Everyone knows that the distribution of solar heat on Earth is uneven due to the spherical shape of the planet. As a result, different natural systems are formed, where in each of them all components are closely connected with each other, and a natural zone is formed, which is found on all continents. If you follow the animal in the same zones, but on different continents, you can see a certain similarity.
Law of geographic zoning
The scientist V.V. Dokuchaev at one time created the doctrine of natural zones, and expressed the idea that each zone is a natural complex, where living and inanimate nature are closely interconnected. Later, on this basis of the teaching, the first qualification was created, which was finalized and more specified by another scientist L.S. Berg.
The forms of zoning are different due to the diversity of the composition of the geographic envelope and the influence of two main factors: the energy of the Sun and the energy of the Earth. It is with these factors that natural zonality is associated, which manifests itself in the distribution of the oceans, the diversity of the relief and its structure. As a result, various natural complexes were formed, and the largest of them is the geographical zone, which is close to the climatic zones described by B.P. Alisov).
The following geographic regions are distinguished by two subequatorial, tropical and subtropical, temperate, subpolar and polar (Arctic and Antarctic). subdivided into zones, which are worth talking about more specifically.
What is latitudinal zoning
Natural zones are closely connected with climatic zones, which means that zones, like belts, gradually replace each other, moving from the equator to the poles, where solar heat decreases and precipitation changes. Such a change of large natural complexes is called latitudinal zonality, which manifests itself in all natural zones, regardless of size.
What is altitudinal zoning
The map shows, if you move from north to east, that in each geographical zone there is a geographical zonality, starting from the Arctic deserts, moving on to the tundra, then to the forest tundra, taiga, mixed and broad-leaved forests, forest-steppe and steppes, and, finally, to the desert and subtropics. They stretch from west to east in stripes, but there is another direction.
Many people know that the higher you climb the mountains, the more the ratio of heat and moisture changes towards low temperature and precipitation in solid form, as a result of which the flora and fauna change. Scientists and geographers gave this direction their name - altitudinal zonality (or zonality), when one zone replaces another, encircling mountains at different heights. At the same time, the change of belts occurs faster than on the plain, one has only to climb 1 km, and there will be another zone. The lowest belt always corresponds to where the mountain is located, and the closer it is to the poles, the fewer these zones can be found at a height.
The law of geographical zoning also works in the mountains. Seasonality, as well as the change of day and night, depend on geographical latitude. If the mountain is close to the pole, then you can also meet the polar night and day there, and if the location is near the equator, then the day will always be equal to the night.
ice zone
Natural zonality adjacent to the poles of the globe is called ice. A harsh climate, where snow and ice lie all year round, and in the warmest month the temperature does not rise above 0 °. Snow covers the entire earth, even though the sun shines around the clock for several months, but does not warm it at all.
Under too severe conditions, few animals live in the ice zone (polar bear, penguins, seals, walruses, arctic fox, reindeer), even fewer plants can be found, since the soil-forming process is at the initial stage of development, and mostly unorganized plants (lichen , moss, algae).
tundra zone
The zone of cold and strong winds, where there is a long long winter and a short summer, because of which the soil does not have time to warm up, and a layer of permafrost soils is formed.
The law of zonality even works in the tundra and divides it into three subzones, moving from north to south: arctic tundra, where mainly moss and lichens grow, typical lichen-moss tundra, where shrubs appear in places, distributed from Vaigach to Kolyma, and Southern shrub tundra, where the vegetation consists of three levels.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the forest-tundra, which stretches in a thin strip and is a transition zone between the tundra and forests.
taiga zone
For Russia, Taiga is the largest natural zone, which stretches from the western borders to the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan. The taiga is located in two climatic zones, as a result of which there are differences within it.
This natural zonality concentrates a large number of lakes and swamps, and it is here that the great rivers in Russia originate: the Volga, Kama, Lena, Vilyui and others.
The main thing for the plant world is coniferous forests, where larch dominates, spruce, fir, and pine are less common. The fauna is heterogeneous and the eastern part of the taiga is richer than the western.
Forests, forest-steppes and steppes
In the mixed zone, the climate is warmer and wetter, and latitudinal zonality is well traced here. Winters are less severe, summers are long and warm, which contributes to the growth of trees such as oak, ash, maple, linden, and hazel. Due to complex plant communities, this zone has a diverse fauna, and, for example, bison, muskrat, wild boar, wolf, and elk are common on the East European Plain.
