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Mainland Australia: natural areas and their brief description. Monsoon forests: description, climate, fauna and interesting facts

A characteristic feature of Australia is the originality of the organic world, which consists in many endemic species. At the same time, it should be noted that the wild vegetation of Australia did not give a single plant that would play a significant role in agriculture. Among plants, the share of endemics reaches 75%. These are casuarinas with leafless filamentous branches, and a herbaceous tree, and tree ferns, there are also many types of acacias, palm trees, various herbs and shrubs.

Australia is absolutely unthinkable without evergreen giants - eucalyptus trees, of which there are more than 300 species - from giant (up to 150 m tall) to undersized and shrubs

s. Eucalyptus och it grows fast. In 20 years, one hectare of eucalyptus forest can produce up to 800 m 3 of valuable wood. For comparison, none of the known tree species can produce such an amount of wood even in 120 years. Despite the paradox - eucalyptus grows on the most arid continent, the most important property of this tree is its amazing ability to drain the soil, which is why eucalyptus is called the "pump tree". It is not surprising that under the eucalyptus, not only can you not meet another tree, you will not even see a blade of grass there.

Among animals, the share of endemics is even greater - about 90%. This is the symbol of Australia.

kangaroo, d other marsupials: an unusually cute marsupial bear -koala, wombat, mole, marsupial wolfand others. Such ancient animals as primitive egg-laying mammals are well known: the platypus and the echidna. There are a lot of different birds: emu, birds of paradise, cassowaries, lyrebirds, black swans, weed chickens, parrots, etc. The Australian world of reptiles is also rich: there are especially many poisonous snakes and lizards.

On the mainland natural areas are distributed in concentric circles. In the center - deserts and semi-deserts, they are surrounded by tropical forest-steppes - savannahs and light forests. The northern and northeastern parts of the mainland are characterized by

wet and variable-moist forests. Various types of palms, laurels, ficuses and tree ferns intertwined with vines grow here on red ferralite soils. On the eastern slopes of the Dividing Range, eucalyptus forests. Above 1000 m, you can find separate arrays of ancient coniferous species - araucaria.savannas common species are eucalyptus, acacia and casuarina on red-brown and red-brown soils. Kangaroos and emus live here. In the extreme southwestshrub steppes are changing hardwood forests and bushes, in the southeast - subtropical moist mixed forests with evergreen beeches on red-yellow ferralite soils.

In semi-deserts and deserts you can find completely impenetrable thickets, consisting of hard-leaved thorny, densely intertwined shrubs (shrub forms of eucalyptus and acacia) - scrub s. In the western and central parts of the mainland, large areas are occupied by sandy deserts - Bolshaya, Victoria, Simpson. They are characterized by long ridges, occupied in places by tall hard cereals ("reed grass"). Of the animals here, there are giant kangaroos, wombats, emus and the dingo dog, which is a feral domestic animal. In deserts, the soil cover is poorly developed, in some places special desert soils are formed, painted in red.

altitudinal zonality can be found only in the Australian Alps, where on the tops of the forest are replaced by alpine-type meadows.

Due to the arid climate in Australia, there are far fewer plowed areas than pastures. However, grazing loads in many areas of the mainland are so great and intense that they have led to a noticeable change in its flora and fauna. A lot of different types of trees, shrubs and herbs were brought to Australia from other continents. Many introduced animals (foxes, rats, rabbits) pushed aside or severely exterminated local animal species. Almost every year, Australian forests are severely affected by numerous fires.

The natural areas of Australia (grade 7) are one of the most interesting topics in school geography. After all, this continent, despite its small size, is characterized by a very rich natural diversity. This article gives a brief description of all the natural zones of the mainland.

What is a natural area? Formation of natural zones

A natural (or physiographic) zone is a part of a geographic envelope, which is characterized by its own set of natural components and conditions. Any natural zone includes a number of structural components, namely:

climate features;
landforms;
inland waters;
soil;
flora and fauna.

All these components are in close interaction with each other, and in each of the natural zones the nature of these connections will be different.

The main factor that influences the formation and distribution of natural zones on the planet is the ratio of received moisture and heat. This ratio will be different depending on the latitude of the area. Other factors also influence natural zonality (for example, the nature and complexity of the relief, proximity to the ocean, etc.), but climate is still the key factor.

Each of the continents of our planet has its own set of natural zones. Australia is no exception here. The natural zones of this continent, namely their distribution, differ significantly from the sublatitudinal one. The reason for this is the small size of the mainland, as well as the presence of a powerful and elongated from north to south mountain system in the east of the continent of Australia.

The natural zones of the mainland, as well as their territorial distribution, are displayed on the following map:

Natural areas of Australia: table

In order to visualize the physical and geographical zoning of Australia, we bring to your attention the following table.

