Arctic Archipelago Marine
Encyclopedia
The Arctic Archipelago Marine Ecozone is a marine ecozone
in the Canadian
arctic, encompassing Hudson Bay
, James Bay
, the internal waters and some shores of the islands in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago
, and the shores of the territories, northern Ontario
and western Quebec
. Early exploration of these waters by Europe
ans were conducted to find a passage to the Orient
, now referred to as the Northwest Passage
.
It is inextricably tied to the terrestrial ecozones of the Arctic Cordillera
, Northern Arctic
, Southern Arctic
, Hudson Plains
, Taiga Shield
, Taiga Plains
, and Taiga Cordillera
, as well as the marine ecozones of the Arctic Basin Marine
and Northwest Atlantic Marine
.
y winters with average temperatures below -30 degrees Celsius, and summer temperatures typically near 10 degrees. The thick ice which cover the ecozone in the winter connect the islands and continental land with a continuous sheet that prevents navigation, but allows the migration of various animal
s. The ice partially melts during the summer, though ice floes
are numerous in some parts. Polynya
s may occur throughout the ecozone, but are most common near the Nares Strait
in northern Baffin Bay
.
, Queen Maud Gulf
, Baffin Island Shelf, Lancaster Sound
, the waters within the Arctic Archipelago, and most of the Beaufort Sea
.
. The most southerly reach, to the shores of northeastern Ontario and northwestern Quebec, includes areas used for staging
, nest
ing and breeding by numerous species of bird
s. This area covers Southern James Bay
, which includes migratory bird sanctuaries at Hannah Bay and the mouth of the Moose River
, and Akimiski Island
.
This portion of the ecozone abuts the Hudson Plains, which contains the world's "largest continuous wetlands" due to poor drainage of the ecozone. The resultant wetlands and bogs form the interface between the Hudson Plains and Arctic Archipelago ecozones, as typified by Southern James Bay.
, which also extends along most of the continental shoreline of the Northwest Territories
. The Taiga Plains ecozone forms the remaining Northwest Territories shoreline connection to the Arctic Archipelago ecozone, covering much of the western portion of the Northwest Territories and small portions of northern Alberta
and British Columbia
. The Yukon
shoreline connects the Arctic Archipelago marine ecozone with the Taiga Cordillera, a mountainous region covering most of northern and eastern Yukon, and parts of the western Northwest Territories.
The northeastern Nunavut continental landmass is within the Northern Arctic
ecozone, as is most of the land of all the islands in the Arctic Archipelago.
by phytoplankton
, the most significant food source in the ecozone. The southern intertidal zone
s also support kelp forests. These provide food for shorebirds and waterfowl
, whose populations can increase dramatically during the fall and spring migrations
. Moreover, the polynyas that form during the winter provide access to food for various species, including polar bear
s. Summer thaw results in plentiful ice margins along which birds and other animals can fish
.
Arctic Cod
, found throughout the ecozone, is an important food source for seal
s, Beluga Whales and Narwhal
s. Polar bears and Ringed Seal
s are found throughout the ecozone, whereas the range of Bearded
and Harp Seal
s consists of the eastern coast of Ellsemere Island. The largest Canadian population of Polar bears is found near Churchill
, Manitoba
, on the coast of Hudson Bay.
The salt marsh
es and tidal flats of Hudson Bay contain transient and permanent populations of waterfowl that are among the most densely concentrated in the world, and the northwest coast is home to one of the largest populations of Peregrine Falcon
s.
Ecozones of Canada
The ecozones of Canada consist of fifteen terrestrial and five marine ecozones in Canada. These are further subdivided into 53 ecoprovinces, 194 ecoregions, and 1021 ecodistricts...
in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
arctic, encompassing Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...
, James Bay
James Bay
James Bay is a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean. James Bay borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario; islands within the bay are part of Nunavut...