The zone of mixed forests is richer than in coniferous ones, and there are large herbivores and a wide variety of birds. Geographical zonality is distinguished by the density of river reservoirs, some of which do not freeze at all in winter.
The transitional zone between the steppe and the forest is the forest-steppe, where there is an alternation of forest and meadow phytocenoses.
steppe zone
This is another species that describes natural zoning. It differs sharply in climatic conditions from the above-mentioned zones, and the main difference is the lack of water, as a result of which there are no forests and cereal plants and all the various grasses that cover the earth with a continuous carpet predominate. Despite the lack of water in this zone, the plants tolerate drought very well, often their leaves are small and can curl up during the heat to prevent evaporation.
The fauna is more diverse: there are ungulates, rodents, predators. In Russia, the steppe is the most developed by man and the main zone of agriculture.
Steppes are found in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, but gradually they disappear due to plowing, fires, and animal grazing.
Latitudinal and altitudinal zoning is also found in the steppes, so they are divided into several subspecies: mountainous (for example, the Caucasus Mountains), meadow (typical for Western Siberia), xerophilous, where there are many soddy cereals, and desert (they became the steppes of Kalmykia).
Desert and tropics
Sharp changes in climatic conditions are due to the fact that evaporation exceeds many times precipitation (7 times), and the duration of such a period is up to six months. The vegetation of this zone is not rich, and mostly there are grasses, shrubs, and forests can be seen only along the rivers. The animal world is richer and a bit similar to that found in the steppe zone: there are many rodents and reptiles, and ungulates roam in nearby areas.
The Sahara is considered the largest desert, and in general this natural zonality is characteristic of 11% of the entire earth's surface, and if you add the Arctic desert to it, then 20%. Deserts are found both in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere, and in the tropics and subtropics.
There is no unambiguous definition of the tropics; geographical zones are distinguished: tropical, subequatorial and equatorial, where there are forests similar in composition, but having certain differences.
All forests are divided into savannahs, forest subtropics, and their common feature is that the trees are always green, and these zones differ in the duration of dry and rainy periods. In the savannas, the rainy period lasts 8-9 months. Forest subtropics are characteristic of the eastern outskirts of the continents, where there is a change in the dry period of winter and wet summer with monsoon rains. Tropical forests are characterized by a high degree of moisture, and precipitation can exceed 2000 mm per year.
Some geographic terms have similar but not identical names. For this reason, people often get confused in their definitions, and this can fundamentally change the meaning of everything they say or write. Therefore, now we will find out all the similarities and differences between latitudinal zonality and altitudinal zonality in order to permanently get rid of the confusion between them.
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The essence of the concept
Our planet has the shape of a ball, which, in turn, is tilted at a certain angle relative to the ecliptic. This state of affairs caused the sunlight distributed unevenly over the surface.
In some regions of the planet it is always warm and clear, in others there are downpours, in others there is cold and constant frosts. We call this the climate, which changes depending on the distance or approach to.
In geography, this phenomenon is called "latitudinal zoning", since the change in weather conditions on the planet occurs precisely depending on latitude. Now we can make a clear definition of this term.
What is latitudinal zonality? This is a natural modification of geosystems, geographic and climatic complexes in the direction from the equator to the poles. In everyday speech, we often call such a phenomenon "climatic zones", and each of them has its own name and characteristic. Below will be given examples demonstrating latitudinal zonality, which will allow you to clearly remember the essence of this term.
Note! The equator, of course, is the center of the Earth, and all the parallels from it diverge towards the poles, as if in a mirror image. But due to the fact that the planet has a certain inclination relative to the ecliptic, the southern hemisphere is more illuminated than the northern one. Therefore, the climate on the same parallels, but in different hemispheres does not always coincide.
We figured out what zoning is and what are its features at the level of theory. Now let's remember all this in practice, just looking at the climate map of the world. So the equator is surrounded (sorry for the tautology) equatorial climate zone. The air temperature here does not change throughout the year, however, as does the extremely low pressure.
Winds at the equator are weak, but heavy rains are common. It rains every day, but due to the high temperature, the moisture quickly evaporates.
