All natural areas of the earth. Natural zones of Russia. Altitude zones
* Geographical position.
* Vegetable world.
* Animal world.
* Rare and endangered animals.
GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION:
* The taiga zone is the largest natural zone in Russia. It stretched in a wide continuous strip from the western borders almost to the coast of the Pacific Ocean. The zone reaches its greatest width in Central Siberia (more than 2000 km). Here, the flat taiga merges with the mountain taiga of the Sayan and Cisbaikalia. The taiga of Russia could cover almost all of Europe - a whole part of the world.
CLIMATE:
The taiga is characterized by moderately warm summers and cold winters with snow cover, especially severe in Siberia. In Central Yakutia, even the average January temperature drops below -40. The taiga is characterized by sufficient and excessive moisture. There are many swamps, including upland ones, and lakes. Surface runoff in the taiga is higher than in other natural areas. The density of the river network is great. Melted snow waters play an important role in feeding the rivers. In this regard, there is a spring flood.
THE SOIL.
* Taiga is coniferous forests of uniform composition. Podzolic and sod-podzolic soils are formed under them to the west of the Yenisei, and frozen-taiga soils to the east.
VEGETABLE WORLD.
* Taiga forests are usually formed by a single layer of trees, under which a moss cover is spread - a carpet with lingonberry and blueberry shrubs and rare herbs. Sometimes the second tree layer forms the young generation of the forest. Young fir trees and firs in the forest feel like their mother, and pines feel like their stepmother. In order not to die, they have to fight all their lives for a place in the sun, and not only with their sisters, but also with their parents. After all, pine is a light-loving species. In lighter forests, in some places, shrubs - elderberry, brittle buckthorn, honeysuckle, wild rose, wild rosemary, juniper - can form their own tier.
ANIMAL
WORLD.
The animals inhabiting it are well adapted to life in the taiga. Common in the taiga are brown bear, elk, squirrel, chipmunk, white hare, typical taiga birds: capercaillie, hazel grouse, various woodpeckers, nutcracker, crossbill. Predators are also characteristic of the taiga: wolf, lynx, wolverine, sable, marten, ermine, fox.
Rare and disappearing
animals.
The Central Forest Biosphere State Reserve was established in 1931 to preserve the southern border of the taiga, located in the Tver region, 50 kilometers north of the city of Nelidovo.
Conclusion.
* The dominance of evergreen coniferous trees in the taiga zone is the answer of plants to the duration of a frosty winter. The needles reduce evaporation, the diversity of animals is associated with a diverse and fairly plentiful food, and there are many shelters.
Materials used.
We used the booklet: "Central Forest Reserve" a textbook on geography. Electronic Encyclopedia of Cyril and Methodius.
Download abstract
Report on the theme of natural zones of the Earth
Soil - the surface layer of the earth's crust, resulting from changes in rocks under the influence of living and dead organisms (vegetation, animals, microorganisms), solar heat and precipitation.
The soil is a special natural formation inhabited by organisms, including organic and mineral substances.
The most important property of soil is its fertility.
e. the ability to ensure the growth and development of plants.
Soil formation factors:
1) properties of the parent rock (structure and composition of the soil);
climate (intensity of soil formation processes)
2) vegetation (amount and composition of plant litter, loosening of the soil, consumption of nutrients from the soil - changes in the mineral composition);
3) animals and microorganisms (decomposition of litter, formation of humus; loosening, access of oxygen).
Humus is a set of organic compounds that are in the soil, but are not part of living organisms or their residues, preserving the anatomical structure.
The parent rock is the upper layer of the rock, on which soil-forming processes can occur.
Eluvium, eluvial deposits (lat.
eluo - wash out) - weathering products of rocks remaining in the place of their formation.
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natural area |
|
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Arctic (Antarctic) deserts |
Arctic deserts |
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Tundra and forest tundra |
Tundra-gley |
|
Podzolic, permafrost-taiga |
|
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mixed forests |
Sod-podzolic |
|
broadleaf forests |
Gray and brown forest |
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Forest-steppe |
gray forest |
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Chernozems, chestnut |
|
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Semi-deserts and temperate deserts |
Salt licks, gray-brown |
|
Mediterranean evergreen forests and shrubs |
Brown |
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Moist subtropical forests |
Red soils, yellow soils |
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tropical desert |
Serozems, gray-brown, sandy |
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Red-brown |
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monsoon forests |
Red soils, yellow soils |
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Moist equatorial forests |
Red-yellow ferralite |
1. Practical work No. 6 “Compilation of a comparative characteristic of two natural zones of the Earth” Natural zones of the Earth.
Practical work No. 6
"Comparative
characteristics of two
natural zones of the Earth"
Angelovskaya T.V.
- geography teacher
MBOU Ilyinsky UVK
2.
Repetition
Define the term "natural zone".
How are they most often located?
What is "latitudinal zonation"?
What are the main reasons for its occurrence?
What is the law of "altitude zonality" manifested in?
3.
4.
A natural area is a large piece of land with the same properties: topography, vegetation, animals, temperature and moisture, soil
Natural area -
this is a large piece of land with the same
properties: topography, vegetation,
animals, temperature and humidity,
soil.
5.
The formation of zones is due to climate, i.e.
the ratio of heat and moisture. changing
the ratio of heat and moisture is changing and
natural area.
Natural areas are named after
character
vegetation:
zone
deserts,
equatorial forests...
6.
Natural zones of the world (from north to south) 1. Cold (Arctic and Antarctic) deserts 2. Tundra and forest tundra 3.
