Assessment of the impact of forest resources on the formation of surface water runoff in the Republic of Sakha. In what natural area does larch grow?

Coniferous forests occupy vast areas in the Northern Hemisphere. This zone is located south of the tundra and is called the taiga. Soils in the taiga are podzolic; in mixed forests - sod-podzolic. To the south, coniferous forests give way to deciduous ones. Conifers, with the exception of larch, are evergreen trees.

The Soviet Union is the richest country in the world with forests. Of the 3 billion hectares of forest on the whole earth, more than 1 billion hectares are located in the USSR. 80% of our forests consist of the most valuable conifers.

The coniferous forests of the USSR and Western Europe consist of pine, spruce, fir, and larch. Daurian larch forms extensive forests in Eastern Siberia.

North America is also rich in coniferous forests, especially the strip along the Pacific coast, from 42 to 62 ° N. sh. Some of the coniferous forests of this region belong to the laurel type forests, but in the Sierra Nevada mountains, under different climatic conditions, coniferous forests grow. At an altitude of 1500-2500 m above sea level, there is a tree that has the thickest trunk on Earth - the giant sequoia. The tree reaches 150 m in height and 15 m in diameter. The giant sequoia lives up to 4 thousand years. In the Sierra Nevada mountains, there are 32 patches of sequoiadendron forest. Separate giant trees are named after their own names: "Mother of the forests", "Father of the forests", "Grey-haired giant". In the USSR, the giant sequoia is bred on the Black Sea coast and in some regions of Central Asia.

To the east and northeast of the Pacific coast, the number of species of conifers decreases. And only Canadian forests are richer in species of coniferous forests in Europe. In Canada, there are several types of pines: flexible pine, resinous pine, white pine; several types of spruce, two types of fir and two types of larch.

In Western Europe, coniferous forests are found only in the mountains. Scotch pine and tall spruce (common) grow there, and on the plains there are exclusively deciduous forests.

The plains of the European part of the USSR are characterized by spruce forests. They are named according to the grass cover: sour spruce forest (with a predominance of oxalis plants in the grass cover), lingonberry spruce forest (with a predominance of lingonberries), blueberry spruce forest and a number of other types.

We mistakenly call cedar one of the types of pine, namely Siberian pine. She gives the so-called pine nuts. Korean pine grows in the Far East, also incorrectly called Korean cedar. Its seeds are somewhat larger than those of Siberian pine and have a harder skin. On Earth, 4 types of real cedar are known: Himalayan cedar - grows in the Himalayas, Atlas cedar - in the Atlas Mountains in North Africa, Lebanese cedar - in the mountains of Lebanon in Western Asia and short-coniferous cedar - in the mountains of the island of Cyprus.

Coniferous forests are very valuable. They are used to obtain construction and ornamental material, fuel, paper and other products. The wood chemical industry produces film, plastics, viscose, alcohol, synthetic rubber, turpentine, camphor and many other substances from wood.

A large number of coniferous trees growing on Earth can be cultivated in our country. At the Botanical Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences, scientists summarized the experience of our botanical gardens and parks, compiled a list of conifers that can be bred in various regions of the USSR.

Only on the southern coast of Crimea and the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus can more than 100 species of coniferous trees and shrubs be cultivated instead of a dozen species that are found there in the wild.

Summer green forests are distributed mainly in the Northern Hemisphere. They grow on gray forest and brown forest soils. In the Southern Hemisphere, such forests are found only in South America in Patagonia.

In summer green forests, two groups of trees (and shrubs) are distinguished: broad-leaved and small-leaved. Beech, oak, maple, linden and other broad-leaved trees have a rather large leaf blade. Such a leaf evaporates a lot of water.

In small-leaved trees (birch, aspen, alder and some others), the leaf blade is smaller. These tree species were formed in more severe conditions than broad-leaved ones.

Broad-leaved forests are characteristic of the Atlantic states of North America, Western Europe, and the European part of the USSR. In Asia, they occupy the southern parts of the Far East, most of East China, and Japan.

The broad-leaved forests of North America, in comparison with the forests of Eurasia, are rich in tree and shrub species. Large-leaved beech prevails in the forests, reaching 40 m in height and more than 1 m in diameter. In autumn, its leaves turn red-brown and fall off in October - December. Large-leaved beech is used in gardens and parks of the southern regions of the USSR as an ornamental tree.

