Geographical position of the natural zones of Africa table. Africa: natural zones and climate. Moist equatorial forests
The natural zones of Africa, like the climatic zones, are located on the mainland symmetrically to the equator, and their borders almost coincide. In the location of the zones, latitudinal zonality is well traced, which is due to the flat relief, the position between the tropics and the distribution of precipitation.
Natural areas of Africa
Four natural zones of Africa.
- Zone of moist evergreen equatorial forests occupies the Congo basin and the coast of the Gulf of Guinea north of the equator. Many types of palms grow on red-yellow ferralitic soils in forests, including oilseeds, ficuses, coffee trees, tree ferns, bananas, and numerous lianas. Plants have adapted well to high humidity conditions: they form many tiers, have hard, dense, often shiny leaves, supporting roots and other adaptations. Many animals live in trees here. Gorillas, chimpanzees and other monkey species live in the forests; leopards, forest elephants, okapis, pygmy hippos live; hundreds of species of birds, many insects, snakes, lizards and other animals. Equatorial forests give way to variable rainforests and then savannahs.
- savannah zone located north, south and east of the equatorial forests. Savannas occupy 40% of the mainland. Among the tall grasses grow baobabs, acacias with umbrella crowns, mimosa. Gallery forests stretch along the rivers. The abundance of herbaceous vegetation is a condition for the existence in the savannas of many species of ungulates: antelopes, buffaloes, zebras, rhinos. Elephants, giraffes, hippos live in the expanses of the savannas. There are also many predators here - lions, cheetahs, hyenas. Of the birds, ostriches, marabou, secretary bird, etc. are characteristic.
- Tropical and semi-desert zones occupy vast areas in Africa. To the north lies the world's largest desert, the Sahara. In the southwest of the mainland, the barren Namib Desert stretches along the ocean coast. Soils in deserts do not form a continuous cover. In some places, bunches of grasses and thorny bushes grow on sandy areas. Lichens grow on rocks. In the oases of the Sahara, the date palm is common. In the semi-deserts of South Africa, velvichia grows - a peculiar plant that has a short (no more than 50 cm) thick trunk and two very long leaves (over 2-3 m). The deserts of Africa are characterized by small antelopes, lizards, snakes; hyenas, jackals, lions, ostriches are found in the Sahara.
- Zones of evergreen hard-leaved forests and shrubs located in the extreme north and in the extreme south of the mainland in the subtropical climate zone. Nature here has been greatly altered by man. Cultivated fields and plantations sprawled on the site of long-cut forests and shrubs.
The distribution of natural areas in Africa is also almost symmetrical about the equator and depends mainly on the uneven distribution of precipitation.
Moist evergreen equatorial forests occupy the Congo basin and the coast of the Gulf of Guinea north of the equator. These forests are distinguished by a huge species diversity (more than 1000 plant species), height (up to 50 m) and multi-layered (tree crowns fill almost the entire space). Animals are also distributed in tiers. Hordes of microfauna, a variety of invertebrates, as well as shrews, lizards and snakes swarm in loose soil and forest litter. The ground layer is inhabited by small ungulates, forest pigs, forest elephants, and gorillas. The crowns of trees were chosen not only by birds, but also by monkeys, colobuses, chimpanzees and even rodents and insects, often reaching very large sizes. There, on large branches, a leopard rests and lies in wait for prey. Ants, termites and amphibians are common in almost all tiers, near water bodies - pygmy hippos, okapi (relatives of giraffes). Here, geochemical processes are actively taking place with the participation of microorganisms and soil fauna, accompanied by the formation of iron and aluminum oxides. Rocks acquire a special structure and color, the so-called weathering crusts are formed, on which red-yellow ferralitic soils (ferrum - iron, aluminum - aluminum) are formed. Many of the plants of the equatorial forests are used in the economy and introduced into cultivation: banana, coffee tree, oil palm, etc.
From the south and north, the zone of humid equatorial forests is bordered by zone of variable-humid deciduous forests, and further - a zone of light forests and savannahs, which is associated with the appearance of a dry period, which lengthens as you move away from the equator.
About 40% of Africa is occupied savannah, where small groups or single specimens of umbrella-shaped trees (baobabs, umbrella acacias, mimosas, palm trees) rise among tall grasses, sometimes thickets of shrubs. Their leaves are usually small, hard, pubescent, the trunks are covered with thick bark. Baobab is the tree of life of the savannas and one of the most famous trees in the world. Usually these "green fat men" are not very tall, however, there are individual specimens that reach a hundred meters in height and several tens of meters in circumference. Moreover, there is a report that a completely gigantic baobab was found in the African savannas, 189 m tall and with a trunk diameter of 43.4 m - and this is already an absolute world record among trees. The ways in which these trees are used are amazing. Fruits, seeds, young shoots and leaves are eaten. Soap and oil are made from the ashes of the burnt fruits, and glue is made from flower pollen. But the trunks of these giants find the most original application. So, for example, it is known that in the hollow of one baobab they equipped a shelter with a door and a window, in the hollow of another - a bus station with a waiting room, and in the third - a bathhouse.
