Scope of Biodiversity in Ontario

Ontario is huge – slightly larger than France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Denmark and Switzerland combined! Across Ontario, there are climatic conditions and landforms that support a broad range of ecosystems: temperate broadleaved forests, grasslands, vast coniferous forests, wetlands and the barren tundra of the Hudson Bay Lowlands. Ontario is home to a rich diversity of plant and animal species, as well as lesser-known forms of life like fungi and bacteria.

 

The province of Ontario.

 

 

Ontario also has an abundance of water and aquatic ecosystems. About 15% of the province is open water, ranging from small creeks and ponds to large rivers and the Great Lakes. In addition wetlands, one of our most biologically rich ecosystems, cover almost one-quarter of the province. Northern Ontario has more wetlands than anywhere else in Canada.

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life, as expressed through genes, species and ecosystems, that is also shaped by ecological and evolutionary processes.

There is another factor that contributes to a biologically diverse Ontario: we have large remote natural areas, particularly in the north. Opportunities exist to maintain current biodiversity and prevent species and ecosystem decline.

Explore Ontario's biodiversity – choose one of the following links to learn more about Ontario's biodiversity.

 

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life, as expressed through genes, species and ecosystems, that is also shaped by ecological and evolutionary processes.

 

• Ontario's Species: Learn about the status of many plants and animals in Ontario.
• Ontario's Ecological Landscapes: Learn how terrestrial ecosystems are defined and characterized at different scales across Ontario.

 

 

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Modified iStockPhoto.com map of Canada