Animals and plants of Eurasia: who lives on the vast continent? Zone of humid equatorial forests Climate of humid equatorial forests in Eurasia.

Geographical location, natural conditions

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

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

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

Vegetable world

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

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

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

In the Asian equatorial forests (Figure 1), numerous families of the most species-rich (over 45 thousand) floristic subregion of Malesia (Paleotropic region) dominate. In multi-tiered shady forests, among the many trees of different heights and shapes, gebang palms (Corypha umbracuhfera), sago, caryota (Caryota urens), sugar (Arenga saccharifera), areca, or betel nut (Areca catechu), rattan palm liana and others, ficuses , tree ferns, giant rasamals (up to 60 meters in height), dipterocarps endemic to Southeast Asia and many others. Undergrowth and herbaceous cover in these forests are not developed.

Figure 1 - Rain forest equatorial

Animal world

The wildlife of tropical rainforests is as rich and diverse as the plant communities. Under conditions of constantly high humidity, temperatures favorable for the development of organisms, and an abundance of green fodder, complex in terms of territorial and trophic structure, saturated polydominant animal communities are formed. Like plants, it is difficult to distinguish dominant species or groups among animals on all "floors" of the humid equatorial forest. In all seasons of the year, environmental conditions allow animals to breed, and although some species coincide with reproduction at any period of the year, in general this process occurs throughout the year, like the change of foliage in trees.

Termites are the leading group of saprophages in the tropical rainforest. The functions of processing and mineralization are also performed by other soil-litter invertebrates. Among them are free-living roundworms-nematodes. Various larvae of insects are also involved in the processing of plant litter - Diptera, beetles, aphids, adult forms (imagoes) of various small beetles, hay-eaters and aphids, larvae of herbivorous centipedes, and the nodule itself. Earthworms are also common in the litter.

A variety of cockroaches, crickets, earwigs also live in the litter layer. On the surface of leaf litter, one can see large gastropod mollusks - Achatina snails, eating dead plant mass. Many saprophages settle in deadwood and feed on dead wood. These are larvae of stag beetles, bronze beetles, as well as adult forms of sugar passalid beetles, large glossy black beetles.

In the tree layer, the consumers of green leaf mass are the most diverse. These are leaf beetles, butterfly caterpillars, stick insects, gnawing leaf tissues, as well as bugs, cicadas, sucking juices from leaves.

A variety of orthopterans also consume live plant matter: grasshoppers and locusts, especially many species of the Eumastashid family. The pollen and nectar of flowers, along with leaves, feed on adult forms of beetles, weevils, long-bodies, or brentids, barbels, or woodcutters.

A large group of consumers of green plant mass, as well as flowers and fruits of trees, is formed by monkeys living on trees - langurs, gibbons (Figure 2) and orangutans.

In the rain forests of New Guinea, where there are no real monkeys, their place is taken by tree marsupials - couscous and tree kangaroos.

Birds of the rainforest, consuming plant foods, are extremely diverse. They inhabit all tiers of the forest. Consumers of fruits and seeds clearly outnumber those who feed on tree foliage. In the ground layer, there are poorly flying francolins and black guinea fowls, weed chickens. Small bright birds feeding on the nectar of flowers are common - nectaries from the order of passerines. A variety of pigeons feed on the fruits and seeds of trees in the rainforests, which usually have a green color to match the color of the foliage. There are also ground pigeons, for example, a large crowned pigeon that lives in the forests of New Guinea.

Figure 2 - Gibbons

Amphibians in tropical rain forests inhabit not only the ground, but also the tree layers, go far from water bodies due to high air humidity. They even breed sometimes away from water. The most characteristic inhabitants of the arboreal layer are bright green and sometimes bright red or blue tree frogs; copepod frogs are widespread.

Large predators are represented by cats - leopard, clouded leopard. Numerous representatives of the viverrid family - genets, mongooses, civet. All of them lead an arboreal way of life in one way or another.

Ecological problems of the equatorial and subequatorial belts of Eurasia

Change of savannas under the influence of grazing

All savannahs, with the exception of arable land in their place, are used as pastures. Grazing is one of the powerful factors in the transformation of the vegetation cover of the subtropics. The intensity of the impact of grazing is such that, in a number of cases, habitats undergo irreversible changes, as a result of which it becomes impossible to restore the original communities.