We continue to give examples of natural zonality, describing the tropical belt:
- There are pronounced seasonal temperature changes, not as much rainfall as at the equator, and not as low pressure.
- In the tropics, as a rule, it rains for half a year, the second half is dry and hot.
Also in this case, there are similarities between the southern and northern hemispheres. The tropical climate is the same in both parts of the world.
The next step is a temperate climate, which covers most of the northern hemisphere. As for the south, there it stretches over the ocean, barely capturing the tail of South America.
The climate is characterized by the presence of four pronounced seasons, which differ from each other in temperature and rainfall. Everyone knows from school that the entire territory of Russia is located mainly in this natural zone, so each of us can easily describe all the weather conditions inherent in it.
The latter, the arctic climate, differs from all the others in record low temperatures, which practically do not change throughout the year, as well as poor rainfall. It dominates the poles of the planet, captures a small part of our country, the Arctic Ocean and all of Antarctica.
What influences natural zoning
Climate is the main determinant of the entire biomass of a particular region of the planet. Due to varying air temperature, pressure and humidity flora and fauna are formed, soils change, insects mutate. It is important that the color of human skin depends on the activity of the Sun, due to which the climate, in fact, is formed. Historically, this has been the case:
- the black population of the Earth lives in the equatorial zone;
- mulattoes live in the tropics. These racial families are the most resistant to bright sunlight;
- the northern regions of the planet are occupied by fair-skinned people who are used to spending most of their time in the cold.
From all of the above follows the law of latitudinal zonality, which is as follows: "The transformation of the entire biomass directly depends on climatic conditions."
Altitudinal zonality
Mountains are an integral part of the earth's relief. Numerous ridges, like ribbons, are scattered around the globe, some are high and steep, others are sloping. It is these uplands that we understand as areas of altitudinal zonation, since the climate here differs significantly from the plain.
The thing is that rising to the layers more distant from the surface, the latitude at which we remain is already has no effect on the weather. Changes in pressure, humidity, temperature. Based on this, a clear interpretation of the term can be given. The zone of altitudinal zoning is a change in weather conditions, natural zones and landscape as the height above sea level increases.
Altitudinal zonality
illustrative examples
To understand in practice how the zone of altitudinal zonation is changing, it is enough to go to the mountains. Rising higher, you will feel how the pressure drops, the temperature drops. The landscape will change before our eyes. If you started from the zone of evergreen forests, then with height they will grow into shrubs, later - into grass and moss thickets, and at the top of the cliff they will completely disappear, leaving bare soil.
Based on these observations, a law was formed that describes the altitudinal zonality and its features. When ascending to a great height the climate becomes colder and harsher, the animal and plant worlds become scarce, atmospheric pressure becomes extremely low.
Important! Soils located in the area of altitudinal zonality deserve special attention. Their metamorphoses depend on the natural zone in which the mountain range is located. If we are talking about the desert, then as the height increases, it will be transformed into mountain-chestnut soil, later - into black soil. After that, a mountain forest will appear on the way, and behind it - a meadow.
Mountain ranges of Russia
Special attention should be paid to the ridges, which are located in their native country. The climate in our mountains directly depends on their geographical location, so it is easy to guess that it is very severe. Let's start, perhaps, with the region of altitudinal zonality of Russia in the region of the Ural Range.
At the foot of the mountains there are birch and coniferous forests that are undemanding to heat, and as the height increases, they turn into moss thickets. The Caucasian Range is considered high, but very warm.
The higher we climb, the greater the amount of precipitation becomes. At the same time, the temperature drops slightly, but the landscape changes completely.
Another zone with high zonality in Russia is the Far Eastern regions. There, at the foot of the mountains, cedar thickets spread, and the tops of the rocks are covered with eternal snow.
Natural zones latitudinal zonality and altitudinal zonality
Natural zones of the Earth. Geography Grade 7
Output
Now we can find out what are the similarities and differences in these two terms. Latitudinal zonality and altitudinal zonality have something in common - this is a change in climate, which entails a change in the entire biomass.
In both cases, weather conditions change from warmer to colder, pressure is transformed, and fauna and flora are depleted. What is the difference between latitudinal zonality and altitudinal zonality? The first term has a planetary scale. Due to it, the climatic zones of the Earth are formed. But the altitudinal zonality is climate change only within a certain relief- mountains. Due to the fact that the height above sea level increases, weather conditions change, which also entail the transformation of the entire biomass. And this phenomenon is already local.
