Page 622 - Geosystems An Introduction to Physical Geography 4th Canadian Edition

586 part IV Soils, Ecosystems, and Biomes
(a) Soil profile from southern Ontario.
(b) Hay and pastureland that is typical of the Melanic Brunisolic landscape in southern Ontario.
Brunisolic Order Map of Canada
Sombric Brunisol Eutric Brunisol Dystric Brunisol Melanic Brunisol
St. John’s
Charlottetown Fredericton
▶Figure 18.12 brunisolic order. [Photos by (a) and
(b) Courtesy of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, sis.agr.gc.ca/ cansis/images/on/index.html. Reproduced with the permission of the Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2012; (c) Thematic Soil Maps of Canada: Brunisolic order, atlas .agr.gc.ca/agmaf/index_eng .html#context=soil-sol_en.xml, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada © 2010. Reproduced with the permission of the Minister of Public Works and Government Services, 2012.]
Edmonton Regina
Winnipeg
Chernozemic Order The Chernozemic order includes well- to imperfectly drained soils of the steppe– grassland–forest transition in southern Alberta; Saskatch- ewan; Manitoba; Okanagan Valley, British Columbia; and Palouse Prairie, British Columbia; and accounts for 4% of the solid surface area of Canada. The surface horizons are darkened by organic matter accumulation that results from decomposition of grasses and forbs in the vegetation cover (Figure 18.14, page 589). Most soils are frozen in winter
and dry in summer with a mean annual soil temperature greater than or equal to 0°C, but usually less than 5.5°C.
Chernozemic soils have high fertility, especially for growing wheat, but can be subject to salinization. Salin- ization, discussed below in the Solonetzic order, creates deposits that appear as subsurface salty horizons, which will damage or kill plants when the horizons occur near the root zone. This process is especially of concern where soils are irrigated. Focus Study 18.1 outlines the
Whitehorse
Victoria
Iqaluit
0 Kilometres
500
(c) Distribution of the Brunisolic order in Canada.
Yellowknife
Queébec OTTAWA
Toronto
Halifax