In the forests of North America there is a lot of sugar maple, reaching 35 m in height. It has valuable wood. The sap of the tree contains 2 to 5% sugar and is used for sugar making. In the beech forests of North America, there is a good grass cover, many shrubs, and lianas are found. Virginia grapes grow here, which we call “wild grapes”. It is bred near terraces and arbors. He covers them with a solid green wall.

Oak forests occupy more continental areas in North America. They are characterized by several types of oaks, numerous types of maples, several types of walnut. All these trees are also found in the USSR, but in our country they are represented by other species. In North America, there is also a tulip tree and creepers in oak forests.

Western Europe is characterized by beech and oak forests. However, the types of beech and oak are already different there. The forest beech, or European, is not inferior in height to the American beech, sometimes even exceeds it. The beech that grows in the Crimea is very similar to the European beech, but it is a special species - the Crimean beech. In the Caucasus, beech forests are formed by oriental beech.

Beech can be grown in the forest zone of the European part of the USSR up to Moscow and Leningrad.

In contrast to the forests of North America, the beech forests of Eurasia have almost no grass cover and shrub layer. On the plains of the European part of the USSR, beech forests grow in the western part of the Ukrainian SSR (Stanislav, Volyn, Khmelnitsky and other regions).

The oak forests of Western Europe consist mainly of sessile oak. On the plains of the European part of the USSR, another type of oak is already widespread - the pedunculate oak. Broad-leaved forests with a predominance of oak extend almost in a continuous strip to the Ural Range. In the south they border on the steppes, and in the north they are replaced by coniferous forests. Pedunculate oak is a very valuable species. Its wood is used for construction and various crafts (parquet, plywood, furniture, etc.). The bark is used for tanning leather. Acorns are used to make a coffee substitute. Pedunculate oak is the main species in the field-protective forest belts of the southern half of the European part of the USSR.

Other types of oak, linden, maple, elm grow in the east of Asia, as well as the Amur cork tree and other trees.

Small-leaved forests - birch, aspen and alder - appear after cutting down coniferous and broad-leaved forests; they are called secondary. But in a number of places, small-leaved forests are primary (primary). In the more humid climate of northeast Asia, small-leaved trees grow: fragrant poplar, chosenia, Cajander birch.

The Cis-Urals and Western Siberia are characterized by forests of warty birch and downy birch. Birch, aspen and alder are often found in the coniferous and broadleaf forests of North America and Eurasia.


There are several classifications of the forest, depending on the place of distribution, the age of the trees, and their species.

The geographical position plays a decisive role in the formation of the thermal and water regime, in the emergence of conditions for the penetration of migratory plants and animals into a given area, and the climate of geographical zones is the basis for the forest classification:
- A strip of coniferous forests (taiga) runs along the north of Eurasia and North America. Similar forests are expressed in all high-mountain regions (mountain taiga);
- in the temperate zone of Eurasia and North America, deciduous deciduous forests extend, turning into mixed in the taiga regions;
- in the middle zone of both hemispheres, non-deciduous forests of hard-leaved species grow (southern Europe, northern America, California, Chile, South America, Indochina and Australia);
- in the subtropics and tropics, where the year is divided into dry and rainy seasons, continuous savannah forests and savannahs with rare woody vegetation;
- in the tropical and equatorial zones with a uniform seasonal distribution of precipitation, there is a humid tropical evergreen forest (rain forest).

Depending on the latitude in which the forest is located, there are:

Tropical rainforests (selva, gilea, jungle) - equatorial evergreen forests: it has a large species diversity of flora and fauna. A large tier allows only a very small amount of light to penetrate inside (to the lower tiers). More than half of all tropical forests have already been destroyed. Classical examples are the forests of the Amazon, the jungles of India and the Congo Basin. Caatinga - dry deciduous tropical forests, fall during the drought period.

The eucalyptus groves of Australia are evergreen subtropical forests. Deciduous forests (broad-leaved and small-leaved): found mainly in the Northern Hemisphere. Due to the penetration of light, life on the lower tiers is more active. Ancient forests of temperate latitudes are represented only by scattered remnants.