Natural zoning of mainland Australia

natural areas	Climate type	Typical representatives of the flora	Typical representatives of the fauna
Permanently wet forest zone	Tropical. Monsoon.	eucalyptus; araucaria; ferns; orchids; palm trees.	wombat; koala; tiger cat
Zone of evergreen hardwood forests	Subtropical (Mediterranean)	eucalyptus (undersized); various cereals; saltwort; acacia.	different types of snakes and lizards; wombat; Dingo dog.
Savannah and woodland zone	Subequatorial and tropical	acacias; cereals; kasaurina.	echidna; kangaroo; wombat; ostrich Emu.
Desert and semi-desert zone	Tropical (continental)	herbs and some cereals; blackbeard.	ostrich Emu; different types of snakes and lizards; kangaroo.

Australia: natural areas and their brief description

The largest area in Australia is the zone of deserts and semi-deserts, located in the tropical zone. This zone is characterized by low precipitation and extremely high evaporation. Therefore, the vegetation of the Australian deserts is very poor. Quite often one can observe here extensive salt crusts covering large areas.

To the east, the zone of deserts and semi-deserts is replaced by a more humid zone of savannahs and tropical woodlands. In this natural area, the plant world is already much richer, but the lack of moisture is noticeable here as well.

The eastern outskirts of Australia, as you know, are occupied by a mountain system - the Great Dividing Range - the most important landscape barrier on the mainland. It was on its slopes that two natural forest-type zones were formed. Between the 15th and 28th degrees of the south latitude there is a zone of evergreen forests, and to the north of the 15th degree there is already a zone of permanently wet forests. Altitudinal zonality on this continent is clearly visible only in the Australian Alps.

Finally

So, we found out that within the smallest continent of the planet, four natural belts are distinguished.

The natural zones of Australia are a zone of permanently wet forests, a zone of evergreen hardwood forests, a zone of savannahs and light forests, as well as a zone of deserts and semi-deserts. Each of them is distinguished by its geographical features (soil, flora, representatives of the fauna).

Australia is the flattest of all continents; almost three-quarters of South Australia is occupied by mesas with an average height of 350 m. High mountain slopes, where one would like to climb, are very rare here. With the exception of the Great Dividing Range - medium-sized mountains that stretch for 3,000 km along the East coast - the entire area south of 20 degrees south latitude receives an average annual rainfall of less than 500 mm and consists of savannah, steppe and desert with sparse vegetation. cover. Therefore, Australia (along with the ice-covered Antarctica) is the poorest continent in terms of forests. In addition, a sparsely populated country since the colonization by Europeans has lost a lot of forests due to deforestation. Only in recent decades, under the motto "Save what can still be saved", numerous national parks were established to protect forests in the mountain ranges in the east, abundantly watered by rain, in 1986 they were included in the list of objects protected as a heritage of mankind.

In principle, the rainforest reserves are quite small in terms of Australia: on average, the territory of each of them occupies 45 square kilometers. km. But - small, but remote! With amazingly diverse flora and fauna. So far, about 110 species of reptiles have been counted here, and birds - 270. Among the plants there are many that are found as related species in South America or Africa and belong to the flora of the Gondwana mainland that broke up about 200 million years ago, for example, southern beeches and araucaria. The name of the reserve was given to humid forests - subtropical and temperate zones. Thanks to the wealth of orchids, lianas, epiphytic ferns, mosses, lichens, so tightly wrapping their roots around other trees that they really die from “suffocation”, thanks to the wide roots that give stability to the trunks, these primeval forests belong to the most beautiful in the world. Extratropical forests (they differ from tropical forests in their lower height and simpler internal structure) are by no means the only and not even the predominant plant communities of this Australian reserve. The spectrum is much broader, from dune clearings and hardwood forests to snowy eucalyptus forests and wetlands at higher levels.

Broad roots provide support because trees can only take root in the surface layer of the soil.

The motley mosaic of flora reflects climate change from sea level to 1600 m and further to dry land inland. But at the same time, this reflects the rapidly changing types of rocks in the region of a noticeable relief step, which, together with the Great Dividing Range, breaks off at an altitude of more than 1,000 meters above the ocean. The geological features of this region of Australia include basaltic strata, shield volcanoes and other volcanic landscape forms. They mostly belong to the end of the Tertiary period, but are extremely well preserved. Approximately 24-65 million years ago, the developmental paths of oviparous and marsupial mammals diverged. Today, all known representatives of these ancient and typical for the fifth continent groups of marsupials are found in the forest reserve on the East Coast. The cute koala feeds exclusively on eucalyptus leaves, and therefore prefers hardwood forests in dry regions. And in the wild streams of humid forests, the platypus lives - the strangest creature of the animal world.

Protected by Australia since 1986.

Location: Between 28 and 37 degrees south latitude, in the states of Queensland and New South Wales.
Natural conditions: Moderately warm subtropical zone; near the coast - a constantly humid, hot summer climate, humid and rainy subtropical forests; in the depths of the mainland - humid summers, dry winters, hard-leaved forests.
Altitude above sea level: 0-1,600 m.
Area: 2,654 sq. km.
Connection: From Sydney or Brisbane via the Pacific Highway and other roads (paved in many places).