In dry savannahs, tree-like spurges and aloe with fleshy spiny leaves grow. In the rainy season, the savannah is an ocean of greenery; in the dry season, it turns yellow, brown, sometimes black from fires. Red ferralitic or red-brown soils of savannahs are more fertile than soils of moist equatorial forests, since humus accumulates during the dry period.
The African savanna is a country of large herbivores. These are giraffes, elephants, antelopes, zebras, buffaloes, rhinos. There are many predators: lions, leopards, cheetahs, jackals and carrion-eating hyenas. Numerous birds nest along the banks of rivers and lakes, hippos, crocodiles live.
To preserve the nature of the savannas, the well-known national parks Kivu, Virunga in Zaire, Katera in Rwanda, Serengeti in Tanzania have been created. They are actively visited by tourists from all over the world, bring a huge income. They do a lot of research work.
Large areas north and south of the savannas are tropical semi-desert and desert zones. There are only irregular episodic rains, in some areas once every few years. The zone is characterized by extreme dryness of air, large diurnal temperature amplitudes, dust and sand storms. The surface of the deserts is covered with stony placers or sands, salt marshes in the place of dried salt lakes or clays where once there were seas.
The vegetation here is very sparse and specific. The leaves are either replaced by spines or are very small, the roots extend both in breadth and far into the depth of the soil. Some plants can live in saline soils, others have a short development cycle (live only after rains). In search of scarce food and water, desert animals can travel long distances (ungulates, such as antelopes) or go without water for a long time (some reptiles, camels), some of them are nocturnal. Soils are poor in organic matter, but rich in mineral salts. With irrigation, on the one hand, this allows growing many crops, but on the other hand, it creates the problem of secondary salinization of soils and groundwater. As a result, agricultural land turns into barren salt marshes.
In the extreme north and south of the mainland is zone of subtropical hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs with brown soils.
On the uplifts of the relief it appears altitudinal zonality. The highest peaks of the mainland (Kilimanjaro, Kenya), even in tropical and equatorial latitudes, are covered with eternal snow and glaciers.
|
natural area |
Climate type |
Climate features |
Vegetation |
The soil |
Animal world |
||
|
TJan. |
TJuly |
Amount of precipitation |
|||||
|
Hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs |
Mediterranean western coasts |
Holm oak, wild olive, jujube |
Brown |
Leopards, antelopes, zebras. |
|||
|
Semi-deserts and deserts |
Tropical dry western coasts |
Xerophytes, saltworts, spurges, thickets of thorny bushes, juzgun |
Desert sandy and rocky |
Scorpions, beetles, locusts, hedgehogs, snakes, jerboas |
|||
|
Deserted savannas and woodlands |
Euphorbia, aloe, paspalidium, sporobolus, baobab |
Red-brown |
Giraffes, buffaloes, gazelles, antelopes, rhinos, zebras |
||||
|
subequatorial continental |
Baobabs, cereals, palms, oil palms |
Red ferralitic |
|||||
|
Variable rainforests |
subequatorial continental |
Ficus, pandanus, hymenocardia |
Red ferralitic |
Leopard, deer, secretary bird |
|||
|
Constantly wet |
equatorial continental |
Ficuses, palm, ceiba, bananas, coffee |
Red-yellow ferralitic |
Gorillas, chimpanzees, termites, parrots, okapi, elephant. |
|||
21. Characteristics of the natural zones of Africa.
A relatively narrow strip on both sides of the equator in the Congo Basin and along the Gulf of Guinea in the north of the equator is occupied by zone of humid evergreen equatorial forests (hylaea) on red-yellow ferrallitic soils, practically devoid of humus. These forests are distinguished by continuous vegetation throughout the year and amaze with the density of stands and the abundance of species. There are up to 3,000 species of woody plants alone in the Hylaea of Africa. These forests are multi-tiered (the result of the struggle for light, in which not only trees, but also numerous lianas and epiphytes take part). The height of the first tier is 40-50 m, only individual trees, mainly palm trees, rise to 60-70 m. Tree trunks are slender, small in diameter; with very thin bark, on which various flowers and fruits directly develop. The root system spreads mainly in a horizontal direction, many tree species have additional supporting roots. Gila trees do not have a single seasonal rhythm. Due to the constant hot and humid climate, they bloom, bear fruit and partially shed their leaves (for a short period) at different times.