Taiga - coniferous forest: the most extensive range. Includes forests over 50% of Siberia, Alaska, Scandinavia and Canada.

There are also araucaria groves in South America. Flora is represented mainly by coniferous evergreen trees and plants.

Mixed forests are forests in which both deciduous and coniferous trees grow. The range extends to almost the entire Central and Western Europe.

For pine forests of the forest-steppe zone, the following forest types have been established:

1) dry forest - pine forests on dry sand dunes;

2) low-lying, or fresh, boron - pine forests growing in relatively low places with the participation of birch, less often aspen, in the composition of forest stands;

3) steppe forests - pine forests on sandy loamy soils and fine loams with a second tier of oak and birch. From the above examples, it can be seen that, when classifying a forest, a double name is given to it - according to the predominant tree species and according to the soil difference or position on the terrain. For us, the classification of forests by types is of historical importance in the development of forest typology, since it formed the basis for the classifications of the successors of the typological study of our forests. Developing and deepening the theory of forest types by G.F. Morozov, his follower V.N. Sukachev approaches the concept of a forest type as a certain natural unity, where the vegetation, fauna, soil and atmosphere of a given forest area are in close interaction and interrelation. In connection with the understanding of the type of forest as a geographical complex, he proposed that the groupings of similar forest areas be based not only on the uniformity of the composition of the forest stand, but also on the nature of the components that make up the forest in terms of their interaction and relationship. Thus, V.N. Sukachev linked the concept of forest type with the concept of biogeocenosis. Under the type of forest, he began to understand a section of the earth's surface where, over a certain extent, living organisms (communities of vegetation, animals and microbes) and the natural conditions corresponding to them (climate, soil and hydrogeological conditions) remain homogeneous, closely interconnected also by homogeneous interactions and therefore in aggregates forming a single, internally interdependent complex.



What forests are still left in the world
Review by Polit.ru expert, ecologist, doctor of agricultural sciences Valentin Strakhov

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the total forest area of ​​the world exceeds 3.4 billion hectares, or 27% of the earth's land area. FAO estimates are based on the definition that all ecological systems with a tree cover of at least 10% in developing countries and at least 20% in developed countries are identified as forests.

In addition, according to the accepted methodology for classifying forests, 1.7 billion hectares of land occupied by trees and shrubs must be added to this area. More than half of the world's forest area (51%) is located on the territory of four countries: Russia - 22%, Brazil - 16%, Canada - 7%, USA - 6%

An estimate of the total timber stock in the world's forests has been obtained by FAO by summarizing data from 166 countries covering 99% of the world's forest area. It amounted to 386 billion cubic meters in 2000.

The total amount of aboveground woody biomass in the world is estimated at 422 billion tons. About 27% of the aboveground woody biomass is concentrated in Brazil and about 25% in Russia (due to the area).

The average amount of woody biomass per hectare of the planet's forests is 109 tons/ha. The maximum amount of woody biomass per hectare is recorded for South America as a whole. The largest stock of timber per hectare was also noted here (in Guatemala - 355 m3/ha). The countries of Central Europe also have very high timber stocks per hectare (286 m3/ha in Austria).

The Global Forest Assessment is based on information provided by each country to FAO based on a recommended format. These data are also usually combined according to the allocated zones of forest growth: tropical, temperate and boreal zones based on the conditional division of the surface of the globe into physical and geographical zones.

Forest zones are called natural land areas of the boreal, temperate, subtropical, tropical, subequatorial and equatorial belts, in the natural landscapes of which forest tree and shrub vegetation predominates. Forest zones are common in conditions of sufficient or excessive moisture. The most typical for the growth of forests is a humid or humid climate. According to

According to the geomorphological classification, the climate of areas with excessive moisture is considered humid when precipitation exceeds the amount of moisture used for evaporation and seepage into the soil, and excess moisture is removed by river runoff, which contributes to the development of erosive landforms.

The typical vegetation of landscapes with a humid climate is the forest. There are two types of humid climate: polar - with permafrost and phreatic - with groundwater.

The tropical forests of the world cover an area of ​​1.7 billion hectares, which is about 37% of the land area of ​​countries located in the tropical zone of our planet. In the tropics, subequatorial monsoon forests, equatorial tropical rainforests, tropical humid evergreen, humid tropical deciduous and semi-deciduous forests, including mangrove forests and savannas, grow.

