 539 807 2 2CW25 Arctic Archipelago 268 792 14 5CW26 Eastern Arctic 782 636 14 7CW27 Hudson Bay Complex 1 244 670 0 7CW28 Newfoundland Labrador Shelves 1 041 588 1 2CW29 Scotian Shelf 416 296 1 4CW30 Gulf of Saint Lawrence 246 648 2 4CW31 Great Lakes 88 250 13 5Total land 9 891 584 11 3See also edit nbsp Geography portal nbsp Canada portalList of ecoregions in North America CEC List of ecoregions in the United States EPA Forests of Canada RegionsReferences edit a b c Government of Canada Statistics Canada 2018 01 10 Introduction to the Ecological Land Classification ELC 2017 www statcan gc ca Retrieved 2020 11 09 a b Biswas A K 2013 Water Resources of North America Springer Berlin Heidelberg p 7 ISBN 978 3 662 10868 0 Retrieved 2023 02 13 Government of Canada Statistics Canada 2017 12 20 Ecological Land Classification ELC 2017 www23 statcan gc ca Retrieved 2020 11 09 Secretariat Treasury Board of Canada Terrestrial Ecozones of Canada Open Government Portal open canada ca Retrieved 2020 11 10 Introduction to Canada s Ecozones ecozones ca Retrieved 2020 11 09 a b Secretariat Treasury Board of Canada Federal Marine Bioregions Open Government Portal open canada ca Retrieved 2020 11 09 Ecological classification system for the ecosystem status and trends report ESTR biodivcanada biodivcanada chm cbd net Retrieved 2020 11 09 admin 2014 05 22 Ecozones Introduction CCEA CCAE ccea ccae org Retrieved 2020 11 09 a b Canada Service 2015 10 23 Canada s conserved areas aem Retrieved 2020 11 14 External links editParks Canada 2003 Terrestrial Ecozones of Canada Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ecozones of Canada amp oldid 1176437446, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
