Editing Cape Breton Island (section)

==== Highlands and the Northern Plateau ====
The Highlands comprise a [[Table (landform)|tableland]] in the northern portions of [[Municipality of the County of Inverness|Inverness]] and [[Municipality of the County of Victoria|Victoria]] counties.

An extension of the [[Appalachian Mountains|Appalachian mountain chain]], elevations average 350 metres at the edges of the plateau and rise to more than 500 metres at the centre. The area has broad, gently rolling hills bisected with deep valleys and steep-walled canyons. A majority of the land is a [[taiga]] of balsam fir, with some white birch, white spruce, mountain ash, and heart-leaf birch.<ref name="eco" />

The northern and western edges of the plateau, particularly at high elevations, resemble arctic [[tundra]]. Trees 30–90 high, overgrown with [[Cladonia rangiferina|reindeer lichens]], can be 150 years old. At very high elevations some areas are exposed bedrock without any vegetation apart from [[Cladonia]] lichens. There are many barrens, or [[heath]]s, dominated by bushy species of the [[Ericaceae]] family.

[[Spruce]], killed by [[Choristoneura|spruce budworm]] in the late 1970s, has reestablished at lower elevations, but not at higher elevations due to moose [[Browsing (herbivory)|browsing]]. [[Decomposition]] is slow, leaving thick layers of [[plant litter]]. [[Groundcover|Ground cover]] includes [[Oclemena acuminata|wood aster]], [[Linnaea|twinflower]], [[Marchantiophyta|liverworts]], wood [[sorrel]], [[Clintonia borealis|bluebead lily]], [[Coptis|goldthread]], various ferns, and [[Lily of the valley|lily-of-the-valley]], with [[bryophyte]] and [[Solidago macrophylla|large-leaved goldenrod]] at higher elevations. The [[understory]] can include [[Acer pensylvanicum|striped maple]], mountain ash, ferns, and [[Acer spicatum|mountain maple]].<ref name="eco" />

Near water, [[Betula pumila|bog birch]], [[alder]], and [[Rowan|mountain-ash]] are found. There are many open [[wetland]]s populated with stunted [[Larix laricina|tamarack]] and black spruce. Poor drainage has led to the formation of [[Mire|peatlands]] which can support [[Trichophorum cespitosum|tufted clubrush]], [[Amelanchier bartramiana|Bartram's serviceberry]], [[Carex exilis|coastal sedge]], and [[Rubus chamaemorus|bakeapple]].<ref name="eco" />