Monsoon forests are huge green areas with lush vegetation and rich wildlife. During the rainy season, they resemble equatorial evergreen forests. Found in subequatorial and tropical climates. They attract tourists and photographers with a variety of picturesque landscapes.

Description

Moist monsoon forests are most common in the tropics. Most often they are located at an altitude of 850 meters above sea level. They are also called deciduous due to the fact that the trees lose their foliage during the drought period. Heavy rains return them to their former juiciness and color. The trees here reach a height of twenty meters, the leaves on the crowns are small. Evergreen species, many lianas and epiphytes are common in the undergrowth. Orchids grow in the monsoon zone. They are found in the Brazilian coastal mountain ranges, the Himalayas, Malaysia, Mexico, Indochina.

Peculiarities

Monsoon forests in the Far East are famous for their variety of plants and animals. Warm and humid summers, an abundance of plant foods create favorable conditions for the habitat of insects, birds, and mammals. Coniferous and broad-leaved trees are found here. Among the inhabitants of the forests, sable, squirrel, chipmunk, hazel grouse, as well as animals rare for the climatic zone of Russia were noticed. Characteristic inhabitants of the monsoon forests are the Ussuri tiger, black bear, spotted deer, wolf, and raccoon dog. There are many wild boars, hares, moles, pheasants on the territory. reservoirs subequatorial climate rich in fish. Some species are protected.

Rare orchids grow in the humid forests of Brazil, Mexico, and Indochina. About sixty percent are sympodial species, well known among flower growers. The red-yellow soils of the monsoon territories are favorable for ficuses, palm trees, valuable tree species. The most famous include teak, satin, lard, iron. For example, it is able to form a dark grove from its trunks. A huge banyan tree grows in the Indian Botanical Garden, which has almost two thousand (!) Trunks. The crown of the tree covers an area of twelve thousand square meters. Variably humid forests become a habitat for bamboo bears (pandas), salamanders, tigers, leopards, poisonous insects and snakes.

Climate

Which one dominates the monsoon forests? Winter here is mostly dry, summer is not hot, but warm. The dry season lasts three to four months. The average air temperature is lower than in the humid tropics: the absolute minimum is -25 degrees, the maximum is 35 with a "+" sign. The temperature difference is from eight to twelve degrees. A characteristic feature of the climate is prolonged heavy rains in summer and their absence in winter. The difference between the two opposite seasons is huge.

The monsoon forests are known for their morning mist and low clouds. That is why the air is so saturated with moisture. Already by noon, the bright sun completely evaporates moisture from the vegetation. In the afternoon, foggy haze forms again in the forests. High humidity and cloudiness persist for a long period of time. In winter, precipitation also falls, but rarely.

Geography

AT subequatorial belt due to the large amount of precipitation and their uneven distribution, high temperature contrast, monsoon forests develop. On the territory of Russia, they grow in the Far East, have a complex terrain, rich flora and fauna. There are humid forests in Indochina, Hindustan, the Philippine Islands, Asia, North and South America, and Africa. Despite the long rainy seasons and prolonged drought, the fauna in the monsoon forest zones is poorer than in the humid equatorial ones.

The monsoon phenomenon is most pronounced on the Indian continent, where a period of drought is replaced by heavy downpours, the duration of which can be seven months. Such a change in weather is typical for Indochina, Burma, Indonesia, Africa, Madagascar, northern and eastern Australia, and Oceania. For example, in Indochina and the Hindustan Peninsula, the dry period in the forests lasts seven months (from April to October). Trees with large crowns and an irregularly shaped vault grow in vast monsoon territories. Sometimes forests grow in tiers, which is especially noticeable from a height.

The soil

Monsoon moist soils are characterized by a red tint, a granular structure, and a low content of humus. The soil is rich in useful trace elements such as iron and silicon. Sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium in moist soil is very small. On the territory of Southeast Asia, zheltozems and red soils predominate. Central Africa and are distinguished by dry chernozem. Interestingly, with the cessation of rain, the concentration of humus in monsoon forests increases. The reserve is one of the forms of wildlife protection on the territory rich in valuable plants and animals. It is in humid forests that many species of orchids are found.

Plants and fauna

Monsoon forests in the subequatorial climate of Hindustan, China, Indochina, Australia, America, Africa, the Far East (Russia) are characterized by a variety of fauna. For example, teak trees are common in Southeast Asia in variable humid zones, as well as Indochinese laurel and ebony. There are also bamboo, creepers, butea, cereals. Many trees in the forests are highly valued for their healthy and durable wood. For example, teak bark is dense and resistant to destruction by termites and fungi. Sal forests grow at the southern foot of the Himalayas. In the monsoon regions of Central America there are many thorny bushes. It also grows in a humid climate and is a valuable Jat tree.

