The present landscape of Nova Scotia represents the accumulation of systematic and interactive responses between geology, landform, climatic influence, vegetation development over thousands of years and human involvement in the last 500 years.

The vegetation of the province as it reflects climate may be subdivided into three broad landscape regions, determined largely by elevation. All of mainland Nova Scotia and the lowlands of Cape Breton Island are characterized by the Acadian Forest, typical of much of northeastern North America. Variety abounds in this melting pot of Boreal, Canadian and Alleghenian tree species. Above about 330 m elevation on the highlands of Cape Breton, winters are longer, snowfall is greater, winds are stronger and mean annual temperatures are lower; these boreal conditions result in a less diverse forested landscape, mostly wind-stunted pure stands of Balsam Fir. At even higher elevations, the boreal landscape gives way to a Boreal-Tundra transition of the Plateau-Taiga Region. Finally, the Acadian Forest along exposed seacoasts is so influenced by sea winds and salt spray that it justifies a separate coastal vegetation landscape region.

Within the broad climatic and geologically controlled landscape regions of the province, vegetation responds locally to physiographic and landform variation.

This Document Includes:

Vegetation and Climate
Vegetation and Landform
Vegetation and Soil

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Additional Keywords:
Kejimkujik National Park, Acadian Forest, Alleghenian tree species, Canadian tree species, Boreal tree species, Boreal-Tundra transition, soil-drainage.

Associated Topics:

T3 Landscape Development
T4.1 Post-glacial Climatic Change
T4.2 Post-glacial Colonization by Plants
T5 Climate
T9 Soils