Moist equatorial forests of Eurasia animals. Landscapes of natural zones of savannas, variable-moist and humid forests of the subequatorial and equatorial belts of Eurasia. Flora and fauna of the arctic deserts, tundra and forest tundra

Subtropical geographical zone not much inferior to the temperate zone in length. Several natural zones are formed on the plains. A significant part of the belt is occupied by mountains, in which altitudinal zonality is manifested.

On the well-moistened Black Sea coast of Asia humid subtropical forests from hornbeam, beech, chestnut and evergreen shrubs intertwined with lianas are often swampy. Soils - zheltozems and red soils - contain 4-8% humus. The less humid Mediterranean coast is included in the zone hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs . Cork and holm oaks, pines and cypresses grow on the peninsulas of Europe; on the Asian coast - Lebanese cedar. Widely spread maquis- prickly thickets of heather, olives, pistachios, junipers. Brown soils contain 4-7% humus. Due to the high economic development, natural vegetation and wild animals have been preserved only in the foothills and in protected areas.

Rice. 58 Maquis

A zone formed in the arid continental sector of the belt semi-deserts and deserts . Occupying only the intermountain plains in the west, in the east the deserts rise to the mountains and become dominant. Takla Makan, Gobi, Tibetan Plateau in Central Asia, the deserts are cold: in winter, temperatures can drop to -30 °C. Vegetation is almost non-existent. The soils are desert serozems and burozems. Many ungulates live here - kulan, Przewalski's horse, gazelles (gazelles and gazelle), wild yak, antelopes, mountain goats and sheep. There are many predators (caracal, hyena), rodents, arthropods, reptiles.

As we approach the Pacific Ocean, summer (due to the monsoon) becomes wetter, while winter, as in the continental sector, remains dry and cold. Subtropical steppes . In the east of the Tibetan Plateau - sagebrush, inhabited by numerous ungulates (markhorn goat, mouflon). The feather grass steppes that once dominated the Loess Plateau gave way to cotton, tobacco, and poppy plantations. Centuries of agriculture has destroyed the surface of the loess, turning 90% of the territory into a badland.

On the east coast, where the amount of precipitation increases sharply, a zone is formed monsoon forests , represented in the north by mixed, in the south - by evergreen forests. Once upon a time laurels, myrtles, cypresses dominated here; now almost everywhere - plantations of tea, cotton, rice. The soil cover is dominated by zheltozems and krasnozems with high natural fertility. In mountain shelters you can meet lemurs, tapirs; many birds - pheasants, parrots, cranes, herons.

Krasnozems are otherwise called laterites, which in Latin means "sun-dried brick." The color of soils is due to the accumulation of aluminum and iron oxide hydrates in them.

AT tropical geographic zone Eurasia has only one natural zone - semi-deserts and deserts . Sandy deserts are especially widespread, occupying the intermountain basins of the Iranian Highlands, the Mesopotamian lowland, and Arabia. Among the sands in some places there are bushes of astragalus, milkweed, aloe. Arabia is included in the belt of the great deserts of the Northern Hemisphere. On the Arabian Peninsula, deserts occupy more than 1 million km 2 - a territory almost five times larger than Belarus. This is the hottest and driest region of Eurasia.

Subequatorial geographical belt includes several natural areas. The arid Indian lowland is occupied by sandy desert Tar. On the more humid plains of Indochina and on the Deccan plateau, savannas and woodlands : rare prickly acacias, palms, tikis rise above the sea of ​​tall hard grasses. The soils of the savannas - red, red-brown and red-brown - are poor in humus (about 4%). The exceptions are the fertile chernozem-like "cotton soils" of the regura, formed on volcanic rocks. The savannahs are plowed up for cotton and wheat crops. The animal world is severely exterminated. Once, herds of rhinos and antelopes roamed here.

