National Ecological Framework (8 of 23)
Regional Landform
These data are presented as a set of components within each polygon. The following attributes are included:
| NAME | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| CMP | Component Number (arbitrary) |
| PERCENT | Percent of polygon occupied by the component |
| LANDFORM | Regional Landform |
Regional landform include classes of landform that generally describe a region. The following table shows the class definitions that are used.
| CODE | CLASS | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|
| B | PLATEAU Or (Tableland |
Comparatively flat areas of great extent commonly bounded on at least one side by an abrupt escarpment, or may be terminated by mountains; may be dissected by deep valleys and deeply incised rivers; may be tectonic, erosional, or volcanic in origin; may be step-faulted; slopes generally <10%, in some places 10-15%; relief generally <50 m. |
| H | HILLAND | Natural elevations rising prominently above the surrounding plain and having a recognizably denser pattern of generally higher knolls or crest lines with an irregular or chaotic surface form composed of upper surface convexity and lower concavity; includes hummocky morainal material, volcanic cones, and conical hills or lava; slopes generally 10 - 30%; relief generally <100 m. |
| M | MOUNTAIN | Erosional and volcanic landscapes with relief (vertical distance between higher and lower parts)>=300 m with most of the area comprising valley to summit terrain; slopes generally >30%. In general the terrain has a restricted summit area and steep sides, irregular shape and considerable bare rock surface, or very thin soil cover; occur as a single, isolated feature or in a group forming a long chain or range; major scarps are relatively steep and straight cliff-like slopes of considerable linear extent separating surfaces such as plateaus lying at different levels. |
| O | ORGANIC WETLAND | Areas dominated by organic material >40 cm thick; contains >30% organic matter by weight; occurs in a variety of wetland surface forms. |
| P | PLAIN | Flat to very gently undulating areas having few or no prominent irregularities; formed by erosional or by depositional (or constructional) processes; include broad continuous, gently sloping piedmont plains extending along and from the base of a mountain, formed by lateral coalescence of a series of separate but confluent alluvial fans; alluvial processes are mainly responsible for the sedimentation; coarse fragments are rounded by transport over relatively long distances; slopes generally <6% relief generally <10 m; extent generally >5 km in one direction. |
| S | SCARP | An escarpment, cliff, or steep slope of some extent along the margin of a terrace, bench, plateau, hill, or mesa; a scarp may be of any height. |
| V | VALLEY | Terrain dominated by major spillways, drainage ways, or mountain trenches separated from surrounding landforms by a significant and abrupt break in slope; the valley profile may be V- or U-shaped with an extensive valley floor and flood plain up to about 5 km wide; valley profile may also include eroded terraces and their irregular slope segments. |
Source:
SOIL LANDSCAPES OF CANADA (SLC) V.2.2 (1996), National Soil DataBase, Canadian Soil Information System. Available at : /cansis/nsdb/slc/v2.2/
Shields, J.A., C. Tarnocai, K.W.G. Valentine, and K.B. MacDonald. 1991. Soil Landscapes of Canada - Procedures Manual and User's Handbook. LRRC Contribution Number 88-29, Land resource Research Centre, research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa,74pp. This manual is superceded by the Internet version available at: /cansis/nsdb/slc/index.html