All forests of this belt of the earth develop on the so-called red soils - ferrallitic soils, which were formed on the weathering crust of the ancient dry land of the earth, which underwent deep weathering (ferrallitization), as a result of which almost all primary minerals were destroyed. The content of humus in the upper horizon of these soils is from 1-1.5 to 8-10%. Sometimes, glandular shell crusts form on the soil surface.

Ferrallitic soils are common in South and Central America, Central Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and Northern Australia. After deforestation, hevea plantations are created on these soils to collect natural rubber, oil or coconut palms, as well as a classic set of tropical crops: sugar cane, coffee, cocoa, banana, pineapple, tea, black and white pepper, ginger, etc. culture.

The forest zones of the temperate zones of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres include the taiga zone, the zone of mixed forests, the zone of broad-leaved forests and the monsoon forests of the temperate zone.

A characteristic feature of the forest zones of temperate zones is the seasonality of natural processes. Coniferous and deciduous forests are widespread here with a relatively simple structure and a small variety of vegetation cover. Podzolic and burozem types of soil formation predominate.

Temperate forests cover an area of ​​0.76 billion hectares in five regions of the world: eastern North America, most of Europe, the eastern part of the Asian subcontinent, a small part in the Middle East and Patagonia (Chile).

Boreal forests grow in the latitudinal zone between the arctic tundra and temperate forests. The total area of ​​forest lands in the boreal belt of the planet is estimated at 1.2 billion hectares, of which 0.92 billion hectares are closed forests, including 0.64 billion hectares of forests called exploitation.

Boreal forests grow mainly in the Northern Hemisphere. Their total area in North America and Eurasia is almost 30% of the total forest area of ​​the planet.

In general, the area of ​​boreal forests is 82.1% of the total forest area of ​​the six countries in which they grow. In Canada, boreal forests make up 75% of forests, in the USA (Alaska) - 88%, in Norway - 80%, in Sweden - 77%, in Finland - 98% and in Russia - an average of about 67%.

Tropical forests are characterized by thick weathering crust and intense runoff. The subzone of permanently moist forests is dominated by evergreen forests with exceptional species diversity on red-yellow lateritic soils. In the subzone of seasonally wet forests, along with evergreen forests, deciduous forests on red ferrallitic soils are common.

Zones of equatorial tropical forests are distributed on both sides of the equator in South America, Africa, Southeast Asia, and on the islands of Oceania. In the zones of equatorial forests, there is almost no seasonal rhythm of natural processes, moisture is abundant, temperatures are constantly high, rivers are rich in water, soils are podzolized lateritic, along the sea coasts there are mangrove communities.

The forest that grows here is commonly known as the evergreen rainforest. This forest has become a symbol of the struggle for the conservation of forests and the conservation of biological diversity, as it is a multi-tiered tree formations that grow in conditions of year-round moisture and has a high density of animal population, especially in the upper layers of the forest.

There are already less than 1 billion hectares (718.3 million hectares) of such forests left on the globe, mainly in Brazil, i.e. about 41% of the total rainforest area, or about 16% of the planet's forest area.

Subequatorial monsoon forests are common in Central and South America, Africa, southern Asia and northeast Australia. In these zones, the climate is characterized by the dominance of the equatorial monsoons. The dry season lasts 2.5-4.5 months. The soils are red-colored lateritic. Mixed deciduous-evergreen and deciduous forests predominate.

Humid tropical evergreen, semi-deciduous and deciduous forests are the predominant type of vegetation in the eastern sectors of the continents within the tropical zones of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres (south of Florida, Central and South America, India, Madagascar, Southeast Asia, Australia, the islands of Oceania and the Malay Archipelago. They occupy mainly the windward slopes of mountainous areas.The climate is tropical humid or seasonally humid with a predominance of humid oceanic trade winds.