On the coasts of Hindustan and Indochina, abundantly moistened by the monsoon, a zone is formed seasonally wet and monsoon forests . The evergreen forests are dominated by bamboos, ficuses, palms, and many epiphytes. The forests differ in species diversity, are multi-tiered and impenetrable. Abundant moisture causes the formation of acidic low-humus red-yellow soils. In more arid deciduous forests, there are many valuable species - teak, sandalwood, satin wood. The forests have been badly damaged by logging, and the animal world has also been exterminated. There are sloth bear, rhinoceros, gayal bull, tiger, leopard. Many monkeys, birds - peacocks, parrots, pheasants.

The zone has been developed for plantations of coffee trees, tea, bananas, mangoes, citrus fruits, and rubber plants.

Equatorial geographical belt represented by the zone humid equatorial forests - guile. The Hylaea of ​​the Malay Archipelago are the oldest forests on Earth. They are exceptionally rich in biomass and species, many of which are endemic. There are more than 300 species of palms here, a lot of tree ferns, bamboos, pandanus. The coast is lined with mangroves.

Red-yellow ferralitic soils are formed under the forests. The animal world is very diverse: tigers, leopards, wild elephants, rhinos, tapirs. There are many monkeys, including anthropoid orangutans and gibbons, semi-monkeys - tarsiers and lorises. On the islands there are giant monitor lizards, flying dragons, snakes - pythons, vipers, in the rivers - gharial crocodiles.

Altitudinal zonality. Mountain systems of Eurasia have a different geographical position, height, length. This determines the peculiarities of altitudinal zonality in each of them.

The simplest structure of altitudinal zonality is inherent in the mountains of high latitudes and inland regions. In the mountains of high latitudes it is cold at any height. So the foothills are occupied tundra , and a belt is formed above eternal snows . Inland mountain systems do not differ in the variety of belts due to the fact that it is dry everywhere on their slopes (see Fig. 65 on p. 58). In the temperate zone, from bottom to top, sparse coniferous forests, tundra and "loaches" - cold stony desert . In the mountains of subtropical and tropical latitudes, semi-deserts and desert passing above into steppes . Vertices occupy loaches , and only on the highest mountains there are glaciers ; they appear from a height of 4.5-5 thousand meters.

A variety of altitudinal belts is characteristic of mountain systems that occupy a marginal position on the continent.

On the southern Mediterranean slope of the Alps (Fig. 63) at the foot grow hardwood evergreen forests and shrubs from cork and holm oaks, Mediterranean pine, cypress, laurel, myrtle, boxwood, pistachio. Above them - broadleaf forests from oak, chestnut, linden, walnut. Then the forests become mixed, and then coniferous - from spruce, fir, pine. Shrubs dominate even higher - juniper, rhododendron, barberry. The next belt is meadows : subalpine - from rich forbs - and alpine - from bright, but quickly fading primroses - saxifrage, primroses, violets, poppies, hyacinths, edelweiss (Fig. 64). Glaciers in the west appear from on high 2.5 km, in the east - from 3.2-3.4 km.

Rms. 64 Edelweiss

The further south the mountains are located and the higher they are, the more belts on their slopes.

The altitudinal zonality of the Himalayas, the highest mountain system located on the southern outskirts of the mainland, is characterized by the greatest completeness and diversity (Fig. 65).

The southern slope of the Himalayas is covered by a variety of rich moisture-loving vegetation. Grow at the foot terai - dense swampy impenetrable forests of bamboo intertwined with lianas, tall grasses, wild sugar cane (Fig. 66). The lower parts of the slopes cover jungle (Fig. 67) - evergreen forests of palm trees, pandanus, banyans (Fig. 68). Higher, tree ferns, magnolia, wild grapes become dominant in them. Then the jungle turns into evergreen hardwood forests from oaks and laurels, and those - in broadleaf forests from maples and chestnuts. Even higher is the belt coniferous forests ; Himalayan spruces, hemlock, larch, fir grow in them. At high altitude, forests are replaced by high forbs subalpine meadows , turning into low-grass alpine meadows from primroses, anemones, poppies. Belt glaciers starts from 5-5.4 km.