, the internal waters and some shores of the islands in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago
Canadian Arctic Archipelago
The Canadian Arctic Archipelago, also known as the Arctic Archipelago, is a Canadian archipelago north of the Canadian mainland in the Arctic...
, and the shores of the territories, northern Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and western Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Early exploration of these waters by Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
ans were conducted to find a passage to the Orient
Orient
The Orient means "the East." It is a traditional designation for anything that belongs to the Eastern world or the Far East, in relation to Europe. In English it is a metonym that means various parts of Asia.- Derivation :...
, now referred to as the Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
.
It is inextricably tied to the terrestrial ecozones of the Arctic Cordillera
Arctic Cordillera
The Arctic Cordillera is a vast, deeply dissected chain of mountain ranges extending along the northeastern flank of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago from Ellesmere Island to the northeasternmost part of the Labrador Peninsula in northern Labrador and northern Quebec, Canada...
, Northern Arctic
Northern Arctic
The Northern Arctic Ecozone is a Canadian terrestrial ecozone which includes most of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the northeast peninsula of Nunavut, and the northwestern tip of Quebec...
, Southern Arctic
Southern Arctic
The Southern Arctic Ecozone is a Canadian terrestrial ecozone which spans the northern coast of mainland Northwest Territories, most of northern mainland Nunavut excepting the northeast peninsula, and a portion of northwestern Quebec...
, Hudson Plains
Hudson Plains
The Hudson Plains Ecozone is a sparsely populated Canadian subarctic ecozone extending from the western coast of Quebec to the coast of Manitoba, encompassing all coastal areas of James Bay and those of southern Hudson Bay, stretching to about 50°N latitude. It includes the largest continuous...
, Taiga Shield
Taiga Shield
The Taiga Shield Ecozone is an ecozone which stretches across Canada's subarctic region. Some regions exhibit exposed Precambrian bedrock of the Canadian Shield, the oldest of the world's geological formations...
, Taiga Plains
Taiga Plains
The Taiga Plain is a Canadian terrestrial ecozone that covers most of the western Northwest Territories, extending to northwest Alberta, northeast British Columbia and slightly overlapping northeastern Yukon....
, and Taiga Cordillera
Taiga Cordillera
The Taiga Cordillera is a rugged, mountainous terrestrial ecozone of Canada spanning most of northern Yukon and significant portions of the border between the Yukon and the Northwest Territories....
, as well as the marine ecozones of the Arctic Basin Marine
Arctic Basin Marine
The Arctic Basin Marine Ecozone is a Canadian marine ecozone encompassing the northwestern areas of waters on the Arctic continental shelf. It is bitterly cold and permanently covered in ice. Polar nights and the midnight sun may last months in this region, which has come to characterize the...
and Northwest Atlantic Marine
Northwest Atlantic Marine
The Northwest Atlantic Marine Ecozone is a Canadian marine ecozone forming a transitional region between the cold northern waters of the Arctic Ocean and the more temperate waters in its southern extent.-Geography:...
.
Climate
It is characterised by frigid, windWind
Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...
y winters with average temperatures below -30 degrees Celsius, and summer temperatures typically near 10 degrees. The thick ice which cover the ecozone in the winter connect the islands and continental land with a continuous sheet that prevents navigation, but allows the migration of various animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
s. The ice partially melts during the summer, though ice floes
Sea ice
Sea ice is largely formed from seawater that freezes. Because the oceans consist of saltwater, this occurs below the freezing point of pure water, at about -1.8 °C ....
are numerous in some parts. Polynya
Polynya
A polynya or polynia is an area of open water surrounded by sea ice. It is now used as geographical term for an area of unfrozen sea within the ice pack. It is a loanword from , , which means a natural ice hole, and was adopted in the 19th century by polar explorers to describe navigable...
s may occur throughout the ecozone, but are most common near the Nares Strait
Nares Strait
Nares Strait is a waterway between Ellesmere Island and Greenland that is the northern part of Baffin Bay where it meets the Lincoln Sea. From south to north, the strait includes Smith Sound, Kane Basin, Kennedy Channel, Hall Basin and Robeson Channel...
in northern Baffin Bay
Baffin Bay
Baffin Bay , located between Baffin Island and the southwest coast of Greenland, is a marginal sea of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is connected to the Atlantic via Davis Strait and the Labrador Sea...
