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32-732: Val-David is a village of more than 5,200 inhabitants in the Laurentian Mountains about 80 kilometres (50 mi) north of Montreal , Quebec , Canada . Attracting about 100,000 tourists a year, Val-David is predominantly francophone although it has a small anglophone minority. The village is famous for its delicious and diverse food scene as well for its artistic and hippie character. Many renowned and amateur artists, writers and dancers live and have lived in Val-David, notably Québécois poet Gaston Miron , jazz bassist Charlie Biddle , and singer-songwriter Alan Gerber . Val-David

64-735: A chain reaction of climatic and ecological effects. The initial effects of climate change on the boreal ecosystem can include, but are not limited to, changes in temperature, rainfall, and growing season . Based on studies from the boreal ecosystems in the Yukon , a territory in northwestern Canada, climate change is having an impact on these abiotic factors . As a consequence, these effects drive changes in forest ecotone as well as marshlands or lakes in boreal ecosystems. This also concerns plant productivity and predator-prey interactions , which ultimately leads to habitat loss , fragmentation , and threatens biodiversity . In terms of boreal trees,

96-441: A net carbon source instead of a net carbon sink . Although the trees in the boreal are aging, they continue to accumulate carbon into their biomass . However, if disturbed, higher than normal amounts of carbon will be lost to the atmosphere. In some areas, boreal ecosystems are located on a layer of permafrost, which is a layer of permanently frozen soil. The underground root systems of boreal trees are stabilized by permafrost,

128-401: A process which permits the deeper trapping of carbon in the soil and aids in the regulation of hydrology . Permafrost is able to store double the amount of current atmospheric carbon that can be mobilized and released to the atmosphere as greenhouse gases when thawed under a warming climate feedback . Boreal ecosystems contain approximately 338 Pg (petagrams) of carbon in their soil , this

160-419: A variety of species. Boreal ecosystems are filled with a multitude of flora species from black and white spruce , to willows , wildflowers , and alders. Caribou , although not there year round, come down and into these regions during the winter to forage for lichen . A few fish species include salmonids , smelts , sticklebacks , lamprey and sculpins . For salmon these systems are vital: relying on

192-487: Is a subdivision of the Canadian Shield, and in this area, the oldest rocks of this geologic region are found. These rocks represent a chain of mountains that formed between 1,500 and 900 million years ago. During that time, Laurentia , the geologic core of the Canadian Shield, collided with other continents that were dragged by moving tectonic plates . The Laurentian Mountains contain dense boreal forests . It

224-657: Is accessible via Autoroute 15 which links Laval and Montreal towards the south shore suburbs like Brossard and the north shore suburbs like Saint-Jérôme . The autoroute 15 also offers a direct path to and from the United States border. The municipality is located near the northern terminus of the Autoroute which continues further north via Route 117 towards the La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve north of Mont-Tremblant and Mont-Laurier . In

256-536: Is also a centre for much outdoor recreational activity as its 2,000-acre (8.1 km) Parc Dufresne is the most popular rock-climbing destination in eastern Canada. Also, the Parc Linéaire Le P'tit Train du Nord , a 200 kilometres (120 mi) bike trail, and groomed cross-country ski and snowshoe trails in Winter, run throughout the town's splendid nature. The place was first known as Belisle's Mills, after

288-474: Is comparable to the amount which is stored in biomass in tropical ecosystems. In boreal ecosystems, carbon cycling is a major producer of ecosystem services especially timber production and climate regulation. The boreal ecosystem in Canada is one of the largest carbon reservoirs in the world. Moreover, these boreal ecosystems in Canada possess high hydroelectric potential and are thus able to contribute to

320-434: Is home to some deciduous trees, such as sugar maple , beech , but are rarely found past the northern boundary of the range. The Laurentian region is also rich in walnut , ash , cherry , linden , and oak . The range also contains bogs . The boreal ecosystem is represented by mixed forests , dominated by black spruce and balsam fir to the south, including areas of white birch . Laurentides Wildlife Reserve , which

352-615: Is itself derived from the St. Lawrence River . François-Xavier Garneau , author of Histoire de Canada , was first to use the term "Laurentien" when he coined the name of the mountains in 1845. Early geologists adopted the name for the complex of metamorphic and igneous rocks in this area, with the terms further being applied to the Laurentide Ice Sheet and the Laurentian Shield ( Canadian Shield ). Garneau applied