Rice. 66 Terai

The northern slope of the Himalayas is completely different (see Fig. 65). This slope is leeward, it "grows" from the highlands of Tibet. It is dry and cold here, permafrost is common. The slope is occupied by cold rocky desert : only occasionally cushion-shaped and creeping plants come across. From a height of 6.4 km, the belt begins glaciers This is the highest snow line in the world.

Natural disasters- natural phenomena that constitute a threat to the life of the population - can be conditionally divided into two groups: those associated with internal processes (tectonic, or endogenous) and with external processes(exogenous), the leading role among which belongs to atmospheric.

The location of Eurasia in the junction zones of several converging lithospheric plates determines tectonic activity in these and adjacent parts of the continent (Fig. 69). Belts of high seismicity correspond to modern folded belts - Alpine-Himalayan and Pacific and modern rift zones of the continent - Baikal and Arabian. earthquakes low power (1-4 points) occur in these areas almost constantly, and stronger ones (7-12 points), accompanied by catastrophic destruction and loss of life - periodically with a different interval.

Tectonic movements that shake the earth's crust cause powerful fluctuations in the ocean's water mass - waves tsunami . Most often, they are exposed to the southeastern margin of the mainland, where both modern fold belts are connected.

Natural catastrophic phenomena of exogenous origin - tropical hurricanes(typhoons) - the southeastern margin of Eurasia is most often exposed. The center of typhoon formation is the tropical latitudes of the Pacific Ocean. From here, powerful ascending whirlwinds rush to the mainland. But the mountain ranges stretched along the coasts block their way into the interior of the continent. And on the islands, coastal slopes and lowlands fall heavy rains, causing devastating floods.

On the mainland, densely populated and having a history of many thousands of years of development, there are man-made disasters . Their reason lies in the geographical and ecological illiteracy of human society, thoughtlessly and aggressively trying to subordinate the natural resources of the mainland to its needs. Occurring through the fault of man, such events cause irreparable damage to the natural complex. They affect not only the territory where they occurred, but also large areas adjacent to it. At the same time, they negatively affect the life processes of the entire organic world, including humans. The largest nuclear disaster was the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (Ukraine), which happened in 1986. An area of ​​160 thousand km 2 was contaminated with radioactive substances. The north of Ukraine, the west of Russia and Belarus suffered - about 60% of radioactive fallout fell on its territory.

An environmental disaster was the accident at the Japanese nuclear power plant Fukushima.

The drying up of the Aral Sea-lake in Central Asia, caused by irrational use of natural resources (water consumption), is referred to the ecological catastrophes of world significance. The territory of the Aral Sea region has been declared an area of ​​ecological disaster (Fig. 71)

Rice. 71 Aral Sea

Millions of years ago, the Aral and the Caspian were part of the ancient Tethys Ocean. These lakes are so large that they are called seas. The Aral Sea was the fourth largest in the world after the Caspian Sea, Lake Superior and Lake Victoria. In the 90s. 20th century due to the fact that the water of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya was diverted for irrigation, the Aral began to shallow. Now the Aral is a few small dangerously polluted reservoirs. Salt, dust and pesticides covering the dried bottom are carried by dust storms within a radius of 500 km and destroy any vegetation. The population is suffering from diseases. The climate is changing, animals are dying out: there were 178 species, there are only 38 left. Tugai - reed beds are dying. Scientists believe that it is already impossible to save the Aral Sea. Even if we completely refuse to take water from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, then its previous level will be restored no earlier than in 200 years.

Ecological problems. Man-made disasters give rise to, and natural disasters exacerbate, environmental problems that are numerous in Eurasia.