Taiga 4. Mixed and broadleaf
Natural areas of the world
(from North to South)
1. Cold (Arctic and Antarctic) deserts
2. Tundra and forest tundra
3. Taiga
4. Mixed and broad-leaved forests
5. Forest-steppes and steppes
6. Semi-deserts and deserts
7. Savannas and woodlands
8. Mediterranean vegetation
9.
natural area
Monsoon forests (seasonally humid equatorial forests)
10. Moist equatorial forests
11. Regions of altitudinal zonation (highlands)
7.
8.
9.
natural area
Antarctic and
arctic deserts
Tundra and forest tundra
climate zone
average temperature
(winter/summer)
Antarctic, arctic -24-70°C / 0-32°C
-8-40°С/+8+16°С
Taiga
Subarctic and
subantarctic
Moderate
mixed forests
Moderate
-16-8°С /+16+24°С
broadleaf forests
Moderate
-8+8°С /+16+24°С
Steppes and forest-steppes
Subtropical and temperate -16+8 °С /+16+24°С
temperate deserts and
semi-deserts
hardwood forests
Moderate
-8-24 °С /+20+24 °С
Subtropical
+8+16 °С/ +20+24 °С
tropical deserts and
semi-deserts
Savannahs and woodlands
Tropical
+8+16 °С/ +20+32 °С
subequatorial,
tropical
subequatorial,
tropical
Equatorial
+20+24°C and above
Variable rainforests
Permanently wet forests
-8-48°C /+8+24°C
+20+24°C and above
above +24°C
10.
natural areas
arctic
deserts and tundra
forest zone
steppe zone
desert zone
savanna zone
Zone
equatorial
forests
climatic
peculiarities
Animal world
Vegetable
world
11.
Practical work No. 6
Topic: "Comparison of two
natural zones of the Earth.
Purpose of the work: to determine the similarities and differences between the two
natural zones.
Equipment: Physical map of the world, map "Natural areas",
atlases, geography textbook
12. TASK №1. Fill the table
Zone __________
Fill the table
Features of the geographical location
Climate features
Relief features
Features of inland waters
Soils
flora and fauna, their
adaptability to these natural
conditions
Features of agriculture
Especially
protected
Components
nature
Zone _____________
13.
14.
Task number 2. Drawing on the contour map the boundaries of natural zones.
15. Task number 3
Draw a conclusion
Compilation of a comparative characteristic of two natural zones of the Earth
English RussianRules
1. List the main natural zones of the Earth.
Tundra, taiga, broad-leaved forest, grassy plain (savannah), deserts and semi-deserts, steppes and forest-steppes, tropical rainforest.
2. What determines the distribution of natural zones on Earth?
Natural zones are formed due to the distribution of heat and moisture on the planet.
The relief, the distance from the ocean affect the location of the zones and their width.
3. Give a brief description of the tundra.
This natural zone is located in the polar zone (most of it is in the permafrost zone), where the air temperature is quite low.
The flora is represented mainly by low-growing plants with a poorly developed root system: mosses, lichens, shrubs, dwarf trees. Ungulates, small predators, and many migratory birds live in the tundra.
4. What trees form the basis of the taiga, mixed and broad-leaved forests?
The basis of the taiga is coniferous trees (pine, spruce, fir, larch, etc.)
Mixed forests are characterized by a mixture of coniferous and broadleaf tree species.
Broad-leaved forests consist of deciduous trees (oak, hazel, beech, linden, maple, chestnut, hornbeam, elm, ash, etc.)
What do all the grassy plains of our planet have in common?
It is characterized by low rainfall and constantly high air temperature. The savannas are characterized by the presence of a dry period, during which the grasses dry up, and animals tend to water bodies.
The vegetation here is predominantly herbaceous, trees are rare. The savannas are characterized by an abundance of large herbivores and predators.
6. Give a brief description of the desert.
Deserts are distinguished by very low humidity; the flora and fauna of the deserts adapt to these difficult conditions. Animals have the ability to do without water for a long time, to wait out the driest months in hibernation, many are nocturnal. Many plants are able to store moisture, most have reduced evaporation, in addition, they have a branched root system that allows you to collect crumbs of moisture from a large volume.
On the whole, the flora and fauna are very limited. Of the plants, mainly leafless thorny shrubs are common, of the animals - reptiles (snakes, lizards) and small rodents.
7. Why are there few trees in the steppes, savannahs and deserts?
In the savannahs, steppes and deserts, there is very little rainfall, the trees simply do not have enough water.
Why is the tropical rainforest the most species-rich community?
There is always high temperature and humidity. These conditions are especially favorable for plants and animals.
The topsoil is very fertile.
9. Using examples, prove that the distribution of natural zones on Earth depends on the distribution of heat and moisture.
Natural zones are formed as a result of the distribution of heat and moisture on the planet: high temperature and low humidity are typical for equatorial deserts, high temperature and high humidity - for equatorial and tropical forests.
Natural zones are stretched from west to east, there are no clear boundaries between them.
For example, savannahs are located where moisture is no longer enough for the growth of moist forests, in the depths of the mainland, and also far from the equator, where not equatorial, but tropical air mass dominates most of the year, and the rainy season lasts less than 6 months.
10. Characteristic features of what natural zones are listed?
A) the greatest variety of species;
Humid tropical forest.
B) the predominance of herbaceous plants;
Savannah.
C) an abundance of mosses, lichens and dwarf trees;
Tundra.
D) many coniferous plants of a few species.
Taiga.
11. Analyze the drawings on p. 116-117 textbook. Is there a connection between the color of animals and their habitat (natural zone)? What is it connected with?
Yes, there is a connection. This is called protective coloring. Animals thus merge with the environment for various purposes.
Natural zones of the Earth
If it is a predator, then for the attack. For example, a striped tiger successfully hides in yellow grass, preparing for an attack. The polar bear and arctic fox are almost invisible against the background of snow.
To protect themselves from predators, animals have also developed coloration to hide.
