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Atlantic Maritime - Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Landforms
The land in the Atlantic Maritime ecozone is composed of igneous and sedimentary bedrock [3], which have formed a group of islands and peninsulas, reaching from Newfoundland to the United States. These peninulas' interiors are composed of igneous highlands, which have acidic soils that support abundant forests, but are not usable for agriculture. The lowlands, formed of sedimentary bedrock, are more accessible, and are where most of this ecozone's population lives [27].
Climate
The climate in Charlottetown demonstrates common patterns in precipitation abnd temperature in the Atlantic Maritime ecozone.
In Charlottetown, mild winters and cool summers are common. There is a temperature range of twenty-three degrees Celsius (almost over twenty-five degrees), and the area receives a winter max in precipitation, and more than one thousand milimetres of it [27]. Based on the graph to the left, this is a maritime climate, as are many of the other major urban areas in this ecozone, as it is on the Atlantic ocean.
Soil and Vegetation
In this ecozone, there are two primary types of soil; some rich, some not. The soil in the igneous highlands is acidic, and though it supports dense forest, it is unsuitable for agriculture, because it is too poor [4]. Coastal Lowlands have richer soil due to marine deposition and glacial erosion of sandstone, shale, and limestone bedrock, and agriculture is normlly done here [4].
Due to farming and agriculture, little forest remains in this ecozone. What still stands is dense, and can range from coniferous to deciduous. Examples of conifers in this area include red, black, and white spruce, red, jack, and eastern white pine, and tamarack, while deciduous trees here can be yellow, white, and paper birch, sugar, red, and
striped maple, white elm, balsam poplar, etc. Other plants in this ecozone include steeplebush, blueberry, sphagnum moss, kalmia heath, violets, wild lupins, starflower, trailing arbutus, lady slipper, pitcher plant, and purple loostrife (an invasive species).
Due to farming and agriculture, little forest remains in this ecozone. What still stands is dense, and can range from coniferous to deciduous. Examples of conifers in this area include red, black, and white spruce, red, jack, and eastern white pine, and tamarack, while deciduous trees here can be yellow, white, and paper birch, sugar, red, and
striped maple, white elm, balsam poplar, etc. Other plants in this ecozone include steeplebush, blueberry, sphagnum moss, kalmia heath, violets, wild lupins, starflower, trailing arbutus, lady slipper, pitcher plant, and purple loostrife (an invasive species).
Wildlife
The Atlantic Maritime Ecozone supports a variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish. Most of its wildlife is dependant on forest ecosystems, but it also supports many critical aquatic ecosystems [29].
Carnivorous mammals in this area include black bears, lynx, and bobcats, as well as the red fox, muskrat, marten, coyote, fisher, raccoon and mink. Examples of herbivores are beavers, porcupines, Snowshoe hares, or Southern Bog lemmings. As for birds, there is the osprey, the Atlantic puffin (shown left), blue jay, brown creeper, killdeer, and more [3].
The ecozone's reptiles and amphibians are species of frog (mink frog, green frog), salamander (dusky salamander, eastern redback salamander), snake (ringneck snake, redbelly snake), and turtle (common snapping turtle, leatherback turtle). The region also contains many types of fish, such as brook trout, Atlantic tomcod, rainbow smelt, golden shiner, common shiner, and creek chub [3].