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Proactive disclosure Print version   | |  Environmental Atlas of the Beaufort Coastlands Wetlands Regions and Environmental Boundaries
Wetland regions generally occur in broad climatic zones, based on temperature, precipitation, and drainage. Although temperature and precipitation are the chief environmental influences, wetland regions also develop through interaction with various components of the ecosystem. Environmental Boundaries Certain physical boundaries are used to delineate areas that have a characteristic environment, including wetland regions. Because of the inherent environmental quality of such borders, they are referred to here as environmental boundaries. They include the treeline and the southern limits of continuous permafrost on land, and the edge of the polar ice in the southeastern Beaufort Sea. These boundaries are generally stable over periods of several years except for the edge of the polar pack, which may vary from year to year across distances of tens of kilometres. Wetland Regions In the Beaufort Coastlands, the main wetland regions are Arctic, Sub-Arctic and Rocky Mountain. These wetlands are further sub-divided into the following regions: Mid-Arctic, Low Arctic, High Sub-Arctic, Low Sub-Arctic, and North Rocky Mountain wetlands. Although climatic factors are most important, these divisions are based on characteristics that are indigenous to each region.
Compiled by: B.R. Pelletier
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