Examples: jerboa, roe deer, green frog and more. others
12. In what natural areas do these organisms live?
Dwarf birch - tundra.
The sloth is a tropical rainforest.
Kedrovka - taiga.
Zebra - savannah.
Oak is a broad-leaved forest.
Jeyran is a desert.
The white owl is the tundra.
13.
Using the map on p. 118-119 of the textbook, name the natural zones found on the territory of our country. Which of them occupy the largest area?
The territory of Russia has a large extent from north to south, the relief is mostly flat. Thus, the following natural zones are consistently represented on the vast plains: arctic deserts, tundra, forest-tundra, forests, forest-steppes, steppes, semi-deserts, deserts, subtropics.
In the mountains - altitudinal zonality. A large area is occupied by taiga, steppe, mixed forest and tundra.
Forest zone and equatorial rainforest zone
forest zone characterized by vast expanses occupied by continuous forests. In the northern regions - this is the taiga, to the south - mixed and broad-leaved forests. In the forest zone of the temperate zone, the seasons of the year are pronounced.
Average temperatures in January are negative everywhere, in some places up to -40°C, in July + 10 ... + 20°C; the amount of precipitation is 300-1000 mm per year. Vegetation of plants in winter stops, for several months there is a snow cover.
"" Photo: Aziz J. Hayat Belt zonation
The sun heats the spherical surface of the Earth differently: the areas above which it stands high receive the most heat. The farther from the equator, the greater the angle of the rays reaching the earth's surface and, consequently, less thermal energy per unit area. Above the poles, the Sun's rays only glide over the Earth. The climate depends on this: hot at the equator, harsh and cold at the poles. The main features of the distribution of vegetation and fauna are also connected with this. According to the features of heat distribution, seven thermal zones are distinguished. In each hemisphere there are zones of eternal frost (around the poles), cold, moderate. The hot belt at the equator is one for both hemispheres. Thermal belts are the basis for dividing the earth's surface into geographical zones: areas similar in their predominant types of landscapes - natural territorial complexes with a common climate, soils, vegetation and wildlife.
On the equator and near it there is a belt of humid equatorial and subequatorial forests (from lat. sub - under), to the north and south of it, replacing each other, belts of tropics and subtropics with forests, deserts and savannahs, a temperate belt with steppes, forest-steppes stretch and forests, then the treeless expanses of the tundra extend, and, finally, the polar deserts are located at the poles.
But the land surface of the Earth in different places receives not only a different amount of solar energy, but also has many additional dissimilar conditions - for example, remoteness from the oceans, uneven terrain (mountain systems or plains) and, finally, unequal height above sea level. Each of these conditions greatly affects the natural features of the Earth.
Hot belt. Near the equator there are practically no seasons, the whole year is humid and hot here. When moving away from the equator, in subequatorial zones, the year is divided into drier and wetter seasons. There are savannahs, woodlands and mixed evergreen deciduous tropical forests.
Near the tropics, the climate becomes drier, deserts and semi-deserts are located here. The most famous of them are Sahara, Namib and Kalahari in Africa, Arabian Desert and Thar in Eurasia, Atacama in South America, Victoria in Australia.
There are two temperate zones on Earth (in the Northern and Southern hemispheres). There is a clear change of seasons, which are very different from each other. In the Northern Hemisphere, coniferous forests adjoin the northern border of the belt - taiga, which gives way to the south with mixed and broad-leaved forests, and then forest-steppes and steppes. In the inner regions of the continents, where the influence of the seas and oceans is almost not felt, there may even be deserts (for example, the Gobi desert in Mongolia, the Karakum in Central Asia).
polar belts. The lack of heat leads to the fact that in these zones there are practically no forests, the soil is swampy, and permafrost occurs in some places. At the poles, where the climate is most severe, land ice (as in Antarctica) or sea ice (as in the Arctic) develops. Vegetation is absent or represented by mosses and lichens.
Vertical zonality is also related to the amount of heat, but it only depends on the height above sea level. When climbing mountains, the climate, soil type, vegetation and wildlife change. Interestingly, even in hot countries, you can find landscapes of the tundra and even the icy desert. But in order to see it, you have to climb high into the mountains. Thus, in the tropical and equatorial zones of the Andes of South America and in the Himalayas, landscapes consistently change from humid rainforests to alpine meadows and zones of eternal glaciers and snows. It cannot be said that the altitudinal zonality completely repeats the latitudinal geographic zones, because in the mountains and on the plains, many conditions do not repeat. The most diverse range of altitudinal zones is near the equator, for example, on the highest peaks of Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro, Kenya, Margherita Peak, in South America on the slopes of the Andes.
natural areas
Among the natural zones, there are those confined to a particular zone. For example, the zone of arctic and antarctic ice deserts and the zone of tundra are located in the arctic and antarctic belts; the forest-tundra zone corresponds to the subarctic and subantarctic belts, while the taiga, mixed and broad-leaved forests correspond to the temperate zone. And such natural zones as prairies, forest-steppes and steppes and semi-deserts are common both in the temperate and in the tropical and subtropical zones, having, of course, their own characteristics in them.
Natural zones, their climatic features, soils, vegetation and wildlife of each continent are described in chapter 10 and in the table "Continents (reference information)". Here we will dwell only on the general features of natural zones as the largest natural-territorial complexes.
Zone of Arctic and Antarctic deserts
Air temperatures are constantly very low, there is little precipitation. On rare ice-free land areas - rocky deserts (in Antarctica they are called oases), sparse vegetation is represented by lichens and mosses, flowering plants are rare (only two species are found in Antarctica), soils are practically absent.