The impact of grazing at a high pasture load causes the development of pasture digression processes, accompanied by a decrease in the productivity of communities, the loss of the most valuable forage species from the composition of the herbage, and their replacement by plants that are hardly edible or not eaten at all. One of the most notable effects of pasture overload is the replacement of perennial grasses by annuals, as well as the loss of other perennials and their replacement by annuals. This process has become widespread in various regions. It is typical not only for dry and prickly, but also for wet savannahs.

Studies of the pastures of the subtropical belt, carried out in different regions, have shown that on vast areas the basis of the vegetation cover is made up of annual species of cereals, sometimes with an admixture of other annual species. Communities dominated by annual species are more dependent on the current year's precipitation. In years with a minimum amount of precipitation in such communities, the yield falls catastrophically. With a large herbage density of annuals, the productivity of communities in years that do not deviate significantly from the average in terms of precipitation can be quite high. However, annual plants are weaker than perennials in holding the soil surface together, so it is subjected to more rapid disturbance during grazing.

Another important process of transformation of savannah communities associated with intensive grazing is the rampant growth of shrubs, which occurs on a huge scale in the arid tropical regions of the globe. In this direction of development of pasture digression, thorny shrubs are predominantly distributed. Due to the fact that when overgrazing there is a threat of overgrowing with shrubs, fire cleaning is widely used in savannah communities used as pastures, the same burnings, to which the herbaceous vegetation of the subtropics largely owes its distribution.

Deforestation of equatorial forests

Today, the problem of forest death is one of the first places on the global problems of mankind.

Forest is one of the main types of vegetation cover of the earth, the source of the most ancient material on earth - wood, a source of useful plant products, a habitat for animals. This is a multi-level biosocial system, where countless elements co-exist and influence each other. These elements are trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants and other flora, birds, animals, microorganisms, soil with its organic and inorganic constituents, water and microclimate.

The planet's forests are a powerful source of atmospheric oxygen (1 hectare of forest releases 5 tons of oxygen into the atmosphere per year). The oxygen produced by forests and other components of the Earth's vegetation cover is important not only in itself, but also in connection with the need to preserve the ozone screen in the Earth's stratosphere. Ozone is formed from oxygen under the influence of solar radiation. Its concentration in the stratosphere is steadily decreasing under the influence of chlorofluorohydrocarbons (refrigerants, plastic components, etc.).

Deforestation of equatorial forests is one of the most important global environmental problems of our time. The role of forest communities in the functioning of natural ecosystems is enormous. The forest absorbs atmospheric pollution of anthropogenic origin, protects the soil from erosion, regulates the runoff of surface water, prevents the decline in groundwater levels, etc. .

A decrease in the area of ​​forests causes a violation of the cycles of oxygen and carbon in the biosphere. While the catastrophic consequences of deforestation are widely known, deforestation continues. Forests on our planet cover an area of ​​about 42 million square kilometers, but their area is decreasing by 2% annually.

Deforestation is carried out because of the valuable wood of equatorial species. Scientists suggest that the decrease in forest area will lead to irreversible consequences in the planet's climate.

Due to deforestation, there is a real danger that thousands of animal species will be left without a home and it is possible that many species may disappear even before they are discovered.

Deforestation contributes to global warming and is often cited as one of the main causes of the increased greenhouse effect. Deforestation is responsible for about 20% of greenhouse gases. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, deforestation (mostly in the tropics) contributes up to a third of total anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. During their lives, trees and other plants remove carbon dioxide from the Earth's atmosphere through the process of photosynthesis. Rotting and burning wood releases stored carbon back into the atmosphere. To avoid this, wood must be processed into durable products and forests replanted.

Forests also absorb noise, soften seasonal temperature fluctuations, slow down strong winds, and contribute to precipitation.

The forest takes us to the world of beauty (it has a bio-aesthetic value), in it we are imbued with the grandeur of wildlife, we enjoy at least a landscape relatively unpolluted by civilization. Moreover, forest plantations artificially planted on the site of clearings (often park type), with all the diligence of their creators, are often completely dependent on human care likeness of natural, virgin forests.