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384-579: Is located in the range, contains mammals such as black bears , bobcats , raccoons, grey wolves , otters , moose , white-tailed deer and caribou , with birds such as the barred owl , American kestrel , and osprey . The Laurentian Mountains are a popular recreational destination in Quebec. The first ski lift in North America was built in the mountain range in 1931, and by the late 1930s, "snow trains" had brought tens of thousands of skiers to

416-739: Is the Waldorf school, which is very popular among some of the hippie folk because of their approach to education. Sainte Agathe Academy (of the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board ) in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts serves English-speaking students in this community for both elementary and secondary levels. Laurentian Mountains The Laurentians Mountains are one of the oldest mountain ranges on earth. The range formed around one billion years ago during

448-425: The 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Val-David had a population of 5,558 living in 2,668 of its 3,227 total private dwellings, a change of 13% from its 2016 population of 4,917 . With a land area of 42.66 km (16.47 sq mi), it had a population density of 130.3/km (337.4/sq mi) in 2021. Mother tongue: Val-David has three schools (all francophone), one of which

480-522: The East Coast to the Great Lakes . The forests reached heights of 30 to 85 meters high. While the exports of logging grew, it eventually became a wasteful practice, with the felling of trees leaving huge portions of land vulnerable to erosion . Intensive forestry has not entirely ceased in the region. Public and private forests in Quebec have now been entirely mapped, with information such as

512-852: The Grenville orogeny , in which the Grenville Province formed, a subdivision of the Canadian Shield . During that time, Laurentia , the geologic core of the Canadian Shield, collided with other continents and formed Precambrian rocks which extend across the range. The mountain range is located around other related geographic features, such as the Monteregian Hills and the Adirondack Mountains . The Laurentian Mountains are home to vast extents of boreal ecosystems and mixed forests . The southern areas of

544-977: The Laurentian Upland , which extends as far west as Lake Huron , with foothills extending into northeastern Ontario . Sub-ranges in the upland are the Opeongo Hills , Misquah Hills , Huron Mountains , and the Porcupine Mountains . This region is extensively forested and contains nearly untouched wilderness, with it not being suited for agriculture. One of Quebec's official regions is called Laurentides . The mountain range runs through four other regions; Capitale-Nationale , Outaouais , Lanaudière , and Mauricie . The elevation generally ranges from around 500 m (1,640 ft) to 1,000 m (3,280 ft) with Mont Raoul-Blanchard being its highest peak, at 1,166 m (3,825 ft). Mont Tremblant , Mont Bleu, and Mont des Conscrits are other prominent peaks in

576-459: The atmosphere causing more climate change. The species within boreal ecosystems varies as it consists of both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. The species composition include many generalized and less specialized feeders. From the equator to the poles, species richness decreases, and there is a negative relationship with species richness changes as climate changes. However, despite not being as biodiverse as tropical systems, this area has

608-549: The mountain range. Jacques-Cartier National Park is located in this mountain range, which is north of Quebec City , residing in the Jacques-Cartier Massif . The Adirondack Mountains , which are located in northeastern New York , have great similarity to the Laurentian Mountains, consisting of the same type of rocks that are part of the Canadian Shield. The Laurentian Mountains are one of

640-612: The new term to the whole range north of the St. Lawrence River. While the region has been popularly referred to as the Laurentians and Les Laurentides , it was officially adopted in 1987 as the territory was defined. The Laurentian Mountains extend from Quebec to Labrador over a distance of 1,448 kilometers (900 miles ). They are partially bounded by the Ottawa , St. Lawrence , and Saguenay River . The Laurentian Mountains reside in

672-614: The northward shift of plant and animal species has already been observed. Trees may expand towards the tundra; however, they may not survive due to various temperature or precipitation stressors. The rate depends on growth and reproductive rate , and adaptation ability of the vegetation. In addition, the migration of flora may lag behind warming for a few decades to a century, and in most cases warming happens faster than plants can keep up. Due to permafrost thaw and disturbance alterations such as fire and insect outbreaks, certain models have suggested that boreal forests have developed into