Tundra zone
The tundra zone is widespread in the arctic and subarctic belts, forming a strip 300-500 km wide, stretching along the northern coasts of Eurasia and North America and the islands of the Arctic Ocean. In the Southern Hemisphere, areas with tundra vegetation are found on some islands near Antarctica.
The climate is harsh with strong winds, the snow cover lasts up to 7-9 months, the long polar night is replaced by a short and humid summer (summer temperatures do not exceed 10 ° C). Precipitation falls a little 200-400 mm, mostly in solid form, but they do not have time to evaporate, and the tundra is characterized by excessive moisture, an abundance of lakes and swamps, which is facilitated by the widespread permafrost. The main distinguishing feature of the tundra is treelessness, the predominance of sparse moss-lichen, sometimes grassy, cover; in the southern parts with shrubs and shrubs of dwarf and creeping forms. The soils are tundra-gley.
Zone of forest-tundra and light forests
Zone of forest-tundra and woodlands. This is a transitional zone, which is characterized by the alternation of treeless tundra areas and forests (light forests), combines the features of the zones bordering it. Tundra natural complexes are characteristic of watershed spaces, light forests climb north along river valleys. To the south, the areas occupied by forests increase.
In the Southern Hemisphere (subantarctic belt), the place of the forest-tundra on the islands (for example, South Georgia) is occupied by oceanic meadows. For more information about the tundra zone, see tundra characteristics.
forest zone
The forest zone in the Northern Hemisphere includes the subzones of taiga, mixed and broad-leaved forests and the subzone of temperate forests, in the Southern Hemisphere only the subzone of mixed and broad-leaved forests is represented. Some scientists consider these subzones to be independent zones.
In the taiga subzone of the Northern Hemisphere, the climate varies from maritime to sharply continental. Summers are warm (10-20 °c, winter severity increases with distance from the ocean (up to -50 °c in Eastern Siberia), and the amount of precipitation decreases (from 600 to 200 mm). Dark-coniferous (from spruce and fir) and light-coniferous (from larch in Siberia, where permafrost soils are widespread) forests with an admixture of small-leaved species (birch, aspen) and pines, which are poor in species composition, prevail. - taiga.
The subzone of mixed and broad-leaved forests (sometimes two independent subzones are distinguished) is distributed mainly in the oceanic and transitional zones of the continents. It occupies small areas in the Southern Hemisphere, winters are much warmer here and snow cover is not formed everywhere. Coniferous-broad-leaved forests on soddy-podzolic soils are replaced in the inner parts of the continents by coniferous-small-leaved and small-leaved forests, and to the south (in North America) or west (in Europe) by broad-leaved oak, maple, linden, ash, beech and hornbeam forests on gray forest forests. soils.
forest-steppe
The forest-steppe is a transitional natural zone of the Northern Hemisphere, with alternation of forest and steppe natural complexes. According to the nature of natural vegetation, forest-steppes with broad-leaved and coniferous-small-leaved forests and prairies are distinguished.
Prairie is a forest-steppe subzone (sometimes considered as a steppe subzone) with abundant moisture, stretching along the eastern coasts of the Rocky Mountains in the USA and Canada with tall grass on chernozem-like soils. The natural vegetation here is practically not preserved. Similar landscapes are characteristic of the subtropics of the eastern regions of South America and East Asia.
Steppe
This natural zone is common in the northern temperate or both subtropical geographical zones and is a treeless expanse with grassy vegetation. The growth of woody vegetation here, unlike the tundra, is prevented not by low temperatures, but by a lack of moisture. Trees can grow only along river valleys (the so-called gallery forests), in large erosive forms, such as gullies that collect water from the surrounding interfluve spaces. Now most of the zone has been plowed up, irrigated agriculture and pastoral cattle breeding are developing in the subtropical zone. Soil erosion is highly developed on arable lands. Natural vegetation is represented by drought- and frost-resistant herbaceous plants with a predominance of turf grasses (feather grass, fescue, thin-legged). The soils are fertile - chernozems, dark chestnut and chestnut in the temperate zone; brown, gray-brown, saline in places in the subtropical).
The subtropical steppe in South America (Argentina, Uruguay) is called the pampa (i.e. plain, steppe in the language of the Quechua Indians). See vegetation and animals of the steppe.
Deserts and semi-deserts
These natural zones are distributed in six geographical zones - temperate, subtropical and tropical on both sides of the equator, where precipitation is so small (10-30 times less than evaporation) that the existence of living organisms is extremely difficult. Therefore, the herbaceous cover is sparse, the soils are poorly developed. Under such conditions, the rocks that make up the territory are of great importance, and depending on them, clay deserts (takyrs in Asia), stony deserts (hamads of the Sahara, Central Asia, Australia), sandy deserts (Thar desert in India and Pakistan, North American deserts ). In the temperate zone, deserts form in areas with a sharply continental climate, subtropical and tropical deserts owe their existence to constant baric maxima at 20-30 ° latitudes. Rare areas of increased moisture (high groundwater levels, spring outlets, irrigation from nearby rivers, lakes, wells, etc.) - centers of population concentration, growth of tree, shrub and herbaceous vegetation are called oases. Sometimes such oases occupy vast areas (for example, the Nile Valley stretches over tens of thousands of hectares). For more details, see: natural zone of deserts.
Savannah
Savannah is a natural zone, distributed mainly in the subequatorial belts, but is also found in tropical and even subtropical regions. The main feature of the climate of the savannas is a clear change of dry and rainy periods. The duration of the rainy period decreases when moving from equatorial regions (here it can last 8-9 months) to tropical deserts (here the rainy season is 2-3 months). The savannahs are characterized by a dense and high grassy cover, standing separately or in small groups of trees (acacia, baobab, eucalyptus) and the so-called gallery forests along the rivers. The soils of typical tropical savannahs are red soils. In deserted savannahs, the grass cover is sparse and the soils are red-brown. Tall grass savannas in South America, on the left bank of the river. Orinoco, called llanos (from Spanish "plain"). See also: vegetation and animals of the savanna.
