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Natural Vegetation
By: Suza Sternadel, Scott Strum,
Hilary Crouch
What Types of Natural
Vegetation Make Up The Atlantic
• Natural vegetation refers to plants that grow
without any human interference
• Different types of natural vegetation grow
in response to different climatic and soil
conditions
• The Types of natural vegetation that make
up the Atlantic are the Boreal and Taiga
Forest, and the Mixed Forest
Boreal and Taiga Forest
• The Boreal and Taiga Forest is separated from the
Tundra by a tree line.
• It is the largest natural vegetation region in
Canada.
• Coniferous trees such as evergreens are commonly
found throughout the Boreal and Taiga Forest
because there is a longer growing season and more
precipitation than in the Tundra.
• It also contains some deciduous trees which are
able to withstand the harsh winter conditions.
Boreal and Taiga Forest Cont’d
• Coniferous trees as well as the evergreens lose
some needles throughout the year but they are
never bare.
• Since they don’t drop a lot of needles the humus
layer beneath them is quite shallow.
• This gives the topsoil a grey color.
• Also, because the needles are acidic this makes the
soil acidic.
Mixed Forest
• The mixed forest is south of the boreal forest in
eastern Canada.
• It contains a mix of coniferous and deciduous trees
such as spruce, pine, oak, birch, hemlock and
cedar.
• It has provided an excellent source of lumber for
the lumbering industry.
• The humus layer created by the leaves makes a
lush top soil which is rich in minerals.
Mixed Forest Cont’d
• This forest is a transition zone between the
deciduous forest to the south and the boreal forest
to the north.
• Both the coniferous and the deciduous trees are
able to survive warm summers as well as cool
winters.
• Humus holds water, and therefore fewer soluble
minerals are removed from the topsoil in the
mixed forest than in the boreal forest.
• Soils in the mixed forest regions are suitable for
farming
Bibliography
• Clarke, Bruce W. / Wallace, John K.
Making Connections. Scarborough, Ontario:
Prentice Hall Ginn Ontario, 1999