Gradually, with the reduction of the rainy season and the appearance of a dry season, the humid equatorial forests turn into variable wet ones, and then into savannahs and light forests. IN savannas on red ferrallitic and red-brown soils, a dense grass cover is developed, represented mainly by cereals, among which grow singly (baobabs) or in small groups of low trees (umbrella acacias, palms) and shrubs of the hot zone. Savannahs occupy about 40% of the territory in Africa and extend in the north to 16-18 ° N. sh., and in the south they pass over the Southern Tropic. A feature of the savannas is a sharp change in their appearance - from bright green in the rainy season to brown-yellow in the dry season, when almost all the trees shed their leaves and the grasses burn out. Due to the abundance of plant food in the African savannas, there are many herbivores: dozens of species of antelopes, zebras, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, rhinos, hippos, etc. They, in turn, are food for a variety of predators: lions, cheetahs, jackals, leopards, hyenas , crocodiles, etc. Many birds also live in the savannah: ostriches, secretary birds, marabou, flamingos, pelicans, etc. A real disaster for the local population is the tsetse fly.
Gradually, savannas pass in both hemispheres into tropical deserts and semi-deserts. This change is explained by the extreme dryness of tropical air, accompanied by a sharp decrease in precipitation. The largest area is occupied by deserts in North Africa, where the largest desert in the world, the Sahara, is located. The annual amount of precipitation in the Sahara does not exceed 50 mm, and the daily temperature range causes intense processes of physical weathering. The Sahara is dominated by rocky deserts (hamads), alternating with clay (serirs) and sandy (ergs). The vegetation of deserts is very poor and has adaptive features for a dry climate: long roots, small, pubescent leaves, often replaced by thorns, etc. In places where groundwater is close or comes to the surface, oases arise with a relatively diverse vegetation, among which the most common got a date palm. Desert animals are also adapted to dry climates. Antelopes in search of water can travel great distances, snakes, turtles and lizards can do without water for a long time. In South Africa, the desert zone covers the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Here is the Namib Desert, which is characterized by a peculiar plant - velvichia with two leaves up to 3 m long each.
In the north and southwest of Africa, in areas with a Mediterranean climate, lies zone of subtropical evergreen hardwood forests and shrubs. The plants of this natural zone are well adapted to the dry summer period - the leaves are small and hard, there are thorns and prickles that evaporate little moisture. Climatic conditions and peculiar vegetation contributed to the formation of brown soils. Here grow African species of beech and oak, wild olive, strawberry tree, sometimes there is a Lebanese cedar, mercilessly cut down by man in historical time.
In the mountains of Africa, altitudinal zonation is traced, manifested in the change with the height of forests by savannahs, meadows and eternal snows at the very peaks.
Natural zoning
The largest natural complex of the planet is the geographical envelope.
The natural complex of the Earth is heterogeneous both vertically and horizontally, which is expressed in the vertical zonality and latitudinal presence of various natural zones on Earth.
Definition 1
A natural zone is a natural complex of land or the World Ocean, elongated in latitude and having similar natural conditions.
There are a number of factors that influence the formation of natural zones.
For natural zones, as constituting a geographical shell, a certain set of natural components is characteristic, having their own characteristics.
These components are:
- climatic conditions of the territory;
- the nature of its relief;
- water resources of the territory;
- soil structure;
- Flora and fauna.
The climatic features of the territory include its temperature regime, the nature of moisture, the properties of the prevailing air masses.
The criterion of the general nature of the relief affects the configuration of the natural zone. The proximity of the ocean or the presence of currents off the coast also affect their formation, but these factors will be secondary.
The formation of natural zones primarily depends on climatic conditions, on the amount of incoming solar heat and light, but their names are associated with the nature of vegetation, because flora is a bright component of any landscape.
The plant world acts as a kind of indicator that reflects all the deep processes of the formation of the natural complex.
In the hierarchy of the physical-geographical zoning of the planet, the natural zone is the highest step.
On the map of the natural zones of Africa, it is clearly seen that all of them are located in the form of belts with a sublatitudinal direction, i.e. stretched from west to east.
Figure 1. Natural zonality of Africa. Author24 - online exchange of student papers
Sometimes this direction of natural zones can be violated due to the features of the relief of this territory. On the map, the boundaries between natural areas are shown very clearly, which cannot be in reality.
Each zone, almost quite smoothly "transitions" into the neighboring natural zone.
At the junction of two natural zones, border or transitional zones are formed, for example, at the junction of the forest and steppe zones, a transitional forest-steppe zone has formed. Thus, the formation of natural zones is influenced by many factors, the set of which for any territory, whether it be a mainland, a country, a small area, will be the same.
Remark 1
On the surface of the planet, geographers distinguish more than a dozen large natural zones, replacing each other from the equator to the polar latitudes.