Forest subtropics
Forest subtropics. The monsoonal subtropical subzone is characteristic of the eastern margins of the continents, where seasonally changing circulation of air masses is formed at the contact between the ocean and the continent, and there is a dry winter period and a humid summer with heavy monsoon rains, often with typhoons.
Thermal belts and natural zones
Evergreen and deciduous (dropping leaves in winter due to lack of moisture) with a wide variety of tree species grow here on red earth and yellow earth soils.
The Mediterranean subzone is characteristic of the western regions of the continents (Mediterranean, California, Chile, southern Australia and Africa). Precipitation falls mainly in winter, summer is dry. Evergreen and broad-leaved forests on brown and brown soils and hard-leaved shrubs are well adapted to summer drought, the plants of which have adapted to hot and arid conditions: they have a wax coating or pubescence on the leaves, thick or dense leathery bark, emit fragrant essential oils. See: animals of the subtropics.
Rainforests
More on the topic:
Taiga zone, plants and animals
Savannah
Characteristics of the forest tundra
Characteristics of the tundra
equatorial forest
Equatorial rainforests. equatorial climate. Warm all year round (around 25°C), little temperature fluctuation throughout the year, high rainfall all year round. Low pressure.
Savannah. Subequatorial climate. Hot all year round. Precipitation falls unevenly throughout the year, there are dry and wet seasons of the year. The main vegetation is grasses.
desert. Rainfall is very rare in tropical deserts. There is very little vegetation. In the deserts of the temperate zone there is a wet spring period (March-April).
steppes. Continental climate with cold winters with little snow and hot dry summers.
Broad-leaved and mixed forests. Favorable climatic conditions - enough moisture, many sunny days, a frost-free period of about or more than six months.
Taiga. Enough moisture, but the cold period is significant. Summers are quite warm (up to 20 °C), winters are severely frosty (average temperature is -30 °C).
Tundra. The soil is permafrost. The climate is subarctic.
natural areas
Strong winds. Long cold winter, polar night in many parts. In summer the temperature is about +5 °C.
arctic desert. The dominance of ice, the absence of plants, the animal world is quite poor. In winter, the average temperature is -30 ° C and strong winds, in summer it can be a little above 0, frequent rains and fogs. Polar night and day.
antarctic desert. In winter it is down to –70 °C, in summer it is not higher than –20 °C (it rises to 10 °C on the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula). Strong winds blowing towards the coast and central regions of Antarctica.
News and Society
Natural areas of Russia and their features
Nature is a complex of interrelated components that are in constant relationship with each other and depend on each other. Changes in one natural chain will necessarily lead to disturbances in related components. There is a constant exchange of resources and energy between individual members of the natural community. The presence of certain relationships is typical for each specific territory. This is how natural areas are formed. They, in turn, affect the economic activity of a person and its features.
The natural areas of Russia are very diverse. This is due to the vast territory, the difference in relief and climatic conditions.
Among the main natural zones of our country are steppes, semi-deserts, taiga, forests, forest-steppes, tundra, arctic desert, forest-tundra. The natural zones of Russia have a fairly large area that stretches for thousands of kilometers. Each of them is characterized by a certain climate, soil types, flora and fauna, as well as the degree of moisture in the territory.
The Arctic desert zone is distinguished by the presence of a large amount of snow and ice all year round. The air temperature here varies within 4-2 degrees. Glaciers are formed as a result of solid precipitation. The soil is poorly developed and is at the initial level. The formation of salt spots is observed in dry windy weather. The climatic conditions of this zone also affect the nature of the vegetation. Low mosses and lichens predominate here. The polar poppy, saxifrage and some other plants are less common. The animal world is also not very rich. Arctic fox, deer, owl, partridge and lemming are almost the only inhabitants of the Arctic desert.
The natural zones of Russia also include the tundra zone. This is a less cold zone than the Arctic deserts. But, nevertheless, it is distinguished by cold and strong winds, due to the proximity of the Arctic Ocean. Frosts and snowfall are possible all year round. The climate of the tundra zone is humid. The soil is also very poorly developed, which affects the vegetation cover. Mostly low shrubs and trees, mosses and lichens predominate.
The natural zones of Russia are gradually replacing each other. Next comes the forest tundra. Here already there is warmer weather in summer, but winters are cold with lots of snow. Among the plants, spruce, birch and larch predominate. During the warm period, the forest-tundra serves as a pasture for deer.
The forest-tundra is replaced by the taiga. It is characterized by warmer weather and less severe winters. The relief is characterized by the presence of a large number of water bodies (rivers, lakes and swamps). The soil here is more favorable for the plant world, and therefore the animal world is numerous here. Sable, hazel grouse, capercaillie, hare, squirrel, bear and many other species live in the taiga.
The semi-desert zone is the smallest in area. It typically has hot summers and harsh winters with little rainfall. It is mainly used for pasture.
The division of the territory into zones also affects human activities. Numerous natural and economic zones of Russia also determine its extensive activities in the economic sphere.
Each zone is subdivided into smaller types.
Natural zones of the world: a brief description. Table "Natural zones of the world"
There are also transitional zones, which are characterized by the climatic features of each adjacent region. Therefore, each natural area is inextricably linked with the neighboring one. Violations occurring in a certain region of the country lead to changes not only in the climate, but also in the world of animals and plants in another zone.
The characteristic of the natural zones of Russia implies the features of each of them, but they do not have clear boundaries and the division is conditional. In addition, human activities can affect the nature and climate of the environment.