Mankind needs to realize that the death of the forest is a deterioration in the state of the environment.

Eurasia is the largest continent in the world. This land mass with the islands adjacent to it stretches from the equatorial to the northern polar latitudes. Therefore, the entire set of natural zones is presented here, as well as their various provincial modifications, depending on the remoteness of the region from the ocean or the features of the relief. The giant belt of mountain structures, stretching from the Alps to the Himalayas, has a predominantly latitudinal orientation, so the extent of the geographical zones of Eurasia is close to the classical one. A significant part of the mainland is part of our country, and the zones of its northern half are known to us better than other regions of the globe.

Moist equatorial and tropical forests. Evergreen rainforests and moist (with a short dry season) monsoon forests close to them occupy the equatorial and some tropical regions of Eurasia. The most extensive expanses of typical hyla are found in many places on the Malay Peninsula, on the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan. In addition, the rainforest and the wettest types of monsoon forests are common in Indochina, India (Assam), Sri Lanka, in some areas of the Western and Eastern Ghats of India, in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas. In Burma, Thailand, in southern China, seasonally dry monsoon forests predominate, and a real rain forest is represented by small islands. Close to the Indo-Malay rainforest of the western Pacific Islands and the Philippines. New Guinea represents the transition to the Australian rainforest.

The appearance of the Asiatic hyla generally corresponds to what we already know for other continents. Three main tree tiers A, B, and C are also expressed here. Under the canopy of a distinct and sparse tier A, tiers B and C are often difficult to separate from each other (when analyzing profile diagrams). They form a closed canopy entwined with lianas, under which only rare grasses and shoots of trees grow.

In terms of the number of species of woody plants known to science and the overall richness of the flora, the rainforests of Asia surpass the hylae of Africa and even South America. The floral flora of the Malay Archipelago with Malacca and New Guinea has about 20 thousand described species, but in fact there are even more. For only one peninsula of Malacca, figures of 10 thousand species are given. The floristic richness of the Asian humid equatorial forests can also be seen when comparing some characteristic families. So, in the Congo basin, several hundred species of orchids are known, most of them are epiphytes (probably, their number does not exceed 500). For the Malay Archipelago, 5 thousand of these plants are known. About 100 species of trees with a trunk diameter of more than 20 cm were found on one of the test plots of 1.5 hectares among the primary rainforest (Mount Dulit, Kalimantan), and only about 4% of the individuals belonged to one species (according to Richards). Despite the very small proportion of each species in the community, about 17% of all trees with a trunk diameter of more than 20 cm and about 45% of large trees (with a trunk diameter of more than 40 cm) belonged to the dipterocarp family. The latter we especially emphasize, for it is one of the most characteristic features of the humid evergreen forests of Asia: the dominance of trees belonging to this family. Species of dipterocarps especially clearly predominate in the upper layer of A.

As on other continents, polydominant groups of woody plants are most typical. However, in a number of cases, most often under special edaphic conditions (poor leached sands, etc.), groups with a small number of dominant trees in the upper layer predominate. The total number of species on an area of ​​1 ha is almost half that in typical polydominant communities. Areas dominated by conifers and some dipterocarps are described. It should be noted that at low altitudes, monodominant (and oligodominant) evergreen forests are dominated by dipterocarp species. Forests dominated by the Malayan ironwood are of very great economic value. There are also plantations with a predominance of kapur, or Malay camphor tree, one of the representatives of the dipterocarp. The last tree is characteristic of humid monsoon forests, it sheds its leaves for a short time (most of the trees, especially low ones, remain evergreen). The semi-evergreen forests of Asia are also characterized by an abundance of vines and epiphytes. Often they have a lot of bamboo and small palm trees. For most of the year, these forests are almost indistinguishable from typical rainforests. They are similar not only in the structure of the vegetation cover and floristic richness, but also in the characteristics of the fauna and animal population. For many groups of animals, the differences between them are even smaller than for vegetation.