Landscape zoning- a regular change in physical and geographical processes, components and geosystems from the equator to the poles.
Reason: uneven distribution of short-wave solar radiation due to the sphericity of the Earth and the inclination of its orbit. Zonality is most pronounced in changes in climate, vegetation, wildlife, and soils. These changes in groundwater and lithogenic base are less contrasting.
It is expressed primarily in the average annual amount of heat and moisture at different latitudes. First, this is a different distribution of the radiation balance of the earth's surface. The maximum is at 20 and 30 latitudes, since there is the least cloudiness in contrast to the equator. This implies an uneven latitudinal distribution of air masses, atmospheric circulation and moisture circulation.
Zonal types of landscapes are landscapes formed under autonomous conditions (upland, eluvial), that is, under the influence of atmospheric moisture and zonal temperature conditions.
Drain Zones:
equatorial zone of abundant runoff.
tropical zones
Subtropical
Moderate
Subpolar
Polar
20. Geographic sector and its impact on regional landscape structures.
Sector law(otherwise azonal law , or provinciality , or meridionality ) - the pattern of differentiation of the Earth's vegetation cover under the influence of the following reasons: the distribution of land and sea, the relief of the green surface and the composition of rocks.
The sector law is an addition to the law of geographic zoning, which considers the patterns of distribution of vegetation (landscapes) under the influence of the distribution of solar energy over the Earth's surface, depending on the incoming solar radiation, depending on latitude. The law of azonality considers the influence of the redistribution of the incoming solar energy in the form of changes in climatic factors when moving deeper into the continents (the so-called increase in continental climate) or oceans - the nature and distribution of precipitation, the number of sunny days, average monthly temperatures, etc.
Sector of the oceans. Expressed in distribution:
River runoff (desalination of ocean waters).
Receipts of suspended solids, nutrients.
Salinity of waters caused by evaporation from the surface of the oceans.
and other indicators. In general, there is a significant depletion of ocean waters in the depths of the oceans, the so-called oceanic deserts.
On the continents, the sector law is expressed in:
Circumoceanic zonality, which can be of several types:
but) symmetrical - oceanic impact is manifested with the same strength and extent from all sides of the mainland (Australia);
b) asymmetric - where the influence of the Atlantic Ocean prevails (as a result of western transport), as in the north of Eurasia;
in) mixed.
The growth of continentality as you move deeper into the mainland.
21. Altitudinal zonality as a factor of landscape differentiation.
Altitudinal zonality - part of the vertical zonality of natural processes and phenomena, related only to mountains. Change of natural zones in the mountains from the foot to the top.
The reason is the change in heat balance with height. The amount of solar radiation increases with height, but the radiation of the earth's surface grows even faster, as a result, the radiation balance drops, and the temperature also drops. The gradient here is higher than in the latitudinal zonality.
As the temperature drops, the humidity also drops. A barrier effect is observed: rain clouds approach the windward slopes, rise, condense and precipitate. As a result, already dry and non-humid air rolls over the mountain (to the leeward slope).
Each flat zone has its own type of altitudinal zonation. But this is only outwardly and not always, there are analogues - alpine meadows, cold deserts of Tibet and the Pamirs. As we approach the equator, the possible number of these types increases.
Examples: Ural - tundra and the Goltsov belt. Himalayas - subtropical forest, coniferous forest, boreal coniferous forest, tundra. + Eternal snow is possible.
Differences from zones: rarefaction of air, atmospheric circulation, seasonal fluctuations in temperature and pressure, geomorphological processes.
Latitudinal zonality and altitudinal zonality - geographical concepts, characterizing the change in natural conditions, and, as a result, the change in natural landscape zones, as you move from the equator to the poles (latitudinal zonality), or as you rise above sea level.
Latitudinal zoning
It is known that the climate in different parts of our planet is not the same. The most noticeable change in climatic conditions occurs when moving from the equator to the poles: the higher the latitude, the colder the weather. This geographical phenomenon is called latitudinal zonality. It is connected with the uneven distribution of the thermal energy of the Sun over the surface of our planet.