Natural zones are certain areas of the Earth's surface that differ significantly from others in the originality of natural resources and especially in appearance. Such a division has been practiced for a long time and represents an opportunity to carry out natural-geographical zoning.
Simply put, natural areas are territories whose appearance, flora and fauna are strictly defined and are not like any others. The peculiarity characteristic of each of them can be clearly traced and allows certain types of plants or animals to be found in accordance with the zones in which they can grow or live.
Natural areas are easily recognizable by the change and character of the dominant vegetation type. It is by them that one can clearly trace where one ends and the next begins.
The conditions for the survival of individual tree species are determined by the special climatic characteristics that are provided for by various natural zones. Each of them is characterized by individual characteristics, due to the different amount of precipitation, humidity and air temperature.
Natural areas are so diverse that in one part of the planet the sun can mercilessly burn and the vegetation can be as scarce as the animal world, and in the other - permafrost and never melting snow. The contrast is more than obvious. Nevertheless, in nature everything is reasonable and harmonious, these transitions are not abrupt.
In the Arctic, the air temperature is low, there is very little precipitation, the entire territory is covered with ice, only lichens and moss are the only vegetation.
The Tundra has high humidity, strong winds, numerous lakes and swamps, and the soil is real permafrost. The peculiarity of the territory is treelessness, as well as moss-lichen cover. Nature in these parts is very scarce and monotonous.
The characterization of natural zones involves not only their description, but also takes into account smooth transitions, an example of which can be forest-tundra and woodlands. In such areas, there may be representatives of flora and fauna characteristic of both adjacent areas.
The natural areas of the world are revealed in their full beauty in the forest zone in the area where the real kingdom of broad-leaved and mixed forests is located. Trees such as oak, linden, ash, beech, maple are often found here. Summers in these places are quite warm, up to 20 ° C, and winters are severe, up to -50 ° C, humidity is high.
The forest-steppe can also be called a transitional natural zone, which is located in the Northern Hemisphere. In this area, one can observe the alternation of steppes, an abundance of tall grass, which can be clearly seen in the United States and Canada.
The steppe zone is located in the northern temperate zone; there are no forests in it, and the territory is covered with grasses, but there is not enough moisture. Conditions for the growth of trees are only along the river valleys. The soil is black earth, which is intensively used by man.
They are found in the following zones: temperate, tropical and subtropical. There is very little rainfall here. These territories are characterized by flat surfaces, scarcity of flora and specificity of fauna. There are very different deserts: sandy, saline, rocky, clay.
Currently, scientists have calculated that the desert occupies more than 16.5 million km² (excluding Antarctica), which is 11% of the land surface. With Antarctica, this area is more than 20%. Grass in the desert is scarce, soils are underdeveloped, sometimes oases are found.
Perhaps the most exotic are tropical forests. There are no seasonal differences in the weather, and the trees do not show growth rings. This is a real paradise for plants and an attractive place for wildlife explorers.
This is the largest natural complex, the surface of the globe, with nature characteristic of the planet.
It is possible to distinguish a huge number of smaller natural complexes - territories with a similar nature, different from other complexes. Oceans, seas, continents, rivers, lakes, swamps and more are all separate.
natural areas- very large natural complexes with similar landscape, flora and fauna. Natural zones are formed as a result of the distribution of heat and moisture on the planet: high temperature and low humidity are characteristic of equatorial deserts, high temperature and high humidity - for equatorial and tropical forests, etc.
Natural zones are located predominantly sublatitudinally, but the relief, the distance from the ocean affect the location of the zones and their width. In the mountains there is also a change of natural zones, depending on the height, the change of zones occurs in the same order as the change of land zones from the equator to the poles. The lower natural zone corresponds to the natural zone of the territory, the upper one depends on the height of the mountain range.
Natural land areas
Equatorial and tropical forests
Deserts and semi-deserts
This zone is formed in the temperate zone with an average amount of precipitation, it is characterized by cold winters and moderately warm summers. In the forests, there are usually two or three tiers, the lower ones are formed by shrubs and herbaceous vegetation. Forest ungulates, predators, rodents, and insectivorous birds are common here. The soils in this zone are brown and gray forest.
This zone is formed in the northern hemisphere in the temperate zone with cold winters, short warm summers and a fairly large amount of precipitation. The forests are multi-tiered, there are many coniferous trees. The animal world is represented by many predators, including some that hibernate in the winter. Soils are poor in nutrients, podzolic.
This natural zone is located in the subpolar and polar zone, where it is quite low. The flora is represented mainly by low-growing plants with a poorly developed root system - mosses, lichens, shrubs, dwarf trees. Ungulates, small predators, many migratory birds live in the tundra. The soils in the tundra are peat-gley, a large territory is located in the zone.
Arctic deserts
Arctic deserts are found on islands close to the poles. From the vegetation there are mosses, lichens, or there is no vegetation at all. Animals found in this zone live most of the time in the water, birds arrive for several months.
The Russian Federation stretches from west to east and from north to south for many kilometers, so the zonality of the territory is clearly visible. The sun illuminates and heats different parts of the earth in different ways. Most heat falls on the equator, least of all - on the North and South Poles. A certain amount of heat, light, moisture enters different zones of the globe. These conditions define separate zones with their own special climate.
There are such natural zones: arctic deserts, tundra, forest-tundra, taiga, forests, forest-steppes, steppes, semi-deserts, deserts, subtropics.
A natural zone is a territory that is determined by uniform climatic conditions, features of the soil, vegetation and wildlife. The names of natural zones correspond to the name of the prevailing vegetation in this zone.
Arctic desert zone or ice zone
The Arctic desert zone is located in the very north of Russia, on the islands of the Arctic Ocean. Most of the territory of the zone (about 85%) is covered with glaciers. In the middle of summer, there is no more than 2-4 degrees of heat, and in winter it is frost down to -50 ° C, strong winds, fogs. The climate is very harsh.