Many natural complexes of the mainland have been so strongly changed that they are no longer natural, but artificial - anthropogenic. On the continent, natural landscapes that have not been affected by human activity are an exceptional phenomenon. In Eurasia, there is a large proportion of industrial and agricultural landscapes, the natural vegetation of which has been almost completely destroyed. Europe is characterized by the world's highest indicators of development and plowing of land - 40%. These indicators are very high in densely populated areas of East Asia (on the Great China Plain 80% of the territory is occupied by arable land). All natural areas of the mainland are affected by the problem degradation lands. Soil erosion, as a result of which fertile lands turn into badlands and wind-blown sands, begins to progress after the natural vegetation of these lands has been reduced and their intensive plowing (more than 80% of the territory has been destroyed on the Loess Plateau).

All forest zones of the mainland are affected by the problem deforestation . The provision of a resident of Eurasia with forests is 4 times lower than in the whole world. The monsoon forests of East Asia have been destroyed by 85%, and 40% - by Southeast Asia. The broad-leaved forests of Western Europe and the subtropical Mediterranean have suffered from cuttings and fires (Fig. 72): in some countries, the forest cover has decreased to 8-10%. Relic species of plants and animals have been irretrievably lost. Involvement in agricultural production of lands adjacent to deserts contributes to their desertification . In some regions of Eurasia, deserts are growing at a rate of up to 1 km / year (Thar Desert). Intensive irrigation of lands in arid regions causes soil salinization . About 40% of irrigated lands in Eurasia are secondarily saline. In Mesopotamia - the center of ancient civilization - about 85%.

Rice. 72. Forest fires in Greece

In densely populated areas of Europe, East, Southeast and South Asia and near the largest industrial centers, there is a large industrial pollution , extending to the soil, air, surface, groundwater and adjacent areas of the oceans. An acute ecological situation is developing in the eastern parts of the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas, in the Barents Sea. In South-West Asia - the largest center of oil production and export - the problem of oil pollution is serious. High performance radioactive contamination are noted in the seas of the Arctic Ocean, the northern waters of the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Yellow Seas, the Persian and Biscay Bays.

Numerous protected areas have been created to preserve landscapes in Eurasia. There are at least 839 national parks on the mainland. Asian countries lead the list.

In addition to national parks, there are numerous specially protected areas of various levels - nature reserves, regional parks, etc.

Bibliography

1. Geography grade 9 / Textbook for grade 9 institutions of general secondary education with the Russian language of instruction / Edited by N. V. Naumenko/ Minsk "People's Asveta" 2011

Climate, natural zones of Eurasia.

Climate.

The climatic features of Eurasia are determined by the huge size of the mainland, the great length from north to south, the variety of prevailing air masses, as well as the specific features of the relief structure of its surface and the influence of the oceans.

natural areas.

Arctic deserts (ice zone), tundra and forest tundra located in the west of the mainland beyond the Arctic Circle. In Northern Europe, the tundra and forest-tundra occupy a narrow strip, which, as one moves eastward, gradually expands with an increase in the severity and continentality of the climate. Basically, sparse low-growing vegetation, poor peat-gley soils and animals adapted to harsh living conditions.

AT temperate zone Significant areas are represented by zones of coniferous forests (taiga), mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, broad-leaved forests, forest-steppes and steppes, semi-deserts and deserts.

coniferous forests stretched from the Atlantic to the Pacific. When moving from west to east, the continentality of the climate increases. In the Asian part of the zone, permafrost is widespread, as a result, the composition of taiga tree species changes. Pine and spruce dominate in the European taiga, fir and Siberian cedar dominate beyond the Urals, and larch dominates in Eastern Siberia. Fauna: sable, ermine, beaver, fox, squirrel, marten, hares, chipmunks, lynxes and wolves, moose, brown bears, capercaillie, black grouse, hazel grouse, crossbills, nutcrackers.

Zone mixed coniferous-deciduous forests replaces the taiga zone when moving south. Leaf litter and grass cover of these forests contribute to the accumulation of a certain amount of organic matter in the soil horizon. Therefore, the podzolic soils of the taiga are replaced by soddy-podzolic ones.

Zone deciduous forests also does not form a continuous band. In Europe, it stretched from the Atlantic to the Volga. As the climate becomes more continental, moving from west to east, beech forests are replaced by oak forests. In the east of the mainland, broad-leaved forests are mostly cut down.