Plays a major role in climate change tilt of the earth's axis in relation to the Sun. In addition, latitudinal zonality is associated with different distances of the equatorial and pole parts of the planet from the Sun. However, this factor affects the temperature difference at different latitudes to a much lesser extent than the tilt of the axis. The Earth's axis of rotation, as is known, is located in relation to the ecliptic (the plane of motion of the Sun) at a certain angle.
This slope of the Earth's surface leads to the fact that the sun's rays fall at a right angle on the central, equatorial part of the planet. Therefore, it is the equatorial belt that receives the maximum solar energy. The closer to the poles, the less the sun's rays warm the earth's surface due to the greater angle of incidence. The higher the latitude, the greater the angle of incidence of the rays, and the more they are reflected from the surface. They seem to glide along the ground, ricocheting further into outer space.
Keep in mind that the tilt of the earth's axis with respect to the sun changes throughout the year. This feature is associated with the alternation of the seasons: when it is summer in the southern hemisphere, it is winter in the northern hemisphere, and vice versa.
But these seasonal fluctuations do not play a special role in the average annual temperature. In any case, the average temperature in the equatorial or tropical zone will be positive, and in the region of the poles - negative. The latitudinal zonality has direct influence on climate, landscape, fauna, hydrology, and so on. When moving towards the poles, the change in latitudinal zones is clearly visible not only on land, but also in the ocean.
In geography, as we move towards the poles, the following latitudinal zones are distinguished:
- Equatorial.
- Tropical.
- Subtropical.
- Moderate.
- Subarctic.
- Arctic (polar).
Altitudinal zonality
Altitudinal zonality, as well as latitudinal zonality, is characterized by a change in climatic conditions. Only this change occurs not when moving from the equator to the poles, but from sea level to the highlands. The main differences between lowlands and mountainous areas are the difference in temperature.
So, when you rise one kilometer relative to sea level, the average annual temperature drops by about 6 degrees. In addition, atmospheric pressure decreases, solar radiation becomes more intense, and the air becomes more rarefied, clean and less saturated. oxygen.
When reaching a height of several kilometers (2-4 km), the humidity of the air increases, the amount of precipitation increases. Further, as you climb the mountains, the change of natural belts becomes more noticeable. To some extent, such a change is similar to a change in the landscape with latitudinal zonality. The amount of solar heat loss increases as altitude increases. The reason for this is the lower density of air, which plays the role of a kind of blanket that delays the sun's rays reflected from the earth and water.
At the same time, the change of altitude zones does not always occur in a strictly defined sequence. In different geographical areas, such a change may occur in different ways. In tropical or arctic regions, a full cycle of altitudinal changes may not be observed at all. For example, in the mountains of Antarctica or the Arctic, there is no forest belt and alpine meadows. And in many mountains located in the tropics there is a snow-glacial (nival) belt. The most complete change of cycles can be observed in the highest mountain ranges at the equator and in the tropics - in the Himalayas, Tibet, Andes, Cordillera.
Altitudinal zonality is divided into several types starting from top to bottom:
- Nival belt. This name comes from the Latin "nivas" - snowy. This is the highest altitudinal zone, characterized by the presence of eternal snows and glaciers. In the tropics, it begins at an altitude of at least 6.5 km, and in the polar zones - directly from sea level.
- Mountain tundra. It is located between the belt of eternal snows and alpine meadows. In this zone, the average annual temperature is 0-5 degrees. The vegetation is represented by mosses and lichens.
- Alpine meadows. They are located below the mountain tundra, the climate is temperate. The flora is represented by creeping shrubs and alpine herbs. They are used in summer transhumance for grazing sheep, goats, yaks and other mountain domestic animals.
- subalpine zone. It is characterized by a mixture of alpine meadows with rare mountain forests and shrubs. It is a transitional zone between alpine meadows and forest belt.
- Mountain forests. The lower belt of mountains, with a predominance of a variety of tree landscapes. Trees can be either deciduous or coniferous. In the equatorial-tropical zone, the soles of the mountains are often covered with evergreen forests - jungles.
Latitudinal zoning- a regular change in physical and geographical processes, components and complexes of geosystems from the equator to the poles. Latitudinal zonality is due to the spherical shape of the Earth's surface, as a result of which there is a gradual decrease in the amount of heat coming to it from the equator to the poles.