The soils in this zone are very weak, there is no fertile layer, and there are many stone ruins. Only mosses and lichens grow on the rocks.
Reindeer, polar bears live in the Arctic desert, and sea birds settle on the rocky shores of the ocean: auks, gulls, polar owls and partridges. Baleen whales, seals, walruses, seals, white whales are found in the Arctic Ocean.
As humans invade, the Arctic wilderness is changing. Thus, industrial fishing has led to a reduction in their populations, which is one of the environmental problems of this zone. Every year the number of seals and walruses, polar bears and arctic foxes decreases here. Some species are on the verge of extinction due to human activities. In the zone of the Arctic deserts, scientists have identified significant reserves of minerals. Sometimes accidents occur during their extraction, and oil spills on the territory of ecosystems, harmful substances enter the atmosphere, and global pollution of the biosphere occurs. It is impossible not to touch on the topic of global warming. Human activity contributes to the melting of glaciers. As a result, the territories of the Arctic deserts are shrinking, the water level in the World Ocean is rising. This contributes not only to changes in ecosystems, but also to the movement of some species of flora and fauna to other areas and their partial extinction.
tundra zone
The Arctic tundra spreads along the coast of the Arctic Ocean. The climate of the tundra is harsh. In this cold natural zone, summers are short, cool, and winters are long, with severe frosts and winds from the Arctic Ocean.
Vegetation is sparse, mostly mosses and lichens. Further to the south, in the middle part of the zone, there is a lichen-moss tundra with islands of moss, lichens, among them reindeer moss and many cloudberries. In the south of the zone there is a shrub tundra with more abundant vegetation: shrub willows, dwarf birches, herbs and berries. Tundra soils are usually swampy, poor in humus, and have high acidity.
For the most part, there are no trees in the tundra. Low-growing plants cling to the ground, using its warmth and hiding from strong winds. Lack of heat, strong wind, lack of moisture for the root system do not allow the shoots to turn into large trees. In the south of the tundra zone, dwarf birches and shrub willows grow. In winter, the lack of food for animals is made up for by evergreens wintering under cover of snow.
Ducks, geese, black goose and sandpipers settle in the marshes. Herds of reindeer roam the tundra in search of reindeer moss - their main food. Deer, white partridges, owls, and crows constantly live in the tundra.
Forest-tundra zone
The forest tundra is a transitional zone from the harsh tundra to the forests of the taiga. The width of the forest-tundra ranges from 30 to 300 km in different regions of the country. The climate is warmer than in the tundra. In the forest-tundra, summers are warmer and the winds are weaker than in the tundra. Winter is cold, snowy lasts more than 9 months.
The soils of the forest-tundra are frozen-marsh, peaty-podzolic. These low fertile soils are low in humus and nutrients, with high acidity.
The flora of the tundra - meadows with willow bushes, sedge and horsetail grasses serve as a good pasture for deer. Due to the harsh climate, the islands of the forest are very sparse. In these forests - Siberian spruce, larch and birch.
Animals of the forest-tundra - wolves, arctic foxes. Geese, ducks, swans live on lakes and swamps in summer. In the summer in the forest-tundra there are a lot of blood-sucking horseflies and mosquitoes. Closer to the south, in the forest-tundra, there are squirrels, elk, brown bears, capercaillie.
Taiga zone
Taiga is the largest natural zone in Russia, to the south of it there is a forest zone, or forest-steppe. Winter here is quite warm - 16-20 degrees of frost, in summer - 10 - 20 degrees of heat. There are significant natural differences within the zone, as it is located in two climatic zones - subarctic and temperate. The large rivers Ob, Yenisei and Lena flow from the south to the north of the zone.
The taiga is rich in swamps, lakes, groundwater. The amount of heat and moisture is sufficient for soil formation of fertile podzolic and marsh-podzolic soils.
Coniferous trees grow in the taiga - pines, spruces, fir, cedar and deciduous trees: birch, aspen, alder, larch. There are many meadows in the forests, there are swamps, many berries and mushrooms.
There are many different animals in the taiga - sable, capercaillie, hazel grouse, elk, squirrel. Brown bears, wolverines, lynxes are widespread. There are many blood-sucking insects in the taiga.
Zone of mixed and deciduous forests
To the south of the taiga, on the East European Plain and in the Far East, there is a forest zone. It has a lot of heat and moisture, many full-flowing rivers, lakes, and swamps are much smaller than in the taiga. Summers are long and warm (18-20 warm), winters are quite mild. There are large reserves of timber in this zone, and mineral deposits in the bowels of the earth.
The vegetation of the zone has been heavily modified by man, most of the territory is used for agriculture and cattle breeding.
Soils are formed by tree litter and are rich in ash elements. They have a top layer of fertile humus. The soils are soddy-podzolic, in the southern part - gray forest.
There are different trees in this zone: in the northern part, mixed forests with deciduous and coniferous trees: spruces, pines, birches, maples and aspens. Closer to the south, broad-leaved trees predominate: oak, elm, linden, maple. There are many shrubs in the forests: elderberry, raspberry; berries and mushrooms; abundance of herbs.
The availability of food throughout the year allows animals and most birds to live in the forest. There are many different animals in the forests: squirrels, owls, pine martens, elks, brown bears, foxes, and from birds - orioles, woodpeckers, etc.
forest-steppe
The forest-steppe zone is part of the temperate climate zone. This is a transitional zone between the forest zone and the steppe zone, combining forest belts and meadows covered with herbs. Flora and fauna represent plants and animals and forests and steppes. The closer to the south, the less forests, the less forest animals.