In the subequatorial climate, fast-growing trees are common. Palm trees, acacias, baobab, euphorbia, cecropium, entandrophragma, ferns predominate, there are many other types of plants and flowers. The humid climate zone is characterized by a wide variety of birds and insects. In the forests there are woodpeckers, parrots, toucans, butterflies. Among terrestrial animals, marsupials, elephants, various representatives of the cat family, freshwater, amphibians, frogs, snakes are found in monsoon woodlands. This world is truly bright and rich.

For tropical wet evergreens, or as they are sometimes called, rainforests are characterized by a three-tier structure of the tree canopy. The tiers are poorly demarcated. The upper tier is made up of giant trees 45 m or more in height, 2-2.5 m in diameter. The middle tier is represented by trees about 30 m high with a trunk diameter of up to 90 cm. Smaller, exceptionally shade-tolerant trees grow in the third tier. There are many palm trees in these forests. The main area of \u200b\u200btheir growth is the Amazon basin. Here they occupy vast areas, including, in addition to the northern part of Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, the southern part of Venezuela, the west and south of Colombia, Ecuador and the east of Peru. In addition, this type of forest is found in Brazil in a narrow strip along the Atlantic coast between 5 and 30°S. Similar evergreen forests also grow along the Pacific coast from the border of Panama to Guayaquil in Ecuador. Here are concentrated all types of the genus Svitania (or mahogany), rubber-bearing genus Hevea, Brazil nut (Bertolletia excelsa) and many other valuable species.

Tropical variable-humid deciduous forests distributed in the southeast of Brazil and in the south of Paraguay. Tree species in them are relatively small in height, but often with thick trunks. Legumes are widely represented in the forests. Subtropical deciduous broadleaf forests most common in the south of Brazil and Parguay, in the west of Uruguay and in the north of Argentina along the Parana and Uruguay rivers. montane evergreen forests cover the slopes of the Andes from Venezuela to central Bolivia. These forests are characterized by thin-stemmed low trees forming dense stands. Due to the fact that these forests occupy steep slopes and are far from populated areas, they are exploited very little.

Araucaria forests located in two isolated regions. The Brazilian Araucaria (Araucaria brasiliana) is predominant in the states of Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, as well as in Uruguay, Eastern Paraguay and Argentina. A less significant massif is formed by forests of Chilean araucaria (A. araucana) found in the Andes at 40°S. in the altitude range from 500 to 3000 m above sea level. seas. These forests are characterized by hardwood species, among which the most important is embuya (Phoebe porosa). In the undergrowth of the araucaria forests, the mate shrub, or Paraguayan tea (Ilex paraguariensis), is also widespread on plantations.

Low growing xerophilous forests distributed in the east of Brazil, in the northern part of Argentina and in the western part of Paraguay. The most important tree species in these forests is the red querbacho (Schinopsis sp.), from which tannin is obtained. mangrove forests occupy the coastal strip of the Atlantic part of South America. These forests are dominated by red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), forming pure stands or mixed with Avicenna (Avicennia marina) and Conocarpus erecta.

In addition to timber harvesting, rubber, food products (seeds, nuts, fruits, beans, leaves, etc.), oils, medicinal substances, tannins, resins, including chicle (Zschokkea lascescens), raw materials for the production of chewing gum.

Venezuela. Evergreen (on laterites) and deciduous forests grow on the slopes of the spurs of the Andes and the Guiana Highlands. On the territory of the low llanos, tall-grass savannah with groves of the Mauritian palm is widespread, and in the high llanos, xerophilic light forests and shrub communities are common. Mangroves stretch around Lake Maracaibo, giving way to undersized xerophilous, and to the south - evergreen tropical forests. In the south of the country, in the upper reaches of the river. Orinoco and its right tributaries grow moist evergreen tropical forests, almost inaccessible to exploitation. Of the tree species of economic value, mahogany, roble colorado, baku, balsa, espave (Anacardium spp.), angelino (Ocotea caracasana), oleo-vermelho (Myroxylon balsamum), pao-roxo, guaiacum, tabebuya (Tabebuia pentaphylla ), ceiba (Ceiba pentandra), almasigo (Bursera simaruba), kurbaril (Hymenaea courbaril), adobe (Samanea saman), etc.

Landscape in the center of Venezuela

Colombia. According to natural conditions, two regions are distinguished: the eastern (plain) and the western (mountainous, where the Colombian Andes stretch). The first region is largely occupied by humid evergreen forests of the Magdalena basins and the left tributaries of the Amazon. To the north and west of the Guajira peninsula, along the Caribbean coast, low-growing xerophilous forests extend, in which divi-divi beans (Libidibia coriaria) are harvested for tannin. Guaiac wood (Guaiacum spp.) is also harvested here - this is one of the hardest and heaviest woods in the world, used for the manufacture of rollers, blocks and other engineering products.