Forest-steppes and steppes change forest zones when moving south in the inner - central continental sector of the mainland. Here, the amount of precipitation sharply decreases and the amplitudes of summer and winter temperatures increase. AT forest-steppes characteristic is the alternation of open spaces with herbaceous vegetation on chernozem soils with areas of broad-leaved forests. Steppes - treeless spaces with dense grassy grassy vegetation and a dense root system. In the eastern part of the mainland, forest-steppes and steppes have been preserved in the basins of the relief of Northern Mongolia, Transbaikalia, and Northeast China. They are far removed from the ocean, are in conditions of a sharply continental climate, low moisture. Mongolian dry steppes are characterized by sparse grass vegetation and chestnut soils.

Semi-deserts and temperate deserts occupy the lowlands of Central Asia and the inner basins of Central Asia north of the Tibetan Plateau. There is very little rainfall, hot long summers and cold winters with noticeable frosts.

Zone tropical deserts - the deserts of Arabia, Mesopotamia, the south of the Iranian Highlands and the Indus basin. These deserts are similar in their natural conditions to African ones, since there are wide historical and modern ties between these territories and there are no obstacles to the exchange of species in flora and fauna. The oceanic sectors of the mainland are closed in the south by zones of subtropical (in Europe) and tropical forests (in Asia).

Zone hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs in the Mediterranean region is unique. It has dry and hot summers and wet and warm winters. Plants are adapted to climatic conditions: wax coating, thick or dense leathery bark. Many plants produce essential oils. Fertile brown soils form in this zone. Olives, citrus fruits, grapes, tobacco, essential oil crops are grown on the plantations of the zone.

Zone monsoon evergreen mixed forests expressed in the Pacific sector of the subtropical belt. There are other climatic conditions here: precipitation falls mainly in summer - during the growing season. Forests are ancient.

subequatorial belt covers the peninsulas of Hindustan, Indochina and the north of the Philippine Islands. This zone has different moisture conditions. The zone of subequatorial forests stretches along the western coasts of the peninsulas and receives up to 2000 mm of precipitation per year. The forests here are multi-tiered, differ in the variety of species composition (palms, ficuses, bamboos). Zonal soils are red-yellow ferralitic. Zones seasonally wet monsoon forests, shrub savannahs and woodlands presented where precipitation decreases.

Moist equatorial forests are represented mainly on the islands of Southeast Asia. In terms of climatic conditions, they are similar to the forests of the equatorial belt of other continents. However, the equatorial forests of Asia have a number of specific features. According to the composition of the flora, these are the richest forests on the globe (over 45 thousand species). The species composition of tree species is 5000 species (in Europe - only 200 species).

Altitudinal zonality in the mountains of Eurasia is diverse. The number of altitudinal belts in the mountains always depends on which natural zone is located on the plain at the foot of the mountains; on the height of the mountain system and on the exposure of the slopes. So, for example, the northern drier slopes of the Himalayas, facing the Tibetan Plateau, do not have forest belts. But on the southern slopes, which are better moistened and heated, there are several forest zones.

Abstract of the lesson "Climate, natural zones of Eurasia." Next topic:

Plants of equatorial forests cannot but arouse increased interest not only among specialists, but also among ordinary inquisitive travelers from all over the world. And there is nothing surprising in this.

Agree, many of us tend to visit overseas countries precisely for the sake of these exotic representatives of the flora. For example, the plants of equatorial America or Africa are very different from those herbs, flowers, trees and shrubs that we are used to seeing outside the window of our hometown. They look, smell and bloom completely differently, which means they cause mixed emotions. They want to take a closer look, touch and photograph.

Plants of the equatorial forests is a topic that can be talked about indefinitely. This article is aimed at acquainting readers with the most characteristic properties and living conditions of these representatives of the world of flora.

general information

First of all, let's try to define such a concept as humid equatorial forests. Plants whose habitats are regions with a pronounced equatorial, subequatorial and tropical climate inhabit this type of natural zone. It is worth paying attention to the fact that in this case, not only herbs, but also numerous trees and shrubs can be attributed to various kinds of representatives of the flora.