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704-452: The official designation of the municipality in 1944. It pays tribute to Louis Athanase David (1882-1953), member of parliament for Terrebonne from 1916 to 1919 and secretary of Quebec from 1919 to 1936, and his father Laurent-Olivier David (1840-1926), member of the House of Commons and author of several books. It now has its first local community monthly newspaper, ski-se-dit . The town

736-472: The oldest mountain ranges in the world, being of Precambrian age, with some regions dating to over one billion years old. The mountain range is between other related geologic features, such as the Monteregian Hills and the older Oka Hills. The mountain range is located within the Grenville orogeny . The rocks of the Laurentian Mountains contain deformation and metamorphic structures that show long periods of tectonic activity occurred. The Grenville Province

768-424: The owner of one of the area's first sawmills. In 1873, its post office opened under the name of Mont-Morin, which was renamed Belisle's Mills in 1901. In 1917, the parish of Saint-Jean-Baptiste-de-Belisle or Bélisle was formed, detached from Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts. In 1921, the village municipality was officially established and named after the parish. In 1923, the post office was renamed Val-David, which also became

800-414: The poleward limit for any given species is most likely defined by the temperature, whereas the equatorward limit is generally defined by competitive exclusion . As changes in climate occur, change in the corresponding weather variables follows, and ecosystem alterations involving timing for migration, mating, and plant blooming can occur. This can lead to the transition into a different type of ecosystem as

832-440: The range are dominated by black spruce and balsam fir , with areas of white birch . The range is home to various wildlife species. The Laurentian Mountains are an important part of the economy of Quebec, as they have been historically been used for forestry and provide access to tourism and outdoor recreation for people in the region. The namesake of the mountains is derived from the term "Laurentide" or "Laurentian", which

864-479: The range. In the area, there is skiing, snowboarding , dog sledding , ice climbing , and snowmobiling during winter at Mont-Tremblant, with rafting , kayaking , hiking, camping, and golf through the region during spring, summer, and fall. The Laurentian Mountains have been historically used for logging . During the European colonization of North America, colonists were met with a woodland that stretched from

896-435: The resource-based economy. Through ecosystem assessment, inventory data, and modeling, scientists are able to determine the relationships between ecosystem services and biodiversity and human influence. Forests themselves are producers of lumber products, regulation of water, soil and air quality. Within the past decade, the number of studies focusing on the relationships between ecosystem services has been increasing. This

928-603: The riparian systems within boreal ecosystems for multiple life stages in both the beginning and the end of their life cycle, sockeye rely on the provided freshwater environments as eggs, fry and adult stages. Success and succession happen in tandem in boreal forests. Primary succession , while part of the original landscape formation, is not vital like secondary succession . Secondary succession consists of varied events: wildfires, flooding, mudslides and even excessive insect foraging act in this progression and cycle of boreal forests. The Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS)

960-643: The soil, terrain, and waterways, and the species and the age of the trees available. With this data, the chief forester calculates the amount of wood that can be harvested, ensuring the forest is not cut down faster than it can grow back. Boreal ecosystem A boreal ecosystem is an ecosystem with a subarctic climate located in the Northern Hemisphere , approximately between 50° and 70°N latitude . These ecosystems are commonly known as taiga and are located in parts of North America , Europe , and Asia . The ecosystems that lie immediately to

992-696: The south of boreal zones are often called hemiboreal . There are a variety of processes and species that occur in these areas as well. The Köppen symbols of boreal ecosystems are Dfc , Dwc , Dfd , and Dwd . Boreal ecosystems are some of the most vulnerable to climate change . Both loss of permafrost, reductions in cold weather and increases in summer heat cause significant changes to ecosystems, displacing cold-adapted species, increasing forest fires, and making ecosystems vulnerable to changing to other ecosystem types. These changes can cause Climate change feedback cycles, where thawing permafrost and changing ecosystems release more greenhouse gas emissions into

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1024-610: Was a major international research field study in the Canadian boreal forest . The main research was completed between the years of 1994-1996, and the program was sponsored by NASA. The primary objectives were to determine how the boreal forest interacts with the atmosphere, how climate change will affect the forest, and how changes in the forest affect weather and climate. Boreal ecosystems display high sensitivity towards both natural and anthropogenic climate change . Due to greenhouse gas emissions , atmospheric warming ultimately leads to

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