.
Geography
Primarily in the arctic with the exception of a portion of its southern extent in Hudson Bay and James Bay, the Arctic Archipelago is a vast marine ecozone with average water depths of 150 to 500 metres. It contains all of James Bay, Hudson Bay, the Foxe BasinFoxe Basin
Not to be confused with Fox Bay, Falkland IslandsFoxe Basin is a shallow oceanic basin north of Hudson Bay, in Nunavut, Canada, located between Baffin Island and the Melville Peninsula...
, Queen Maud Gulf
Queen Maud Gulf
Queen Maud Gulf lies between the northern coast of the mainland and the southeastern corner of Victoria Island in Nunavut, Canada. At its western end lies Cambridge Bay, leading to Dease Strait; to the east lies Simpson Strait; and to the north, Victoria Strait.It was named by the Norwegian...
, Baffin Island Shelf, Lancaster Sound
Lancaster Sound
Lancaster Sound is a body of water in Qikiqtaaluk, Nunavut, Canada. It is located between Devon Island and Baffin Island, forming the eastern portion of the Northwest Passage. East of the sound lies Baffin Bay; to the west lies Viscount Melville Sound...
, the waters within the Arctic Archipelago, and most of the Beaufort Sea
Beaufort Sea
The Beaufort Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of the Northwest Territories, the Yukon, and Alaska, west of Canada's Arctic islands. The sea is named after hydrographer Sir Francis Beaufort...
.
Hudson Bay and James Bay
James Bay and parts of Hudson Bay are the only constituents of this ecozone south of the arctic region, and exhibit greater biodiversityBiodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
. The most southerly reach, to the shores of northeastern Ontario and northwestern Quebec, includes areas used for staging
Staging area
A staging area is a location where organisms, people, vehicles, equipment or material are assembled before use.- In construction :...
, nest
Nest
A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs or provide a place to live or raise offspring. They are usually made of some organic material such as twigs, grass, and leaves; or may simply be a depression in the ground, or a hole in a tree, rock or building...
ing and breeding by numerous species of bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s. This area covers Southern James Bay
Southern James Bay
Southern James Bay is a Canadian coastal wetland complex in northeastern Ontario bordering James Bay and Quebec. It was designated as a wetland of international importance via the Ramsar Convention on May 27, 1987...
, which includes migratory bird sanctuaries at Hannah Bay and the mouth of the Moose River
Moose River (Ontario)
The Moose River is a Canadian river in the Hudson Plains ecozone of northern Ontario which flows 100 km northeast from the junction of the Mattagami and Missinaibi Rivers into James Bay. Its drainage basin is 108,500 km² and it has a mean discharge rate of 1370 m³/s. Its full length...
, and Akimiski Island
Akimiski Island
Akimiski Island is the largest island in James Bay , Canada, which is part of the Qikiqtaaluk Region of the territory of Nunavut. It has an area of , making it the 163rd largest island in the world, and Canada's 29th largest island. Akimiski Island is only from the province of Ontario...
.
This portion of the ecozone abuts the Hudson Plains, which contains the world's "largest continuous wetlands" due to poor drainage of the ecozone. The resultant wetlands and bogs form the interface between the Hudson Plains and Arctic Archipelago ecozones, as typified by Southern James Bay.
Territorial shoreline
Covering the entire Canadian northern continental shoreline, this marine ecozone is adjacent to a number of territorial ecozones. The Taiga Shield connects the Hudson Plains from the Manitoba shoreline to the Southern Arctic ecozone in NunavutNunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
, which also extends along most of the continental shoreline of the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
. The Taiga Plains ecozone forms the remaining Northwest Territories shoreline connection to the Arctic Archipelago ecozone, covering much of the western portion of the Northwest Territories and small portions of northern Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. The Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
shoreline connects the Arctic Archipelago marine ecozone with the Taiga Cordillera, a mountainous region covering most of northern and eastern Yukon, and parts of the western Northwest Territories.