Natural areas of the mainland
Since Africa is located on both sides of the equator and is thousands of kilometers away from it to the north and south, various natural zones have formed on its territory, stretched mainly from west to east.
Allocate among the main species zone of humid equatorial forests, savannahs and light forests, deserts and semi-deserts, evergreen forests and shrubs.
In a hot and humid equatorial climate, moist equatorial forests have formed on red-yellow ferralitic soils. Some woody plants in this zone, there are up to 3000 species.
Among them are iron tree, sandalwood, ebony, oil palm, rubber, breadfruit, coffee, nutmeg, etc. Lianas and orchids intertwine the crowns and trunks of trees.
The fauna of the equatorial forests is rich and diverse, represented not only by apes.
Within the terrestrial layer, small ungulates, okapi, pygmy hippopotamuses, pigs are inhabited. From predators you can meet a leopard.
Snakes, lizards, termites, and shrews are associated with the forest floor. Insects such as mosquitoes, ants are characteristic of the humid equatorial forest, but there are few birds in the humid forests.
Variably humid forests are being replaced by savannahs and light forests, where grass cover prevails.
In some places you can find lonely low trees or small groups of them. In dry areas, red-brown soils of desert savannahs were formed, and closer to the border with moist forests, red ferrallitic soils of tall-grass savannahs were formed.
The grass burns out during the dry period, and the trees shed their leaves. With the advent of the rainy period, the plant world comes to life.
The symbol of the African savannah is the baobab, in addition to it, umbrella acacias, mimosas, and some palm trees grow.
In arid regions grows aloe, euphorbia.
Savannah fauna is represented by a wide variety of herbivores - antelopes, zebras, giraffes, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, hippos. Where there are herbivores, there are predators - lions, cheetahs, jackals, hyenas. The crocodile is a thunderstorm of animals and humans.
The world of birds is also diverse, there is a nectary, a secretary bird, an African ostrich, flamingos, ibises, storks, marabou. The tsetse fly is known, the bites of which are fatal to horses and cattle. In humans, the bite of this fly causes sleeping sickness.
Tropical deserts and semi-deserts begin to the north of the savannas and light forests. The northern, wide part of the mainland is occupied by the Sahara, where vast areas are occupied by rocky areas, alternating with clay and sandy ones. In some parts of the Sahara, dunes and dunes accumulate.
The flora of the Sahara is very poor, and in some places it is completely devoid of it. In stony deserts, lichens, saltwort and wormwood are common - on saline soils. Near the water, oases develop, with a date palm common in them.
Animals - lizards, turtles, snakes, have adapted well to the conditions of the desert climate and can do without water for quite a long period. Beetles, scorpions, locusts are characteristic, and lions and hyenas are found on the outskirts.
Deserts in southern Africa occupy the coast of the Atlantic Ocean - the Namib Desert.
In the Mediterranean area, in western Africa, a zone of subtropical hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs has formed. Plants grow on chestnut soils in hot summers and wet warm winters.
To the east, this zone on the plains of North Africa is replaced by a zone of subtropical deserts and semi-deserts.
Ecological problems in Africa
Environmental problems affect not only individual countries, but the entire mainland, but the governments of African countries are not very concerned about this.
On the mainland, there are no modern technologies for environmental protection. The problems of reducing or completely eliminating waste are not solved in any way.
The chaotic, irrational and ill-conceived use of natural resources leads to new and new problems.
The richest flora and fauna of Africa suffers from poachers, and their criminal activities are not stopped by the states.
Many representatives of wildlife may very soon completely disappear from the face of the planet.
The quagga, a close relative of the zebra, has already been completely exterminated. The last individual was destroyed in 1878. There was an attempt to save this animal in the zoo, but even there this attempt failed.
In northern Africa, an environmental problem is associated with desertification, the cause of which is uncontrolled deforestation, which leads to soil degradation.
The problem of destruction of arrays of the tropical sector is typical for South Africa. Not far from the capital of Ghana - the city of Accra, a place has appeared for the disposal of electronic waste collected from all over the planet. Old TVs, scanners, computers, telephones and other devices have found their place here.
The danger lies in the fact that mercury, hydrochloric acid, arsenic, lead dust, various chemical compounds get into the soil from this garbage, and in such quantities that all maximum allowable standards are exceeded hundreds of times.
The soil in this area has no grass, the birds do not dare to fly through this air, and there are no fish in the reservoirs.
The life expectancy of people living in this area is very short.
Chemical industry wastes are imported and buried in Africa on the basis of an agreement signed by the governments of local countries, which has a monstrous effect not only on the flora and fauna of the mainland, but also on people.
The nature of Africa is being destroyed for selfish purposes not only by representatives of other countries, but also by those who should protect it.
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.