Steppe
The south of the forest-steppe passes into the steppe zone. The steppe zone is located on plains with grassy vegetation in a temperate and subtropical climate. In Russia, the steppe zone is located in the south near the Black Sea and in the valleys of the Ob River.
The soil in the steppe is fertile black soil. There are many arable lands and pastures for livestock. The climate of the steppes is characterized by very dry weather, hot summers, and lack of moisture. Winters in the steppe are cold and snowy.
The vegetation is mostly cereals growing in tufts with bare soil in between. There are many different types of feather grass that can serve as fodder for sheep.
In summer, animals are active mainly at night: jerboas, ground squirrels, marmots. Typical steppe birds: bustard, kestrel, steppe eagle, lark. Reptiles live in the steppe.
semi-deserts
The semi-desert zone is located in the southeast of the East European Plain, along the northwestern edge of the Caspian lowland.
A characteristic feature of semi-deserts is the dominance of wormwood-cereal plant communities. The vegetation cover is very sparse and does not have a continuous distribution: spots of drought-resistant soddy grasses and clumps of wormwood alternate with areas of bare soil.
The semi-deserts have a dry, sharply continental climate. This is due to the fact that cyclones are extremely rare here, and anticyclones come constantly from the depths of Eurasia. The annual amount of precipitation ranges from 250-400 mm, which is 2.5-3 times less than the evaporation rate. Despite the southern position, the winter in the semi-desert is cold. The average January temperature is from -5 to -8, and on some days the thermometer drops to -30. The average temperature in July is +20 - +25.
The soils of the semi-deserts are light chestnut, which makes them similar to the steppe, and brown soils are desert, often saline.
Despite the harsh climatic conditions, the flora in the deserts and semi-deserts of Russia is relatively diverse. Vegetation - steppe turf grasses and desert wormwood, shrubs and others
The fauna of semi-deserts has a number of features associated with specific living conditions. Many animals have devices for burrowing. Most are protective. Rodents play an important role in the fauna of the semi-deserts; their activity has led to the formation of a tubercular microrelief.
Many semi-deserts and deserts have significant reserves of oil and gas, as well as precious metals, which has led to the development of these territories by people. Oil production increases the level of danger, in the event of an oil spill, entire ecosystems are destroyed. But the main environmental problem is the expansion of desert territories. So many semi-deserts are transitional natural zones from steppes to deserts, but under the influence of certain factors they increase their territory and also turn into deserts. This process is most stimulated by anthropogenic activities - cutting down trees, exterminating animals (poaching), building industrial facilities, and depleting the soil. As a result, the semi-desert lacks moisture, plants die out, as do some animals, and some migrate. So the semi-desert quickly turns into a desert.
desert zone
Desert - a zone with a flat surface, sand dunes or clay and rocky surfaces. In Russia, there are deserts in the east of Kalmykia and in the south of the Astrakhan region.
The desert grows drought-resistant small shrubs, perennials that bloom and grow in early spring when there is moisture. Some herbaceous plants, after they wither, turn into balls of dry branches, they are called tumbleweeds. The wind drives them across the desert, scattering the seeds.
Hedgehogs, ground squirrels, jerboas, snakes, lizards live in deserts. Of the birds - larks, plovers, bustards.
The main ecological problem of deserts is their expansion due to irrational human activities. The problem of nuclear testing and disposal of nuclear waste is also on the list of environmental problems of the desert. Previously, many tests were carried out in deserts, which led to the problem of radioactive contamination. There is a problem of pollution by military waste. Various burials, military and nuclear, lead to groundwater pollution, the extinction of flora and fauna.
Today, desert and semi-desert territories are a specially protected natural zone in Russia. The desert and semi-desert are divided into special reserves, such as Astrakhan, Bogdinsky-Baskunchaksky and Caucasian, as well as reserves - Ilmenno-Bugrovaya, Stepnoy, Burley Sands and other protected areas.
Most of the plants and animals of the Russian desert were listed in the Red Book, and more than 35 natural monuments were created in the vast area of the Caspian lowland.
subtropical zone
In Russia, the territory of the subtropics is small - it is a narrow part of the coastal land near the Black Sea to the Caucasus Mountains. This zone has hot summers and mild winters. According to climatic conditions, the Russian subtropics are divided into dry and wet. From the southern coast of Crimea to the city of Gelendzhik - dry subtropics. Summers are dry, and only drought-resistant plants survive: prickly blackberries and wild roses. Pitsunda pine grows here, shrubs: juniper, cherry plum. Further along the coast, the amount of precipitation increases in summer, and from Gelendzhik to the border with Georgia, including the Sochi region, these are humid subtropics. The flora is very diverse and rich.
The mountains are covered with a dense green carpet of trees and shrubs. Broad-leaved trees are present - oaks, beech chestnuts, coniferous yew is remarkable, evergreen shrubs grow: laurel, rhododendron and boxwood.
In the forests near Sochi you can meet bears, wolves, forest cats, badgers, jackals. There are many rodents in the forests - squirrels, mice, there are snakes. There are many shellfish on the coast: snails, slugs. Birds settle in the mountains - kites, eagles, owls.
On the map, each natural zone is usually designated by its own color:
Arctic deserts - blue, light purple.
Tundra is purple.
Forest tundra - marsh.
Taiga, forests - different shades of green.
Forest-steppe - yellow-green.
Steppes - yellow.
Semi-deserts and deserts - orange.
Areas of high zonation are brown.
It is sad to realize, but even a slight intervention of people in the life of the natural world always leads to some changes in it, and, moreover, not always to favorable ones. Deforestation, destruction of animals (poaching), environmental pollution are the main environmental problems that exist in Russia, regardless of the climatic zone. And a lot depends on the person in changing the deplorable environmental situation for the better.