Southern Arctic Ecozone (CEC)

It is sparsely populated, with less than 10,000 inhabitants in 17 major settlements, the largest of which is Rankin Inlet. About 80% of the population is Inuit.

Geography

Its southern boundary demarcates the tree line, and to the north it meets the Northern Arctic terrestrial ecozone and the Arctic Archipelago Marine ecozone. It was formed from glacial deposits left by retreating glaciers about 8,500 years ago, which amassed into moraines cut by long eskers up to 100 km long. The scouring of the land by the 3 km thick glaciers left numerous depressions, some of which contained stray chunks of ice that, upon melting during warmer periods, created kettle lakes and ponds. The Precambrian granite bedrock of the Canadian Shield protrudes to the surface through other sedimentary deposits in areas that surround Hudson Bay. Moreover, glacial erratic chunks of this rock may have been transported to other areas by the ice sheet, sometimes into surroundings with no common elements.

Permafrost occurs in a continuous, permanent sheet throughout the zone, which consists primarily of rollings plains west of the Shield area. Just a few centimetres from the surface in some parts, it prevents water from penetrating deep into the soil, hence pooling and creating waterlogged soil that freezes regularly. Cyclic freezing and thawing of the soils results in irregular features throughout the terrain, including hummocks and polygonal shapes.

The land is characterised by "sprawling shrublands, wet sedge meadows, and cold, clear lakes".

Ecoprovinces

This ecozone can be further subdivided into three ecoprovinces:

• Amundsen Lowlands
• Keewatin Lowlands
• Ungava-Belcher