The northeastern Nunavut continental landmass is within the Northern Arctic
Northern Arctic
The Northern Arctic Ecozone is a Canadian terrestrial ecozone which includes most of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the northeast peninsula of Nunavut, and the northwestern tip of Quebec...
ecozone, as is most of the land of all the islands in the Arctic Archipelago.
Ecology
Biological activity in this ecozone is greatest during late summer, during which sufficient portions of ice have melted to allow photosynthesisPhotosynthesis
Photosynthesis is a chemical process that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight. Photosynthesis occurs in plants, algae, and many species of bacteria, but not in archaea. Photosynthetic organisms are called photoautotrophs, since they can...
by phytoplankton
Phytoplankton
Phytoplankton are the autotrophic component of the plankton community. The name comes from the Greek words φυτόν , meaning "plant", and πλαγκτός , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter". Most phytoplankton are too small to be individually seen with the unaided eye...
, the most significant food source in the ecozone. The southern intertidal zone
Intertidal zone
The intertidal zone is the area that is above water at low tide and under water at high tide . This area can include many different types of habitats, with many types of animals like starfish, sea urchins, and some species of coral...
s also support kelp forests. These provide food for shorebirds and waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
, whose populations can increase dramatically during the fall and spring migrations
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
. Moreover, the polynyas that form during the winter provide access to food for various species, including polar bear
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
s. Summer thaw results in plentiful ice margins along which birds and other animals can fish
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
.
Arctic Cod
Arctic cod
The Arctic cod is an Arctic deepwater fish related to the true cod .-Names:The fish has several common names, including polar cod and Greenland cod...
, found throughout the ecozone, is an important food source for seal
Pinniped
Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...
s, Beluga Whales and Narwhal
Narwhal
The narwhal, Monodon monoceros, is a medium-sized toothed whale that lives year-round in the Arctic. One of two living species of whale in the Monodontidae family, along with the beluga whale, the narwhal males are distinguished by a characteristic long, straight, helical tusk extending from their...
s. Polar bears and Ringed Seal
Ringed Seal
The ringed seal , also known as the jar seal and as netsik or nattiq by the Inuit, is an earless seal inhabiting the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions...
s are found throughout the ecozone, whereas the range of Bearded
Bearded Seal
The bearded seal , also called the square flipper seal, is a medium-sized pinniped that is found in and near to the Arctic Ocean. It gets its generic name from two Greek words that refer to its heavy jaw...
and Harp Seal
Harp Seal
The harp seal or saddleback seal is a species of earless seal native to the northernmost Atlantic Ocean and adjacent parts of the Arctic Ocean. It now belongs to the monotypic genus Pagophilus. Its scientific name, Pagophilus groenlandicus, means "ice-lover from Greenland", and its synonym, Phoca...
s consists of the eastern coast of Ellsemere Island. The largest Canadian population of Polar bears is found near Churchill
Churchill, Manitoba
Churchill is a town on the shore of Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada. It is most famous for the many polar bears that move toward the shore from inland in the autumn, leading to the nickname "Polar Bear Capital of the World" that has helped its growing tourism industry.-History:A variety of nomadic...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, on the coast of Hudson Bay.
The salt marsh
Salt marsh
A salt marsh is an environment in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and salt water or brackish water, it is dominated by dense stands of halophytic plants such as herbs, grasses, or low shrubs. These plants are terrestrial in origin and are essential to the stability of the salt marsh...
es and tidal flats of Hudson Bay contain transient and permanent populations of waterfowl that are among the most densely concentrated in the world, and the northwest coast is home to one of the largest populations of Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
s.