Mangrove forests stretch along the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. In evergreen tropical hylaea, especially in the lower part of the Magdalena basin and along the mouth of the river. Atrato, kativo wood (Prioria copaifera) is harvested for export, as well as baku, or "Colombian mahogany" (Cariniana spp.), caoba, or real mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), roble colorado, or Panamanian mahogany (Platymiscium spp.) , purple tree, or paoroxo (Peltogyne spp.), etc. In the eastern part of the elevated plain along the tributaries of the Orinoco, savanna-llanos with rare trees and gallery forests with Mauritius palm (Mauricia sp.) are common. The forests of the mountain regions of the Andes are characterized by a peculiar altitudinal zonality. On the lower parts of the lee slopes and on the northern ridges, deciduous forests or thorny shrubs are common. In the adjacent part of the mountains (from 1000 to 2000 m) mountain broad-leaved evergreen forests grow with tree ferns, wax palm (Copernicia cerifera), cinchona, coca (Erythroxylon coca) and various orchids. Cultivated crops include cocoa and coffee trees. At an altitude of 2000 to 3200 m, humid alpine hylaea, in which there are many species of evergreen oaks, shrubs and bamboos.

Ecuador. Three natural areas are distinguished on the territory of the country: 1) a watershed plateau with moist equatorial forests - hylaea, or selva(together with the upper reaches of the left tributaries of the Amazon); 2) Andes ranges; 3) the Pacific forest-savannah plain and the western slopes of the Andes. The evergreen tropical forests of the first region are poorly studied and difficult to access. On the western slopes of the Andes, up to a height of 3000 m, evergreen mountain broad-leaved forests (hylaea) grow, largely disturbed by slash-and-burn agriculture. They produce a lot of cinchona bark, as well as balsa, kapok from the fruits of ceiba, leaves of the toquilla palm, or hipihapa (Carludovica palmata), used to make Panama hats. Tagua palm (Phytelephas spp.) is also found here, the hard endosperm of the fruits of which is used to produce buttons, and various rubber plants. The lower part of the western slopes is characterized by evergreen tropical forests. In the river valley Guayas is intensively harvested for export balsa wood.

Guyana, Suriname, Guiana. The forests of these countries, located along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and along the Guiana Highlands, are evergreen tropical with a number of valuable species. The green tree, or betabaro (Ocotea rodiaei), which is exported in Guyana and Suriname, stands out in particular. Apomate (Tabebuia pentaphylla), canalette (Cordia spp.), pekia (Caryocar spp.), espave (Anacardium spp.), habillo (Hura crepitans), wallaba (Eperua spp.), carap (Carapa guianensis), virola are no less valuable. (Virola spp.), Simaruba (Simaruba spp.), etc.

Brazil. There are more than 7 thousand species of woody and shrubby plants in the flora, of which there are over 4.5 thousand species in the Amazonian selva. High bertholecia grow (giving brazil nuts, etc.), various rubber plants, including brazilian hevea, which has become a valuable plantation crop in many countries of South Asia and Africa, laurels, ficuses, brazilian mahogany, or "pau brazil", which gave the name to the country (Caesalpinia echinata), chocolate tree, or cocoa, mahogany, jacaranda, or rosewood, oleo vermelho, roble colorado and sapukaya, or paradise nut (Lecythis ustata), and many others. In the east, the selva turns into light palm forests, among which we note the valuable babasu palm (Orbignya speciosa), which has highly nutritious nuts. South of the Amazonian selva, landscapes of tropical dry woodlands are common - caatinga, in which trees grow that shed their leaves in the dry season and accumulate moisture in the rainy season, for example, the bottle tree (Cavanillesia arborea), thorny shrubs, cacti (Cereus squamulosus). In the floodplains, there is a carnauba, or wax, palm (Copernicia cerifera), from the leaves of which wax is collected, which is used in technology. From the south, subtropical deciduous forests adjoin forests dominated by palms and savannahs. In the southeast of the country, along the Brazilian Highlands, there are araucaria forests from the Brazilian, or Paran, araucaria (pinheiro, or "Brazilian pine"). Along with it, embuya, tabebuya, cordia grow, and in the undergrowth of yerbamate, Paraguayan tea is prepared from its leaves. Araucaria forests are involved in intensive exploitation.

Along the Atlantic coast and at the mouth of the Amazon, mangrove forests grow, dominated by red mangrove with an admixture of black mangrove (Avicennia marina) and white mangrove (Conocarpus erecta). Tannin is extracted from the bark of these trees.

Road from Calama (Chile) to LaPaz (Bolivia)

Chile. The main forest area is concentrated in the southern half of the country along the Pacific slopes of the Andes. In the region of 41-42 ° S.l. there is a significant array of araucaria forests, dominated by pure stands of pinot, or Chilean araucaria, often called "Chilean pine" (Araucaria araucana). To the south are mixed broad-leaved deciduous forests of the temperate zone with different species of southern beech (Nothofagus spp.), representatives of laurels - linge (Persea lingue), ulmo (Beilschmiedia berteroana). In the extreme south, there are coniferous forests of alerse (Fitzroya cupressoides) and sipres (Pilgerodendron uviferum) with an admixture of canelo (Drimys winteri). The bark of the latter contains substances with antiscorbutic properties.

