The Carboniferous in Ontario, Canada

Paleontology and geology

During the Carboniferous, Ontario was above sea level and exposed to erosion. Deposition was restricted to river valleys and lowlands. Swamps and forests filled the lowlands, and early insects and reptiles flourished in the warm climate of the Early Carboniferous. In the Middle Carboniferous, marine waters briefly encroached on the southern portion of the province. By the end of the period, Ontario was uplifted as the continents began to collide to form the supercontinent Pangea. Rivers drained the highlands and carried sediment through the valleys and far out to sea. Most of the rocks from this period have been buried or eroded away, but a few exposures can be found in the central part of the province.