As in other regions of the globe, among the animals of the Asiatic hyla, arboreal forms are abundantly represented. Termites predominate in the ground and soil layers. These insects, together with ants, are the most visible of all animals, either directly or by the traces of their activity. As in other humid equatorial and tropical latitudes, hygrophilous invertebrates and amphibians living in the air are numerous in Asia. In particular, ground forest leeches from the genus Hamadips are very annoying in places. As on other continents, such groups of insects as crickets, cockroaches, cicadas, earwigs, bronze beetles and other beetles, brentids, sugar beetles, tree racers and ground beetles, various bugs, butterflies, etc. are plentiful. All of them, however, either they hide under the bark, in cracks, etc., or live high in the crowns, and it is not easy to notice them right away. In general, it can be said that, at the family level, the previously described groups of invertebrate evergreen equatorial forests of Africa and America are very similar to those of Asian guiles. Even greater similarity in the set of biological groups of these animals, as well as in their ratio; biomass is dominated by consumers of dying primary production (termites, etc.) and phytophages. Among predators and animals with mixed nutrition, ants predominate, among pollinators - various bees (trigons, arboreal xylocop bees).

Of the amphibians, various toads and frogs are abundantly represented. Tree frogs almost do not enter the limits of gils and moist monsoon forests, although they live both in East Asia and in Australia and New Guinea. On the other hand, it is precisely in those regions of tropical Asia where there are no or few tree frogs that the species of the copepod frog families that replace them are abundantly represented. Some species of the latter genus have the ability to glide with the help of wide webs between the toes of the front and hind legs. The length of flights from tree to tree can reach 12 m. Many crayfish lay their eggs in foamy lumps on leaves or carry them for some time. Hatched tadpoles after some time fall into the water and complete their development there. Both on trees and on the surface of the earth, various species of narrow-mouthed live, feeding mainly on termites and ants. Of these, we mention the decorated frog, which has an amazingly loud voice. During mating calls, the male's whole body swells and resonates.

The various reptiles of the evergreen forests are also almost exclusively zoophagous. As on other continents, one of the most abundant reptiles are geckos, most of which live in the crowns and on tree trunks. Among the agama lizards, the types of flying dragons are exceptionally peculiar. Due to the wide leathery folds on the sides of the body, they are capable of gliding flight at a distance of up to 30 m. Of the other species of this family, we will mention very numerous calots.

In the ground layer, and partially in the soil layer, skinks live. There are no amphisbaena so characteristic of Africa and America in Asia, but typhlopid blind snakes are just as typical. The arboreal forms of snakes in the Asian hyla are no less diverse. Let us mention bronze snakes and dendrilafis from already-shaped ones. Related decorated snakes are interesting for their ability to plan jumps from tree to tree. At the same time, the animal greatly flattens the body, pushing the ribs apart. In various types of forests of South and Southeast Asia, whip snakes live, the whole life of which also passes on trees.

Equatorial forests are considered one of the most ancient natural areas. They are common in the equatorial regions of Africa, from where they got their name. In addition to the African continent, the equatorial forest is found in the Indonesian islands, in the Amazon, in northern Australia and in the southern regions of the Malay Peninsula, and covers 6% of the entire surface of the Earth.

Moist equatorial forests on the map of the World.

Moist equatorial forests grow in peculiar "spots", most often in lowland areas. Their main feature is the lack of change of seasons, that is, the weather here is stable - hot, humid and rainy all year round. Because of this, the second name of the equatorial forests is rainforests.

The climate of the equatorial forests

The climate of the equatorial forests is characterized by high humidity, usually 85%, approximately the same air temperature and intense precipitation. The average daytime temperature is around 28ºC, at night the temperature can drop below 22ºC.

There are two main seasons in this natural area: dry season and heavy rainy season. The dry season lasts from July to September. For the year in the equatorial forest falls from 250 cm to 450 cm of precipitation. Strong gusts of wind in the equatorial forest are almost never observed.

Such climatic conditions of the equatorial forest led to the rapid growth of vegetation, due to the density of which the equatorial forests are still difficult to pass and little explored.

Answering the question of what contributes to the formation of such a climate, we can say that the main factor is the location. The equatorial forest is located in the intratropical convergence zone. This is a zone with relatively low atmospheric pressure and weak winds of variable directions.

In addition, the feedback between convection processes and high levels of soil moisture, along with the interception of precipitation from dense vegetation, leads to transpiration. This feedback leads to a daily recurring climate pattern: hot, humid air, dry but foggy mornings, evening showers, and convective storms.