Altitudinal zonality- a natural change in natural conditions and landscapes in the mountains as the absolute height increases. Altitudinal zonality is explained by climate change with height: a drop in air temperature with height and an increase in precipitation and atmospheric moisture. Vertical zonality always begins with the horizontal zone in which the mountainous country is located. Above the belts are replaced in general in the same way as the horizontal zones, up to the area of polar snows. Sometimes the less precise name "vertical zonality" is used. It is inaccurate because the belts do not have a vertical, but a horizontal strike and replace each other in height (Figure 12).
Figure 12 - Altitudinal zonality in the mountains
natural areas- these are natural-territorial complexes within the geographical zones of land, corresponding to the types of vegetation. In the distribution of natural zones in the belt, the relief plays an important role, its pattern and absolute heights - mountain barriers that block the path of the air flow, contribute to the rapid change of natural zones to more continental ones.
Natural zones of equatorial and subequatorial latitudes. Zone moist equatorial forests (hylaea) located in the equatorial climate zone with high temperatures (+28 °C), and a large amount of precipitation throughout the year (more than 3000 mm). The zone is most widespread in South America, where it occupies the Amazon basin. In Africa, it is located in the Congo basin, in Asia - on the Malay Peninsula and the islands of Greater and Lesser Sunda and New Guinea (Figure 13).
Figure 13 - Natural zones of the Earth
Evergreen forests are dense, impenetrable, grow on red-yellow ferralite soils. Forests are distinguished by species diversity: an abundance of palms, lianas and epiphytes; mangrove thickets are common along the sea coasts. There are hundreds of species of trees in such a forest, and they are arranged in several tiers. Many of them bloom and bear fruit all year round.
The animal world is also diverse. Most of the inhabitants are adapted to life on trees: monkeys, sloths, etc. Of the land animals, tapirs, hippos, jaguars, and leopards are characteristic. There are a lot of birds (parrots, hummingbirds), the world of reptiles, amphibians and insects is rich.
Savannah and woodland zone located in the subequatorial belt of Africa, Australia, South America. The climate is characterized by high temperatures, alternating wet and dry seasons. Soils of a peculiar color: red and red-brown or reddish-brown, in which iron compounds accumulate. Due to insufficient moisture, the vegetation cover is an endless sea of grasses with isolated low trees and thickets of shrubs. Woody vegetation gives way to grasses, mainly tall grasses, sometimes reaching 1.5–3 meters in height. Numerous species of cacti and agaves are common in the American savannas. Certain types of trees have adapted to the dry period, storing moisture or delaying evaporation. These are African baobabs, Australian eucalyptus, South American bottle tree and palm trees. The animal world is rich and varied. The main feature of the fauna of the savannas is the abundance of birds, ungulates and the presence of large predators. Vegetation contributes to the spread of large herbivorous and predatory mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects.
Zone variable-humid deciduous forests from the east, north and south frames the hylaea. Here, both evergreen hard-leaved species characteristic of gilis and species that partially shed their leaves in summer are common; lateritic red and yellow soils are formed. The animal world is rich and varied.
Natural zones of tropical and subtropical latitudes. The tropical zone of the northern and southern hemispheres is dominated by tropical desert zone. The climate is tropical desert, hot and dry, because the soils are underdeveloped, often saline. Vegetation on such soils is sparse: rare hard grasses, thorny shrubs, saltworts, lichens. The animal world is richer than the vegetable world, because reptiles (snakes, lizards) and insects are able to stay without water for a long time. Of the mammals - ungulates (gazelle antelope, etc.), capable of traveling long distances in search of water. Near water sources there are oases - "spots" of life among dead desert spaces. Date palms and oleanders grow here.
Also present in the tropics zone of humid and variable-moist tropical forests. It was formed in the eastern part of South America, in the northern and northeastern parts of Australia. The climate is humid with constantly high temperatures and high rainfall, which falls during the summer during the monsoon rains. On red-yellow and red soils, variable-moist, evergreen forests grow, rich in species composition (palms, ficuses). They look like equatorial forests. The animal world is rich and varied (monkeys, parrots).
Subtropical hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs typical for the western part of the continents, where the climate is Mediterranean: hot and dry summers, warm and rainy winters. Brown soils are highly fertile and are used to cultivate valuable subtropical crops. The lack of moisture during the period of intense solar radiation led to the appearance of adaptations in plants in the form of hard leaves with a waxy coating, which reduce evaporation. Hard-leaved evergreen forests are adorned with laurels, wild olives, cypresses, and yews. In large areas they have been cut down, and their place is taken by fields of grain crops, orchards and vineyards.
