Newfoundland's Vegetation
Newfoundland's has very interesting vegetation. Because the soil on the island is very thin and net very nutrient its surprising that this much grows in the island. Due to permafrost many years ago the soil quality has dropped and dropped. Surprisingly, around half of the island is forested and it is home to mostly coniferous trees, and some species of hardwood shrubs and some species on deciduous trees. The trees have adapted to the poor soil conditions and many never grow to be that tall and the growth is stunted on many trees. Even though Newfoundland is not very mountainous the higher you go the less vegetation grows. But much of the higher land in the south and west consists of "moss barrens" which are of no value for pasture or timber. In accord with the temperature, ash and elm are confined to the warmer south-west valleys, while yellow birch and white pine are common in the centre and west. Balsam fir and black spruce are general everywhere in the lower lands except in the north-east, where aspen and paper birch stand the cold climate better. The lower you get to to the sea the more grows, and potatoes and cabbage are common to grow near the sea. Because potatoes and cabbage can grow in the cold and in the poor soil conditions it was an ideal food to grow.
Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Newfoundland_and_Labrador,
Cranny, Michael William, M.C. (1998), Crossroads: A Meeting of Nations, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada: Prentice Hall Ginn
Newfoundland's has very interesting vegetation. Because the soil on the island is very thin and net very nutrient its surprising that this much grows in the island. Due to permafrost many years ago the soil quality has dropped and dropped. Surprisingly, around half of the island is forested and it is home to mostly coniferous trees, and some species of hardwood shrubs and some species on deciduous trees. The trees have adapted to the poor soil conditions and many never grow to be that tall and the growth is stunted on many trees. Even though Newfoundland is not very mountainous the higher you go the less vegetation grows. But much of the higher land in the south and west consists of "moss barrens" which are of no value for pasture or timber. In accord with the temperature, ash and elm are confined to the warmer south-west valleys, while yellow birch and white pine are common in the centre and west. Balsam fir and black spruce are general everywhere in the lower lands except in the north-east, where aspen and paper birch stand the cold climate better. The lower you get to to the sea the more grows, and potatoes and cabbage are common to grow near the sea. Because potatoes and cabbage can grow in the cold and in the poor soil conditions it was an ideal food to grow.
Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Newfoundland_and_Labrador,
Cranny, Michael William, M.C. (1998), Crossroads: A Meeting of Nations, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada: Prentice Hall Ginn