Argentina. There are several natural regions. The east is dominated by evergreen forests, in which more than 100 species of trees of great economic importance grow. Among them are cabreuva (Myrocarpus frondosus), kanzherana (Cabralea oblongifolia), Brazilian araucaria, tabebuya, etc. In the west, evergreen ice grows along the slopes of the Andes at an altitude of 2000-2500 m above sea level. seas. Palo blanco (Calycophyllum multiflorum), cedro salteno (Cedrela balansae), roble cryolo (Amburana cearensis), nogal cryolo (Juglans australis), tarco (Jacaranda mimosifolia), type blanco (Tipuana tipu), etc. In the south, along the slopes of the Andes, subantarctic vegetation extends, among which several species of southern beech, alerce, "Cordillera cypress" (Austrocedrus chilensis), etc., are distinguished. palosanto (Bulnesia sarmientoi), guaiacan (Caesalpinia paraguarensis), etc. To the south, along the eastern slopes of the Andes, there are xerophilic broad-leaved forests of the temperate zone with algarrobo, acacias (Acacia caven), carcass (Celtis spinosa), quebracho-blanco.

Paraguay. Forest cover 51%. In the east of the country, mixed tropical evergreen and deciduous forests are common, turning in the west (in the Gran Chaco region) into woodlands and savannahs. The main tree species is quebracho blanco (Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco).

Uruguay. Forests occupy an insignificant part of the total territory of the country and are located in the lower reaches of the Rio Negro and in the valley of the river. Uruguay. The forest cover of the country is 3%. Large areas are beginning to be occupied by artificial plantations - pines on coastal dunes and eucalyptus plantations.

Published according to the monograph: A.D. Bukshtynov, B.I. Groshev, G.V. Krylov. Forests (Nature of the world). M.: Thought, 1981. 316 p.

The tundra occupies such territories as the coastal outskirts of Greenland, the western and northern outskirts of Alaska, the coast of the Hudson Bay, some areas of the Newfoundland and Labrador peninsulas. On Labrador, due to the severity of the climate, the tundra reaches 55 ° N. sh., and in Newfoundland it drops even further south. The tundra is part of the circumpolar Arctic subregion of the Holarctic. The North American tundra is characterized by the spread of permafrost, strong soil acidity and rocky soils. The northernmost part of it is almost completely barren, or covered only with mosses and lichens. Large areas are occupied by swamps. In the southern part of the tundra, a rich herbaceous cover of grasses and sedges appears. Some dwarf tree forms are characteristic, such as creeping heather, dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa), willow and alder.

Next comes the forest tundra. It is to the west of the Hudson Bay takes its maximum size. Woody forms of vegetation are already beginning to appear. This strip forms the northern border of forests in North America, dominated by species such as larch (Larix laricina), black and white spruce (Picea mariana and Picea canadensis).

On the slopes of the mountains of Alaska, the plain tundra, as well as on the Scandinavian Peninsula, is replaced by mountain tundra and bald vegetation.

In terms of species, the vegetation of the tundra of North America is almost no different from the European-Asian tundra. There are only some floristic differences between them.

Temperate coniferous forests cover most of North America. These forests form the second after the tundra and the last vegetation zone, which stretches across the entire mainland from west to east and is a latitudinal zone. Further south, latitudinal zonality is retained only in the eastern part of the mainland.

On the coast of the Pacific Ocean, taiga is distributed from 61 to 42 ° N. sh., then it crosses the lower slopes of the Cordillera and then spreads to the plain to the east. In this territory, the southern border of the coniferous forest zone rises north to a latitude of 54-55 ° N, but then it descends back to the south to the territories of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River, but only its lower reaches.

Coniferous forests along the line from the eastern slopes of the mountains of Alaska to the coast of Labrador are characterized by a significant uniformity in the species composition of the rocks.

A distinctive feature of the coniferous forests of the Pacific coast from the forest zone of the east is their appearance and composition of the rocks. So the forest zone of the Pacific coast is very similar to the eastern regions of the Asian taiga, where endemic coniferous species and genera grow. But the eastern part of the mainland is similar to the European taiga.

The “Hudson”, eastern taiga is characterized by the predominance of fairly developed coniferous trees with a high and powerful crown. This species composition includes such endemic species as white or Canadian spruce (Picea canadensis), Banks pine (Pinus banksiana), American larch, balsam fir (Abies balsamea). From the latter, a resinous substance is extracted, which finds a direction in technology - Canadian balsam. Although conifers predominate in this zone, there are still many deciduous trees and shrubs in the Canadian taiga. And in the burnt places, which are very numerous in the Canadian taiga region, even deciduous ones predominate.