Plants of the equatorial forests

Life in the equatorial forests is distributed “vertically”: plants inhabit the space in several levels, the number of so-called floors can reach four. Photosynthesis in the zone of humid equatorial forests occurs without interruption all year round.

The flora of the equatorial forest is mainly represented by trees that reach a height of 80 meters and have wide roots that serve not only to support, but also to maximize the absorption of nutrients from poor soil. Trees in rain forests, although deciduous, are mostly related to.

In addition to trees, the equatorial forests are home to many woody vines - climbing plants that can climb to any height in pursuit of sunlight. Creepers twist around trunks, hang on branches, spread from tree to tree, like snakes crawl along the ground in wide twists or lie on it in tangled balls. Some creepers of the equatorial forests have thin, smooth, aerial-like roots, others are rough and knotty. Often creepers are woven together like real ropes. Woody vines have a long lifespan and have an almost limitless ability to grow in length.

Being so varied in length, thickness, hardness and flexibility, the creepers of the equatorial forest are widely used by the natives in their daily life. Almost all rope products are woven from vines. Some vines do not rot in water for a long time and therefore are widely used in the manufacture of ropes, twine for attaching fishing lines and wooden anchors.

In addition to the many species of trees and lianas of which the equatorial forests are mainly composed, various types of palm trees are also widely found here. The middle and lower floors are represented by grasses, mushrooms and lichens, reeds appear in places. Rainforest plants have a lot of leaves, but the higher they are, the smaller the leaves become. Where forests are near the coast, you can find swamps covered with.

Below is a short list of the most famous plants of the equatorial forest:

1. cocoa tree;
2. Brazilian hevea - a source of rubber from which rubber is made;
3. banana tree;
4. a coffee tree;
5. oil palm, which is the source of palm oil used in the manufacture of soaps, ointments, creams, as well as candles and margarine;
6. fragrant zest, from the wood of which cigarette cases are made;
7. ceiba. From the seeds of this plant, oil is extracted, which is necessary for soap making, and from the fruits - cotton, which serves as a filler for soft toys and furniture, and is also used for sound and heat insulation.

Animals of the equatorial forests

The fauna of the equatorial forest, like the flora, is located in several tiers. The lower floor is a habitat for insects, including butterflies, small rodents, small ungulates, as well as predators - reptiles and wild cats.

The humid equatorial forests of Africa are inhabited by leopards and African elephants, jaguars live in South America, and Indian elephants live in India, which are smaller and more mobile than their African counterparts. Rivers and lakes are home to crocodiles, hippos and water snakes, including the largest snake on our planet, the anaconda.

Among the diversity of the fauna of the equatorial forests, a large number of birds can be distinguished. These include toucans, sunbirds, banana-eaters, turacos, and hummingbirds. One of the most famous inhabitants of the rain forests is traditionally considered to be parrots of various species. All feathered equatorial forests are united by exotic beauty and bright plumage. Among all this beauty, birds of paradise stand out the most - their multi-colored tufts and tails reach a length of 60 cm.

In the neighborhood with birds on the crowns of trees, sloths and monkeys live: monkeys, howler monkeys, orangutans and others. The crowns of trees are their main place of residence, as there is a lot of food in this tier - nuts, berries and flowers. In addition, this longline provides protection from terrestrial predators and winds. The forest canopy is so dense that it serves as a "superhighway" for arboreal mammals. Large primates - chimpanzees and gorillas - inhabit the lower tier of equatorial forests, where they feed on fruits that have fallen from trees, as well as young shoots and roots of plants.

Soil of equatorial forests

Due to the high content of aluminum and iron, the soils of the equatorial forests have acquired a red-yellow color.

Despite the fact that the equatorial forest is the habitat of a myriad of plant species, the soils of this zone are relatively infertile and poor. The reason for this is the hot climate, due to which plants quickly decompose under the influence of bacteria, which in turn prevents the formation of a fertile (humus) layer. High precipitation in turn leads to leaching, the process of washing out soluble salts and minerals such as calcium and magnesium with water. For millions of years, weathering and heavy rains have led to the loss of soil nutrients. Also, the process of deforestation, which has worsened in the last few decades, has a negative impact on the rapid leaching of the elements necessary for plants.

What is the importance of equatorial forests?