At first glance, it's hard to even imagine, but there is up to 2000 or even 10,000 mm of precipitation per year.

These land areas are characterized by huge biodiversity, it is here that 2/3 of all plants and animals of our planet live. By the way, not everyone knows that millions of species are still not described.

On the lower tier, in wet conditions, there is not enough light, but the undergrowth, as a rule, is weak, so a person can easily move along it. However, in the event that for some reason the deciduous canopy is absent or weakened, the lower tier can quickly become covered with impenetrable thickets of vines and intricately woven trees. This is called the jungle.

The climate of the equatorial forest

Animals and plants, as we have already said, are diverse. This is due to the prevailing climate, which means that we need to talk about it in more detail.

This zone stretches along the equator with a shift to the south. The average year-round temperature is 24-28 degrees. The climate is quite hot and humid, although the seasons are implicitly expressed.

This area belongs to the region and precipitation here falls evenly throughout the year. Such climatic conditions contribute to the development of evergreen vegetation, which is characterized by the so-called complex structure of the forest.

The flora of the equatorial territories of the planet

As a rule, moist evergreen forests, located in narrow stripes or peculiar spots along the equator, are diverse and have a huge number of species. It is hard to imagine that today there are more than a thousand of them only in the Congo Basin and on the coast.

Plants of the equatorial forests of the upper tier are represented by giant ficuses and palm trees, of which there are over 200 species. In the lower ones, mainly bananas and tree ferns grow.

The largest plants are often entwined with vines, blooming orchids. By the way, it is worth noting that sometimes in the equatorial forests there are up to six tiers. Among the plants there are also epiphytes - mosses, lichens, ferns.

But in the depths of the forest you can find the largest flower of our planet - Rafflesia Arnoldi, the transverse diameter of which reaches 1 meter.

Fauna of the equatorial forest

It is unlikely that anyone will be surprised if we note that the fauna of the equatorial forests, first of all, is rich in monkeys. Monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas, howler monkeys and bonobos are especially common and in huge numbers.

Of the land inhabitants, you can often meet small ungulates, for example, in Africa, tourists often admire okapi, African deer and other unusual animals. The most common predators of the selva of South America, of course, are the jaguar and puma. But in the African tropics, the owners are fast leopards and huge tigers.

Due to the humid environmental conditions, many frogs, lizards and insects live in the equatorial forests. The most common birds are hummingbirds, parrots and toucans.

As for reptiles, who does not know about the pythons of Africa and Asia or the anaconda from the Amazon jungle? In addition, poisonous snakes, alligators, caimans and other no less dangerous representatives of the fauna are common in the equatorial forests.

What will happen if the plants of the equatorial forests are destroyed?

During the deforestation of the equatorial forest, a person, sometimes without realizing it, destroys the habitat of many animals and takes away food from termites. In addition, this forest also holds back the onset of deserts that are detrimental to all living things.

But that's not all. The fact is that humid equatorial forests, although they occupy a relatively small part of the Earth, are the so-called green lungs of our planet. It is here that about 1/3 of the Earth's oxygen is produced, so the destruction of the equatorial forest will cause irreversible environmental consequences, including an increase in the content. The latter, in turn, will lead to an increase in the average temperature, increase the probability and, therefore, entail the subsequent flooding of many fertile lands .

Moist equatorial forests (hylaea) occupies almost the entire Malay Archipelago, the southern half of the Philippine Islands, the southwest of Ceylon and the Malay Peninsula. It almost corresponds to the equatorial climatic zone with its characteristic values ​​of radiation balance and humidity.