Deciduous tree species of this coniferous zone include: aspen (Populus tremuloides), balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera), paper birch (Betula papyrifera). This birch has a white and smooth bark, with which the Indians built their canoes. A very diverse and rich undergrowth of berry bushes is characteristic: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, black and red currants. Podzolic soils are characteristic of this zone. In the north, they turn into soils of permafrost-taiga composition, and in the south, these are soddy-podzolic soils.

The soil and vegetation cover of the Appalachian zone is very rich and diverse. Here, on the slopes of the Appalachians, rich broad-leaved forests grow in species diversity. Such forests are also called Appalachian forests. These forests are very similar to the genera of East Asian and European forests, in which the dominant role is dominated by endemic species of noble chestnut (Castanea dentata), May beech (Fagus grandifolia), American oak (Quercus macrocarpa), red plane tree (Platanus occidentalis). A characteristic feature of all these trees is that they are very powerful and tall trees. These trees are often entwined with ivy and wild grapes.

Africa is an amazing continent, where a large number of geographical zones are combined. Nowhere else are these distinctions so visible.

The natural areas of Africa are very clearly visible on the map. They are distributed symmetrically about the equator and depend on uneven precipitation.

Characteristics of the natural zones of Africa

Africa is the second largest continent on Earth. It is surrounded by two seas and two oceans. But the most important feature is its symmetry in position with respect to the equator, which divides Africa into two parts along the horizon.

Hard-leaved evergreen moist forests and shrubs are located in the north and south of the mainland. Next come deserts and semi-deserts, then savannahs.

In the very center of the continent there are zones of variable-moist and permanent-moist forests. Each zone is characterized by its climate, flora and fauna.

Zone of variable-moist and humid evergreen equatorial forests of Africa

The zone of evergreen forests is located in the Congo Basin and runs along the Gulf of Guinea. Over 1000 plants can be found here. In these zones, predominantly red-yellow soils. Many types of palm trees grow here, including oilseeds, tree ferns, bananas, and creepers.

Animals are placed in tiers. In these places, the animal world is very diverse. A huge number of shrews, lizards and snakes live in the soil.

A huge number of monkeys live in the zone of humid forests. In addition to monkeys, gorillas and chimpanzees, more than 10 species of individuals can be found here.

Dog-headed baboons cause a lot of anxiety to local residents. They are destroying the plantations. This species is distinguished by ingenuity. They can only be frightened by weapons, they are not afraid of a person with a stick.

African gorillas in these places grow up to two meters and weigh up to 250 kilograms. Elephants, leopards, small ungulates, forest pigs live in the forests.

Good to know: The tsetse fly lives in the eucalyptus regions of Africa. It is very dangerous for humans. Its bite infects with deadly sleeping sickness. A person begins to be disturbed by severe pain and fever.

savannah zone

About 40% of the entire territory of Africa is occupied by savannahs. The vegetation is represented by tall grasses and umbrella trees towering above them. The main one is the baobab.

This is the tree of life, which is of great importance to the people of Africa. , leaves, seeds - everything is eaten. The ash from the burnt fruit is used to make soap.

In dry savannahs, aloes grow with fleshy and prickly leaves. In the rainy season, the savannah is very abundant vegetation, but in the dry season it turns yellow, fires often occur.

The red soils of the savannah are much more fertile than those in the rainforest zone. This is due to the active accumulation of humus during the dry period.

Large herbivores live on the territory of the African savannah. Giraffes, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes live here. The savannah area is the habitat of predators, cheetahs, lions, leopards.

Tropical and semi-desert zones

Savannahs are replaced by zones of tropical deserts and semi-deserts. Precipitation in these places is very irregular. In certain areas, it may not rain for several years.

The climatic features of the zone are characterized by excessive dryness. Often there are sandstorms, during the day there are strong temperature differences.

The relief of the deserts is a placer of stones and salt marshes in those places where once there were seas. There are practically no plants here. There are rare spines. There are species of vegetation with a short lifespan. They grow only after the rains.

Zones of evergreen hard-leaved forests and shrubs

The most extreme zone of the continent is the territory of evergreen hard-leaved leaves and shrubs. These areas are characterized by wet winters and hot dry summers.

Such a climate favorably affects the condition of the soil. In these places it is very fertile. Lebanese cedar, beech, oak grow here.

In this zone, the highest points of the mainland are located. On the peaks of Kenya and Kilimanjaro, even in the hottest period, there is always snow.

Table of Natural Areas of Africa

The presentation and description of all the natural zones of Africa can be visualized in the table.

Name of the natural area	Geographic location	Climate	Vegetable world	Animal world	The soil
Savannah	Neighboring zones from equatorial forests to the north, south and east	subequatorial	Herbs, cereals, palms, acacias	Elephants, hippos, lions, leopards, hyenas, jackals	Ferrolitic red
Tropical semi-deserts and deserts	Southwest and north of the mainland	Tropical	Acacias, succulents	Turtles, beetles, snakes, scorpions	Sandy, rocky
Variable-humid and humid forests	north of the equator	Equatorial and subequatorial	Bananas, palm trees. coffee trees	Gorillas, chimpanzees, leopards, parrots	brown yellow
Hardwood evergreen forests	Far north and far south	Subtropical	Arbutus, oak, beech	Zebras, leopards	brown, fertile

The position of the climatic zones of the mainland is delimited very clearly. This applies not only to the territory itself, but also to the definition of fauna, flora and climate types.