The value of the equatorial forest, both for humanity and for nature in general, cannot be estimated. Equatorial forests are called the "lungs of our planet", as they absorb a large amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and in return they release a huge amount of oxygen, on which the survival of all living organisms depends.

While the problems of the equatorial forests may seem remote, these ecosystems are critical to our well-being. Equatorial forests stabilize the climate, provide habitat for countless plants and wildlife, and generate and influence precipitation across the planet.

The role of equatorial rainforests:

• help stabilize the world's climate;
• provide a home for many plants and animals;
• maintain the water cycle, protect against floods, droughts and erosion;
• are a source of medicines and food;
• support for the population of the indigenous tribes of the equatorial forests;
• and also they are an interesting place for tourists from all over the world to visit and relax.

TOPIC 2. EURASIA

LESSON 52 SEMI-DESERT AND DESERT. SUBTROPICAL FORESTS. SAVANNAH. SUBEQUATORIAL AND EQUATORIAL FORESTS. VERTICAL LUMINOSITY

Target:

· repeat, expand and systematize knowledge about the natural zones of Eurasia; to form knowledge about the features of the vertical zonality of the mainland; improve practical skills and abilities to characterize the natural areas of the mainland with thematic maps of the atlas;

· develop the ability to independently plan ways to achieve learning objectives, organize joint activities with peers, work in a group, find a common solution; develop competencies in the use of ICT technologies;

To cultivate tolerance and respect for the opinions of others.

Equipment: physical map of Eurasia, map of natural areas of the world, textbooks, atlases, computer, multimedia projector, student multimedia presentations, contour maps.

Lesson type: combined.

Expected results: students will be able to characterize the features of the natural zones of Eurasia; compare them with similar natural areas of North America; identify differences in natural complexes within the temperate zone of Eurasia.

DURING THE CLASSES

I. ORGANIZATIONAL MOMENT

II. UPDATING OF BASIC KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Work in pairs

Reception "Geographical workshop"

Tasks. Use the maps of the atlas to compare the location of the natural zones of North America and Eurasia. List the similarities and differences. (One of the students identifies the signs of similarity, the second - the differences.)

Reception "Problem question"

In contrast to North America, in Europe woody vegetation extends up to almost 70° mo. sh. How to explain its presence at such high latitudes?

III. MOTIVATION OF LEARNING AND COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES

Reception "Practicality of the theory"

A comparison of the natural zones of Eurasia with the natural zones of North America shows that in their location on both continents there are certain signs of similarity, but also many differences.

Thus, vast expanses in Eurasia are occupied by the natural zone of deserts and semi-deserts, which is second only to forests in terms of area. Deserts and semi-deserts were formed not even in one, but in three geographical zones of Asia!

Unlike other continents, in Eurasia, much larger areas are occupied by vertical zones. The variety of natural zones of Eurasia is also striking.

Today we will continue to work on the characteristics of the natural complexes of the mainland.

Groups of students who conducted a detailed study of the following natural zones of Eurasia will help us in this.

IV. STUDY NEW MATERIAL

1. Characteristics of natural areas

(Group performances. Sample.)

Semi-deserts and deserts

Semi-deserts and deserts formed in the arid regions of central, southwestern, and partly southern Asia in three climatic zones: temperate, subtropical, and tropical.

Deserts of the temperate zone occupy a significant part of Central Asia. These are the deserts of the Karakum, Kyzylkum, Gobi, Takla-Makan. In the semi-deserts, light chestnut and brown soils predominate, in the deserts - gray-brown with a very small amount of humus, there are many salt marshes. Vegetation is very poor, sometimes completely absent. There is a grass cover of wormwood, saltwort, hard prickly herbs in separate bushes. A typical plant of these deserts is a arborescent saxaul shrub. The deserts of the temperate zone are characterized by a sharp contrast of climatic conditions: exhausting heat in summer and severe frosts with winds in winter. The animal world is well adapted to temperature extremes and constant water shortages. There are many rodents - ground squirrels, jerboas, pikas; antelopes, kulans, bactrian camels are found among large herbivores. Especially a lot of reptiles - lizards, snakes, turtles and arachnids - scorpions and tarantulas.