Equatorial air masses dominate throughout the year. The average air temperature ranges from +25 to +28 degrees Celsius, high relative humidity of 70-90% is maintained. With large amounts of annual precipitation, evaporation is relatively low: from 500 to 750 millimeters in the mountains and from 750 to 1000 millimeters on the plains. High annual temperatures and excessive moisture with uniform annual precipitation determine uniform runoff and optimal conditions for the development of the organic world and a thick weathering crust on which leached and podzolized laterites are formed.

Soil formation is dominated by the processes of allitization and podzolization. The circulation of organic matter is very intense: annually 100-200 tons per hectare of leaf-stem litter and roots are humified and mineralized with the help of microorganisms.

Vegetable world

The predominant life form of plants are evergreen hygromorphic and megathermal crown-forming trees, in some places trees with a leafy crown are mixed, mainly palm trees with slender and straight smooth trunks of light green or white, not protected by a crust, branching only in the very upper part. Many trees are characterized by a superficial root system, which, when the trunks fall, takes a vertical position.

Among the important ecological and morphological features that characterize the trees of a tropical rainforest, the phenomenon of caulifloria should be noted - the development of flowers and inflorescences on the trunks and large branches of trees, especially those located in the lower tiers of the forest. A closed tree canopy transmits no more than 1% of outdoor sunlight, which is one of the most important indicators of rainforest phytoclimate.

The vertical structure of a tropical rainforest is characterized by the following features: taller trees are rare; there are many trees that form the basis of the canopy from its upper to lower boundaries, and therefore the canopy is continuous. In other words, layering in humid tropical forests is weakly expressed, and in some cases it is practically not expressed at all, and the allocation of layers in a polydominant forest structure is conditional.

In the Asian equatorial forests (Figure 6), numerous families of the most species-rich (over 45 thousand) floristic subregion of Malesia (Paleotropic region) dominate. In multi-tiered shady forests, among the many trees of different heights and shapes, gebang palms (Corypha umbracuhfera), sago, caryota (Caryota urens), sugar (Arenga saccharifera), areca, or betel (Areca catechu), rattan palm-liana and others, ficuses , tree ferns, giant rasamals (up to 60 meters in height), dipterocarps endemic to Southeast Asia and many others. Undergrowth and herbaceous cover in these forests are not developed.

Figure 6 - Rain forest equatorial

The largest continent of our planet is Eurasia. It is washed by all four oceans. The flora and fauna of the continent is striking in its diversity. This is due to difficult living conditions, relief, temperature contrast. In the western part of the mainland there are plains, while the eastern part is mostly covered with mountains. All natural areas are present here. Basically, they are elongated from west to east.

Flora and fauna of the arctic deserts, tundra and forest tundra

The northern regions of Eurasia are characterized by low temperatures, permafrost and swampy terrain. The flora and fauna in these areas is poor.

In the Arctic deserts, there is no continuous soil cover. You can meet only mosses and lichens, very rarely - some types of grasses and sedge.

The fauna is mainly marine: walruses, seals, in summer such bird species as goose, eider, guillemots arrive. There are few land animals: polar bear, arctic fox and lemming.

On the territory of the tundra and forest-tundra, in addition to plants of the Arctic deserts, dwarf trees (willows and birches), shrubs (blueberries, princesses) begin to occur. The inhabitants of this natural zone are reindeer, wolves, foxes, hares. Polar owls and white partridges live here. Fish swim in rivers and lakes.

Animals and plants of Eurasia: taiga

The climate of these areas is warmer and more humid. They dominate on podzolic soils. Depending on the composition of the earth and the relief, they differ from each other. It is customary to distinguish between dark coniferous and light coniferous. The first plants of Eurasia are mainly represented by firs and spruces, the second - by pines and larches.

There are among conifers and small-leaved species: birch and aspen. Usually they dominate in the first stages of forest restoration after fires and clearings. On the territory of the continent is 55% of the coniferous forests of the entire planet.

There are many fur-bearing animals in the taiga. You can also meet lynx, squirrel, wolverine, chipmunk, elk, roe deer, hares and numerous rodents. Of the birds at these latitudes, crossbills, hazel grouses, and nutcrackers live.