Humid subtropical forest zone located in the east of the continents, where the climate is subtropical monsoon. Precipitation falls in summer. The forests are dense, evergreen, broad-leaved and mixed, growing on red and yellow soils. The fauna is diverse, there are bears, deer, roe deer.
Zones of subtropical steppes, semi-deserts and deserts distributed in sectors in the interior of the continents. In South America, the steppes are called pampas. The subtropical dry climate with hot summers and relatively warm winters allows drought-resistant grasses and cereals (wormwood, feather grass) to grow on gray-brown steppe and brown desert soils. The animal world is distinguished by species diversity. Of the mammals, ground squirrels, jerboas, gazelles, kulans, jackals and hyenas are typical. Numerous lizards, snakes.
Natural zones of temperate latitudes include zones of deserts and semi-deserts, steppes, forest-steppes, forests.
Deserts and semi-deserts temperate latitudes occupy large areas in the interior of Eurasia and North America, small areas in South America (Argentina), where the climate is sharply continental, dry, with cold winters and hot summers. Poor vegetation grows on gray-brown desert soils: steppe feather grass, wormwood, camel thorn; saltworts in depressions on saline soils. The fauna is dominated by lizards, snakes, turtles, jerboas, and saigas are common.
Steppes occupy large territories in Eurasia, South and North America. In North America they are called prairies. The climate of the steppes is continental, arid. Due to the lack of moisture, there are no trees and a rich grass cover (feather grass, fescue and other grasses) is developed. The most fertile soils are formed in the steppes - chernozem. In the summer the vegetation in the steppes is sparse, and in the short spring many flowers bloom; lilies, tulips, poppies. The fauna of the steppes is represented mainly by mice, ground squirrels, hamsters, as well as foxes, ferrets. The nature of the steppes has largely changed under the influence of man.
To the north of the steppes is a zone forest-steppes. This is a transitional zone, forest areas in it are interspersed with significant spaces covered with grassy vegetation.
Deciduous and mixed forest zones represented in Eurasia, North and South America. The climate, when moving from the oceans into the continents, changes from maritime (monsoon) to continental. Vegetation changes depending on the climate. The zone of broad-leaved forests (beech, oak, maple, linden) passes into the zone of mixed forests (pine, spruce, oak, hornbeam, etc.). To the north and further into the interior of the continents, coniferous species (pine, spruce, fir, larch) are common. Among them there are also small-leaved species (birch, aspen, alder).
The soils in the broad-leaved forest are brown forest, in the mixed forest they are sod-podzolic, in the taiga they are podzolic and permafrost-taiga. Almost all forest zones of the temperate zone are characterized by a wide distribution swamps.
The fauna is very diverse (deer, brown bears, lynxes, wild boars, roe deer, etc.).
Natural zones of subpolar and polar latitudes. forest tundra is a transition zone from forests to tundra. The climate in these latitudes is cold. The soils are tundra-gley, podzolic and peat-bog. The vegetation of light forests (low larches, spruce, birch) gradually turns into tundra. The fauna is represented by the inhabitants of the forest and tundra zones (polar owls, lemmings).
Tundra characterized by arrogance. Climate with long cold winters, wet and cold summers. This leads to severe freezing of the soil, forming permafrost. Evaporation is low here, organic matter does not have time to decompose and as a result swamps are formed. Mosses, lichens, low grasses, dwarf birches, willows, etc. grow on humus-poor tundra-gley and peat-bog soils of the tundra. moss, lichen, shrub. The animal world is poor (reindeer, arctic fox, owls, pied).
Arctic (Antarctic) desert zone located in polar latitudes. Due to the very cold climate with low temperatures throughout the year, large areas of land are covered with glaciers. Soils are almost undeveloped. On ice-free areas there are rocky deserts with very poor and sparse vegetation (mosses, lichens, algae). Polar birds settle on the rocks, forming "bird colonies". In North America, there is a large ungulate animal - the musk ox. Natural conditions in Antarctica are even more severe. Penguins, petrels, cormorants nest on the coast. Whales, seals, and fish live in Antarctic waters.