In the subtropical zone, the zone of semi-deserts and deserts is located on plateaus and highlands fenced by mountains - Asia Minor, Iranian, and the like. Here, on infertile gray soils and gray-brown soils, ephemeral vegetation grows, which develops rapidly in the spring.

The Arabian Peninsula, the northern shores of the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea and the region of the lower reaches of the Indus River are occupied by the desert zone of the tropical belt. Vegetation is extremely sparse, and on quicksand it is completely absent. The date palm grows in the oases - the main crop of the oases of the Arabian Peninsula.

Various rodents, a wild donkey, a fennec fox, a striped hyena are found in tropical deserts. In general, the natural conditions of the tropical deserts of Eurasia are in many ways similar to those of Africa.

subtropical forests

The southwest and southeast of Eurasia within the subtropical zone are occupied by zones with evergreen vegetation.

The zone of hardwood evergreen forests and shrubs is located on the Mediterranean coast, protected by mountains from the cold northern winds. In a subtropical climate with mild, wet winters and hot dry summers, plants grow that have adapted to a long summer drought: holm and cork oak, strawberry tree, laurel, oleander, olive tree, cypress. They have thick bark, shiny waxy leaves, and a strong root system. In our time, there are few evergreen forests near the Mediterranean, but thickets of evergreen shrubs - maquis - are common. There are also few wild animals left. There are fallow deer, jackal, wild rabbit, in the west - monkey, white-tailed macaque. Lots of lizards, snakes and turtles. In southeast Asia, there is a zone of subtropical monsoon forests. It occupies the southern part of the Great Plain of China, the south of the Korean Peninsula and the southern half of the Japanese Islands. The climatic conditions here are different than near the Mediterranean: precipitation is predominantly in summer. they are brought by the summer monsoon from the ocean. Winters are cool and relatively dry. Evergreen trees grow in forests on yellow and red soils: magnolias, camphor laurel, camellias, tung trees, stunted palms, and bamboo. They are mixed with deciduous: oak, beech, hornbeam and southern conifers (special types of pine, cypress). Wild animals are preserved mainly in the mountains. There are black Himalayan bear, bamboo bear - panda, leopards, monkeys - macaques and gibbons. Many birds with bright plumage - pheasants, parrots, ducks.

Savannahs and woodlands

The plains of the peninsulas of Hindustan, Indochina and the island of Sri Lanka, where the dry period is well expressed, are occupied by savannas and light forests in the subequatorial zone. They are characterized by the predominance of grass cover, where scattered thickets of shrubs and separate areas of rare forests, under which red-brown and red soils have formed. During the dry period, some trees, in particular teak and sal, shed their leaves for 3-4 months. Teak gives valuable wood that does not rot in water; sal wood is used in construction. In rare forests, trees stand at a distance from each other, which contributes to the movement of large animals - wild boars, buffaloes, elephants.

Subequatorial and equatorial forests

The coasts of the seas and the slopes of the mountains of the Hindustan and Indochina peninsulas are occupied by subequatorial variable-humid forests. Here, palm trees, ferns, bamboo, and many tall grasses grow on red-yellow soils. The fauna of the savannas and subequatorial forests is rich and varied. Of the predators, the tiger, black panther, cheetah, and striped hyena are common. Deer and buffalo live in the forests, antelopes live in the savannahs, and wild boars live in the thickets of river valleys. There are monkeys everywhere. In some places, wild elephants have been preserved. Asian elephants are easily tamed and are happy to perform useful work, dragging logs, transporting people performing in the circus. There are many poisonous snakes in the forests, crocodiles live in the rivers.

The zone of humid equatorial forests of Eurasia covers the south of the Indochina peninsula, almost completely the Greater Sunda Islands and the southwest of the island of Sri Lanka. Like the equatorial forests on other continents, they are characterized by lush multi-tiered evergreen vegetation and a rich wildlife. The zone of the Eurasian equatorial forests is characterized by rhinos, wild bulls, tigers, Malay bears, tapirs. On the Greater Sunda Islands, great apes are common - orangutans and gibbons. There are huge lizards - monitor lizards and pythons, many birds, butterflies.

