Socials – Alberta Project

ALBERTA
Josh, Raonaq, Kevin
THE FIVE
BIOMES
GRASSLAND
Biome 1
Location: South-East Alberta
Climate: Dry, Warm, -20oC - 19oC
Vegetation: Short grasses, Sagebrush, Cactus, Long
Grasses
Altitude: 700 - 1,500 metres
Economic Activity: Hunting and Agriculture
Calm grasslands stretch across Alberta, filled with agriculture.
CONIFEROUS FOREST
Biome 2
Location: Central Alberta
Climate: Dry, Warm, -7oC - 12oC
Vegetation: Aspen, Lodgepole Pine, Engelmann Spruce,
White Spruce, Subalpine Fir
Altitude: 500 - 1,000 metres
A close up of a pine and it’s pinecone Economic Activity: Tourism
one of the many vegetation in the
Coniferous Forest.
Mixed-Forest and Grasses
Biome 3
Location: South Central Alberta
Climate: Hot, Humid, -3oC - 15.6oC
Vegetation: Long grasses, Aspen, Willow, Pine
Altitude: 500 - 700 metres
Economic Activity: Hunting, Agriculture, Forestry
This seemingly endless forest burst with warm beautiful
colours
Location: North East Alberta
Climate: Cold, Dry, -11oC - 4oC
Vegetation: Shrubs, Lichen, Pine
Altitude: 200 - 300 metres
Economic Activity: Mining, Geology
TUNDRA AND ARCT
IC/CANADIAN SHIE
Biome 4
The fascinating view of the vast tundra with snow capped mountains.
LD
Pacific and Alpine Forest
Biome 5
Touching the clouds, the alps and trees stand tall in the icy
alpine air.
Location: South West Alberta
Climate: Frigid, Dry, -13oC - 14.6oC
Vegetation: Mosses, Lichen, Cedars, Hemlocks, Pine
Altitude: 1,500 - 3,500 metres
Economic Activity: Hunting and Forestry
CLIMOGRAPHS
A beautiful display of Chinook Winds, casting over the flat
grasslands.
CLIMOGRAPHS
Climograph: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Total Precipitation: 444 mm
Temperature Range: -9.9 - 16.7
Growing Seasons: May - October (183
days)
Ecosystem: Grasslands
Why the Climograph is as it is:
Moist, warm winds from the Pacific, also
known as “Chinooks”, approaches the
mountains. After hitting the mountain, the
moisture freezes and becomes “rain”. The dry
warm air then falls leewards down the slope.
Chinook Winds
CLIMOGRAPHS
Climograph: Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada
Total Precipitation: 465.8 mm
Temperature Range: -19.8 - 16.8
Growing Seasons: May - September (153
days)
Ecosystem: Tundra and Arctic
Why the Climograph is as it is:
Fort McMurray do not receive much sun.
When the sun does hit, the sun rays bounce off
the snow and reflects back into the
atmosphere as light, not heat. This makes the
air cold and frigid. Winds from the Arctic often
passes over Fort McMurray - another factor of
Fort McMurray’s climate.
Albedo
3
CLIMOGRAPHS
Climograph: Banff, Alberta, Canada
Total Precipitation: 298.7 mm
Temperature Range: -6.6 - 20
Growing Seasons: April - October (244
days)
Ecosystem: Coniferous Forest
Why the Climograph is as it is:
Banff’s latitude restricts the sun’s ability to
warm Banff. The most influential factor of
Banff’s climate are the Chinook winds that
bring moist air from the Pacific. The
mountains push the cool air upwards while the
warm air falls leeward. Occasionally, winds
from the east will come and the effect is
reversed. Banff receives the cool air and the
warm air moves on.
Chinook Winds
ENERGY RESOURCES
AND MINERALS
The main energy resources in Alberta are oil sands, crude oil, natural
gas, coal, hydro, wind, and biomass. Alberta also mines salt, gravel,
sandstone, iron, magnetite, and gold.
ECONOMIC ACTIVITY
-Alberta’s economy is based around harvesting resources from the earth. Alberta
contains 13% of the world’s oil reserves. For each dollar invested in the oil industry it
produces 8 dollars in economic activity.
Alberta produces large amounts of coal. Has enough to fill the Toronto
skydome with coal every 2 weeks.
-Some other minor industries that Alberta has are production of
electricity, manufacturing, biotechnology, food processing and
agriculture.
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Oil Sands
WHAT IS OIL SANDS?
-Oil sands are the loose deposits of sands containing petroleum or other hydrocarbons
WHY IS OIL SANDS A PROBLEM?
-Oil sands plantations have a very high carbon footprint. They release lakes of toxic
sludge which destroys habitats for animals and plants. These lakes can stretch up to 176
kilometres. Oil sands plantations are the fastest growing source of heat trapping greenhouse
gas.
Oil Sands - Solution
-Minimize oil sands plantation expansion.
-Clean up existing areas impacted by the oil sands.
-Use Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), new technology that can be used to reduce CO 2 emission
Pipelines
WHAT IS A PIPELINE?
-A long pipe, typically underground,
conveying oils, gas, etc.
WHY IS A PIPELINE A PROBLEM?
-Building a pipeline costs a large amount of
money. A pipeline disrupts the natural habitat and
environment. Pipelines also risk breaking,
releasing its harmful contents into the surrounding
environment.
Pipeline - Solution
Build a pipeline through rural areas, have tight
regulations on pipeline safety, and have backup
plans in place in case it breaks.
CITATIONS
pixabay.com
science7.greenlearning.ca/a1-online.php
megapixel.org/img/large_moraine_lake.jpg
tanasilverland.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/dsc05659.jpg
eae.alberta.ca/englishexpress/articles/pdf/ra11_09_l3.pdf
biologybiozine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/arctic.jpg
Map: http://www.toursalberta.com/maps.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta_Mountain_forests
http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/hidef-photos-earth-from-above?
context=tag-earth
http://www.linkmesh2.com/
http://www.eldoradocountyweather.com/canada/climate2/Fort%20Mcmurray.html
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/banff/visit/meteo-weather.aspx
CITATIONS
http://www.whatisall.com/what-are-chinook-winds/
http://www.clker.com/clipart-long-yellow-arrow.html
http://www.clipartlord.com/category/nature-clip-art/mountain-clip-art/
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chinook-arch-03.jpg
http://www.energy.alberta.ca/minerals/minerals.asp
http://oilsands.alberta.ca/economicinvestment.html
http://www.desmogblog.com/top-10-facts-canada-alberta-oil-sands-information
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1417308/thumbs/o-NATURAL-GAS-facebook.jpg
http://www.centreforenergy.com/FactsStats/MapsCanada/AB-EnergyMap.asp
http://tarsandssolutions.org/solutions/cleaning-up-the-tar-sands
http://www.energy.alberta.ca/minerals/minerals.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_Centre
http://www.energy.alberta.ca/oilsands/791.asp