Pacific Maritime Ecozone (CEC)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Pacific Maritime
Temperate rainforest typical of this ecozone
Ecology
Borders
Geography
Area207,925 km2 (80,280 sq mi)
CountryCanada
Provinces
Oceans or seasPacific Ocean, Salish Sea
Climate typeOceanic

The Pacific Maritime Ecozone, as defined by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), is a Canadian terrestrial ecozone, spanning a strip approximately 200 kilometres wide along the British Columbia Coast, then narrowing along the border with Alaska. It also includes all marine islands of British Columbia and a small portion of the southwestern corner of the Yukon. Fourteen ecoregions comprise the Ecozone, ranging from the Mount Logan Ecoregion in the north to the Cascade Ecoregion and Lower Mainland Ecoregion in the south.

The name of the comparable ecozones in the

floristic province system, the region is described as part of the Rocky Mountain Floristic Region
.

Also in use is a system of

Pacific temperate rain forests ecoregion, sub-ecoregions of which are the Haida Gwaii ecoregion, Vancouver Island ecoregion, and British Columbia mainland coastal forests
ecoregions.

Geography

This ecozone is the most diverse in Canada, and perhaps the world.[1] Its northern inland extent is primarily alpine tundra, whereas the picturesque northern coast features numerous fjords and valleys, with massive glaciers common in the mountains. To the south, the small flatland of the Fraser Valley is located at the southern end of the Coast Mountains, noted for temperate rainforests.[2] In its marine areas are notable undersea kelp forests.

Lying on the

Pacific Ring of Fire, it exhibits many hot springs.[3]

Ecoprovinces

This ecozone can be further subdivided into three ecoprovinces:[4]

Climate

This zone experiences the warmest and wettest climate in Canada.

precipitation, but other areas in this zone receive as much as 3,000 mm.[3] Moderated by the influence of the Pacific Ocean, the zone experiences mild winters and cool summers.[5] Mean temperatures vary little throughout the year; January means are between 4 and 6 °C, and July means are between 12 and 18 °C.[3]

Flora and fauna

The region is the only home for some species of birds, including the

Garry oak ecosystem".[2]

The Great Bear Rainforest is located entirely within this ecozone.

Conservation

National parks

Four

national parks
have been established in this ecozone:

Provincial parks

Dozens of provincial parks have been established in this ecozone. Some of the largest and most notable ones include:

References

  1. Environment Canada. Retrieved 2008-02-04.[dead link
    ]
  2. ^ a b c d "Canada's Ecozones". Space for Species. Archived from the original on 2007-12-16. Retrieved 2008-02-04.
  3. ^
    Environment Canada. Retrieved 2008-02-04.[dead link
    ]
  4. ^ Secretariat, Treasury Board of Canada. "National Ecological Framework for Canada - Open Government Portal". open.canada.ca. Archived from the original on 2020-11-13. Retrieved 2020-11-07.
  5. ^ Bernhardt, Torsten. "Pacific Maritime". Canada's Ecozones, Canadian Biodiversity project. McGill University, Redpath Museum. Archived from the original on 2008-02-12. Retrieved 2008-02-04.
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