Conclusion 1. The remoteness of the internal regions of Eurasia from the oceans and the features of the relief favored the formation of large territories occupied by deserts and semi-deserts. Subtropical forests located in the west and east of Eurasia have been significantly changed as a result of human activities. Savannahs, in comparison with Africa and South America, occupy small areas on the Hindustan and Indochina peninsulas. Equatorial forests cover mainly the islands of southern and southeast Asia.

Vertical zonation

In Europe, the altitudinal zonality is most clearly manifested in the Alps: five altitudinal zones regularly replace each other.

The largest number of altitudinal belts is observed on the southern slopes of the Himalayas. There are only two altitudinal belts on the northern slopes of the mountains. This is due to the proximity to the Tibet highlands, which are characterized by harsh climatic conditions.

The composition of the altitudinal belts of the western (drier and cooler at the foot) and eastern (hot and humid) zones is different. In the western part, up to 1000 m, rare drought-resistant forests and shrubs grow. In the east, at similar heights, moist evergreen forests are common, which are gradually replaced by mixed and coniferous forests. The snow line is located higher than in the western part.

Conclusion 2. Eurasia is characterized by a variety of manifestations and a significant spread of altitudinal zonality. The composition and number of altitudinal belts depends on the geographical location and height of the mountains.

V. CONSOLIDATION OF THE STUDYED MATERIAL

Discussion of group performances(review and opposition)

Reception "Cartographic Workshop"

Tasks. Designate on the contour map the natural zones of semi-deserts and deserts, subtropical forests, savannahs and light forests, subequatorial and equatorial forests.

VI. SUMMARY OF THE LESSON, REFLECTION

Reception "Five proposals"

The teacher invites students to formulate conclusions about the landscapes of the mainland in five sentences.

VII. HOMEWORK

1. Work out the corresponding paragraph of the textbook.

2. Complete the scheme of altitudinal zonality in the Alps and the Himalayas in your notebook.

3. Conduct research. Carry out an imaginary journey along the 50th parallel. Identify natural patterns along the route, draw up maps of the route with the designation of countries, natural objects and natural complexes.

4. Leading (individual students): prepare a message about the most famous objects listed in the natural heritage of UNESCO.

Constantly humid forests or humid equatorial forests are located mainly in the equatorial regions of the planet. They occupy territory in, the river valleys and Lualaba in, and are also located on the Greater Sunda Islands and on the east coast. This natural zone mainly accompanies the equatorial. This is due to the fact that the formation of these forests requires a huge - at least 2000 mm of precipitation per year and constantly hot - more than 20 ° C. Therefore, they are usually located near the coasts of the continents, where warm currents flow. Constantly moist forests are impenetrable jungles, according to various estimates, up to 2/3 of all species living on Earth live here, millions of them have not yet been discovered and studied. The largest array of rainforests in terms of area is located in South America, where it is called the selva (pictured), which means “forest” in translation.

Permanently moist forests are characterized by the presence of several tiers of plants. The average height of the trees here is 30-40 meters, and in Australia there are huge eucalyptus trees up to 100 meters high. Perhaps 40% of all animals on the planet live in the crowns of trees! Its study is especially difficult, because the forest canopy was figuratively called another unknown living "continent". The plants of these forests are characterized by very large leaves, often dissected or perforated so that they cannot be damaged by heavy equatorial rains. Plants never shed their leaves, remaining green all year round. For this reason, the lack of seasons in the year, their stems grow evenly, and there are no annual rings on the cuts of trees. The animal world is characterized by a huge number of snakes, lizards, frogs, spiders and insects. The animals that live here are usually small in size, many of them, like koalas in Australia or sloths in South America, spend most of their lives in trees. Large animals simply could not move through the impenetrable wilds of the equatorial. This is also a big problem for humans. The discoverers often had to simply cut their way through a wall of vines using machete sabers. But even today, many corners of these forests remain unexplored and untouched by man. Unfortunately, civilization is advancing on forests, destroying them for crops of cultivated plants, laying roads or extracting wood. The conservation of these forests is a very important task for mankind, because their massifs have a very strong influence on the regulation of the planet's climate.

Despite the large amount of organic matter and plant litter, the soils of moist equatorial forests are poor in humus. This is due to the fact that a very large amount of rain is constantly washing it out of the composition of the soil. The soils of the equatorial forests are predominantly red-yellow ferralitic.