Variably humid forests. The zone of variable humid (including monsoon) forests extends in the east and south of Eurasia. The vegetation here is represented by both coniferous and deciduous trees (cedar, pine, oak, walnut, gingko) and evergreen trees (palms, ficuses, bamboo and magnolias), which grow mainly on red-yellow soils. The fauna is also characterized by a significant species diversity: monkeys, tigers, leopards, as well as endemics - a bamboo bear (panda), a gibbon, etc.

slide 11 from the presentation "Natural zones of Eurasia". The size of the archive with the presentation is 643 KB.

Geography Grade 7

summary of other presentations

"Natural zones of Eurasia" - Among the impenetrable thickets here you can meet orangutans, leopards, tapirs. Main animals: reindeer, arctic foxes, some species of birds. The latter prevails in the Asian taiga, in a cold, sharply continental climate. Arctic desert zone. Mixed and deciduous forests. The desert zone stretches through three geographical zones. The fauna here is represented by elephants, tigers, rhinos. Many reptiles and reptiles, as well as various insects. Along the mountain ranges of Siberia, tundra vegetation penetrates far to the south.

"Sights of Paris" - See Paris - and die! Arc de Triomphe in 1836 by Louis Philippe. Place des Stars is officially called Place Charles de Gaulle. The Sorbonne was founded in 1253 by Robert de Sorbonne. Georges Pompidou - Beaubourg. The Pantheon is a monument in which the tombs of the great people of France are located. The Eiffel Tower is the symbol of Paris. The Louvre is one of the largest and richest museums of fine arts in the world. Purpose: to get acquainted with the sights of Paris.

"The geographical position of the southern continents" - On the plains, composed of strata of sedimentary rocks. Questions: Into what oceans do the rivers of Africa and South America carry water? Why? Slide 7. Soil map. Igneous: ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, diamonds, noble and rare metals. General features of climate and inland waters. Slide 4. Minerals of the southern continents. Which climatic zones have the largest network of rivers and many lakes?

"Geographical shell of the Earth" - The modern appearance of the planet Earth. 1. Altitudinal zonality zonality… 6. Lithosphere is… Pupils of the 7th grade Matrosova A.E. A. state of the troposphere B. long-term weather pattern C. current state of the troposphere. A. on the plains B. in the mountains C. in the oceans 2. The geographic envelope is ... Test work. Right answers.

"Water in the World Ocean" - Without water, a person cannot live more than eight days. Thanks to water and in water, life arose on Earth. Then there is deadly dehydration of the body. You can't grow crops without water. We are starting to study the water shell of the Earth - the hydrosphere. Fundamental question: “Water! Group 2. Compare the area of land and ocean. What is the temperature at different levels of the ocean?

"Savannas" - Branched acacias rise like huge umbrellas among tall grasses. Animal world. Savannah. economic activity of people. The average temperature in July and January is +22C. Soils. Geographical position. Climatic conditions. Umbrella acacia. Savannahs are located in the subequatorial belt.

Description

Peculiarities

Rare orchids grow in the humid forests of Brazil, Mexico, and Indochina. About sixty percent are sympodial species, well known among flower growers. The red-yellow soils of the monsoon territories are favorable for ficuses, palm trees, valuable tree species. The most famous include teak, satin, sal, iron. For example, it is able to form a dark grove from its trunks. A huge banyan tree grows in the Indian Botanical Garden, which has almost two thousand (!) Trunks. The crown of the tree covers an area of twelve thousand square meters. Variably humid forests become a habitat for bamboo bears (pandas), salamanders, tigers, leopards, poisonous insects and snakes.

Climate

Geography

The soil

Monsoon moist soils are characterized by a red tint, a granular structure, and a low content of humus. The soil is rich in useful trace elements such as iron and silicon. Sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium in moist soil is very small. On the territory of Southeast Asia, zheltozems and red soils predominate. Central Africa and are distinguished by dry black soil. Interestingly, with the cessation of rain, the concentration of humus in monsoon forests increases. The reserve is one of the forms of wildlife protection on the territory rich in valuable plants and animals. It is in humid forests that many species of orchids are found.

Plants and fauna

In the subequatorial climate, fast-growing trees are common. Palms, acacias, baobabs, spurges, cecrops, entandropragmas, ferns predominate, and there are many other types of plants and flowers. The humid climate zone is characterized by a wide variety of birds and insects. In the forests there are woodpeckers, parrots, toucans, butterflies. Among terrestrial animals, marsupials, elephants, various representatives of the cat family, freshwater, amphibians, frogs, snakes are found in monsoon woodlands. This world is truly bright and rich.

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