Climate and Weather Characteristics
The Canadian Shield hosts three different climate regions; Boreal, Taiga and the Arctic. (Clark, 2006, p. 154). In the north, it’s freezing cold with -35 degrees Celsius as the average winter temperature and a cool 15 degrees Celsius as the average summer temperature. In the south, however, it’s more seasonal with an average of -18 degrees Celsius in the winter and an average of 25 degrees Celsius in the summer. (New World Encyclopedia, 2007). Because of the varied climates in one region, any human activity, whether summer or winter sport, for the Amazing Race Canada is possible. A mix is feasible as well – start off in the south with intense mountain biking, enjoying a beautiful backdrop; then take a short…show more content… If the change is too dramatic, a transition stop at the Boreal Shield – where the Canadian Shield and Canada’s largest ecosystem overlaps – is possible. It extends 3 800 km from Newfoundland to Alberta and has a nice continental climate; long cold winters and short warm summers. It has high levels of precipitation due to cold air masses, adding just a bit more entertainment for the audience and panic for the Amazing Race Canada teams. In the west, it rains about 400 mm annually while the east is overpowered by 1 000 mm of rain each year. Areas near the Great Lakes and the Atlantic are warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer because of the moderating effect of the large bodies of water. (Boreal Shield Ecozone, par. 4).If the next season of Amazing Race Canada is held in the Canadian Shield, producers can have their pick of any human…show more content… (Clark, 2006, p. 163). There are both deciduous trees (oak, maple, ash, basswood, birch) and conifer trees (white pine, white spruce, cedar.) In addition to the wide range of trees, there are also many mammals, such as Muskrats, beavers, American minks, river otters, raccoons and white tailed deer. Smaller animals, such as turtles are popular as well – here, you can find Common Map Turtles, Common Snapping Turtles, Midland Painted Turtles and Stinkpot Turtles that you can’t find up north. Various species of frogs and snakes are also home to this region. (Rideau Canal World Heritage Site, 2015). In the Taiga Region of the Shield, north of Murphy’s Point, there are more mammals, such as caribou, wolverines, grizzly bears and black bears, and because of them, it isn’t as populated or developed. (New World Encyclopedia, 2007, par. 11). The southern end of the Canadian Shield generally has huge boreal forests (Canadian Shield Foundation, 2015, par. 7). with rich soil and metallic minerals while the rest of the Shield has fewer forests and thinner soil frozen all year round; tundra area. The Taiga ecoregion of the Shield is the transition between the North and the South. (New World Encyclopedia, 2007, par. 11). The Canadian Shield is extremely varied in types of vegetation; some areas are barren while others are full of