Mixed and broad-leaved forests: animals and plants of Eurasia

The list of fauna of the territories south of the taiga is represented by numerous trees. They are mainly located in Europe and the Far East.

In broad-leaved forests, the flora is characterized as follows: tree layer (usually 1-2 species or more), shrubs and herbs.

Life at this latitude freezes in the cold season and begins to wake up in the spring. Most often you can find oak, linden, maple, ash, beech. Basically, these plants of Eurasia bloom and bear fruits rich in nutrients, such as acorns, nuts and others.

The second tree layer is represented by bird cherry poppy, yellow maple, Maksimovich cherry, Amur lilac, viburnum. Honeysuckle, aralia, currants, and elderberry grow in the undergrowth. Creepers are also found here: grapes and lemongrass.

The flora of the Far East is more diverse and has a southern appearance. There are more vines in these areas, and moss is present on the trees. This is due to the precipitation that the Pacific Ocean brings. Mixed forests here are simply unique. You can meet larch, and nearby - actinidia, spruce and nearby - hornbeam and yew.

The relationship between the animal and plant world is unconditional. Therefore, the fauna of these territories is more diverse: deer, wild boar, bison, roe deer, squirrel, chipmunk, various rodents, hare, hedgehog, fox, brown bear, wolf, marten, weasel, mink. There are also some species of reptiles and amphibians.

Forest-steppes and steppes

As you move from west to east of the continent, the climate changes significantly. Warm weather and lack of sufficient moisture have formed fertile chernozems and forest soils. The flora becomes poorer, the forest - rare, consisting of birch, linden, oak, maple, alder, willow, elm. In the eastern part of the mainland, the soils are saline; only grasses and shrubs are found.

However, in spring, the steppe expanses are simply pleasing to the eye: the plants of Eurasia wake up. Multi-colored carpets of violets, tulips, sage, irises are located for many kilometers.

With the advent of heat, the fauna also becomes active. It is represented here by steppe birds, ground squirrels, voles, jerboas, foxes, wolves, and saigas.

It should be noted that most of this natural area is used in agriculture. The natural fauna has been preserved for the most part in places not suitable for plowing.

Deserts and semi-deserts

Despite the harsh climate of these territories, the flora and fauna are rich in diversity. Plants of the mainland Eurasia of this natural zone are unpretentious. These are wormwood and ephemeroid, cactus, sand acacia, tulips and malcomia.

Some go through their life cycle in a couple of months, others quickly wither, which keeps their roots and bulbs underground.

The animals of these places are nocturnal, because during the day they have to hide from the scorching sun. Large representatives of the fauna are saigas, smaller - various rodents, ground squirrels, steppe turtles, geckos, lizards.

Savannahs and woodlands

This natural area is characterized by a monsoon climate. Tall plants of Eurasia in savannahs in drought conditions are not often found, mainly palm trees, acacias, thickets of wild banana, bamboo. In some places you can find evergreen trees.

Some representatives of the local flora shed their foliage for several months during the dry season.

The fauna of the savannas and light forests, characteristic of this area, is a tiger, an elephant, a rhinoceros, a large number of reptiles.

evergreen subtropical forests

They occupy the Mediterranean region. Summers are hot here, while winters are warm and humid. Such weather conditions are favorable for the growth of evergreen trees and shrubs: pine, laurel, holm and cork oak, magnolia, cypress, various lianas. In places where agriculture is well developed, there are many vineyards, wheat and olive plantations.

Animals and plants of Eurasia, characteristic of this natural zone, are significantly different from those that lived here before. Man is to blame for everything. Now wolves, tigers, ground squirrels, marmots, markhor goats live here.

Tropical rainforests

They stretch from east to south of Eurasia. The flora is characterized by both coniferous and deciduous forests: cedar, oak, pine, walnut, and evergreens: ficus, bamboo, magnolia, palm trees, which prefer red-yellow soils.

The fauna is also diverse: tigers, monkeys, leopards, pandas, gibbons.