The Labrador coast is a living environment at the edge of the North American continent and the Atlantic Ocean. As visitors enter this Biodôme habitat, the sound of a waterfall evokes the presence of a cliff. Life teems all around, and the cool air envelops them.
A closer look reveals the complexity of the rocky escarpment: overhanging ledges, shelves where birds come to rest, a nest box here, a crack in the rock farther along. In summer, a few tufts of grass cling to the horizontal shelves.
The cliff: a refuge for two northern bird species
Every feature of a cliff varies with height, proximity to the water, the width of its ledges, and the nature of the substrate. At the Biodôme, these defining characteristics of the natural environment are carefully recreated.
Two bird species share this ecosystem: the common murre and the Atlantic puffin. They have a similar silhouette: small, rounded birds with black plumage above and white below. These seabirds use the water jet installed to the right of the habitat to preen, often with a few amusing twists and turns.
The life cycles of the common murre and the Atlantic puffin are shaped by extremes. They nest on the edge of the precipice, feed on fish caught in icy waters, and live in step with the dramatic changes in day length of the Far North.
The Biodôme environment follows the light cycle of northern subpolar regions: nearly 20 hours of daylight at the summer solstice, and barely six in December.
In the wild
The Labrador coast forms a wild, linear landscape where cliffs shaped by glaciation plunge into a cold, nutrient-rich sea. Vegetation is dominated by coastal tundra, rooted in a carpet of lichens. Stunted shrubs and grasses resistant to salt spray speak to an environment shaped by wind and frost.
In this northern world, a mosaic of habitats supports remarkable wildlife, including colonies of Atlantic puffins and common murres. Both species seek refuge in coastal cliffs to nest, where land predators have difficulty reaching them.
Along the Labrador shoreline, harp seals rest on the foreshores, while black bears and foxes sometimes visit the coast. This coastal ecosystem reveals a biodiversity adapted to extreme subarctic conditions.
A few facts and figures
- Relative humidity: 60%
- Total area: 73 square metres, with a 58,000-litre basin
- Controlled lighting system: 20 hours of light per day in June; 6 hours per day in December