According to the Forest Information System (FORIS) developed by the FAO, out of the total area of ​​tropical forests (1756.3 million ha), lowland forests account for 88%, mountain forests for 11.6%, and highland areas without tree vegetation for 0.4%. Among the lowland tropical forests, the largest area is occupied by rain evergreen tropical forests (718.3 million hectares in 1990), the forest cover of these territories is 76%. They are followed by humid tropical deciduous forests, the area of ​​which is 587.3 million hectares (forest cover 46%). Dry deciduous tropical forests occupied only 238.3 million hectares (forest cover 19%). The area of ​​mountain forests was 204.3 million ha (forest cover 29%).

Lands freed from the virgin rainforest for agricultural use, very quickly lose their fertility. Abandoned agricultural land is overgrown for several years with the so-called secondary rainforest; secondary after the virgin.

The most typical feature of the secondary tropical forest is the depleted and fairly uniform in terms of ecological characteristics of the species composition of trees - edificators.

Tree species of the secondary tropical forest are characterized by relative photophilousness, rapid growth and the ability to disperse seeds efficiently, i.e. less reliance on consortial relationships with seed-dispersing animals than primary rainforest trees. But as the secondary forest develops, it approaches the parent formation more and more in its appearance.

Tropical forests are heterogeneous. The total number of woody plants in tropical forests exceeds four thousand. At the same time, the number of main forest-forming tree species exceeds 400 species. Therefore, the tropical forest is a complex mosaic of evergreen, semi-evergreen (semi-deciduous), mixed, deciduous and coniferous forests, which is formed under the influence of orographic and edapho-climatic factors.

Such edapho-climatic types of tropical forest formations as savannahs, bamboo thickets, and mangrove forests stand apart.

Unlike other forest formations, the species composition of natural mangrove forests is small. Actually mangrove trees, which determine the specific appearance of this formation, are species of two families Rhizophoraceae (genus Rhizophora and Bruguiera) and Verbenaceae (genus Avicennia); the core of the formation is formed by 12-14 species of mangrove trees.

It is believed that with the help of mangrove forests, not only the consolidation, but also the increment of the landmass of the countries of the Pacific region takes place.

The mangrove forests of the world have been studied quite well and in detail. To a large extent, this is due to their diverse and ecologically important role, ranging from creating specific conditions for the reproduction and habitat of numerous marine and freshwater fish, crustaceans, etc., up to the use of mangrove wood for fuel, charcoal (from Rhizophoza), processing etc.

In the countries of the Asia-Pacific region with their ancient civilizations, artificial mangrove forests are also widespread, in which up to 40% are Melaleuca leucadendra trees.

A significant part of the world's population lives in the forest subtropical zone. It is formed by a combination of forest natural zones of the subtropics of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, sometimes considered as zones of monsoon mixed forests, a typical example of which are the Mediterranean zones. Forest subtropical zones are characterized by mild winters, year-round vegetation of plants, and significant differences in landscapes on the slopes of different exposures.

1. Geographical location of the forest zone
2. Taiga
3. Mixed forest
4. Broadleaf forest
5. Wildlife of the forest zone
6. Traditional occupations of the population
7. Environmental issues

1. Geographical location of the forest zone

The green ocean of forests is widely spread on the map of our country. Our country is often called a great forest power. Indeed, the forest zone occupies more than half of the territory of Russia. This natural area is the largest. There are three parts in this natural zone: the largest part is the taiga. It is colored dark green. There are also mixed forests - also green, but lighter. And another part - broad-leaved forests, the green color is even lighter. But between the "Tundra" zone and the "Forest" zone there is an INTERMEDIATE ZONE - this is FOREST-TUNDRA. It is a smooth transition from one zone to another. The closer to the south, the natural conditions become milder.

Forests are located south of the tundra. They begin to grow gradually, as the warming of the earth increases. Therefore, after the tundra, there is still, as it were, a layer, the forest-tundra. The further south, the higher the sun rises above the horizon and the more it warms the earth. Winter here is still severe, but less long. Summer is warmer than in the tundra. More southerly places no longer have permafrost. After winter, the snow melts and the earth warms up well. The soil layer is much thicker than in the tundra and more fertile. As you move south, coniferous forests become denser and gradually they occupy the entire space. Coniferous forests occupy most of Siberia, and the northern territories of the European part of Russia. These forests are called taiga. If we go further south, the weather conditions will change. Winters will become shorter and milder, summers will be longer and warmer. Therefore, south of the taiga are mixed forests. Mixed forests grow in the southern regions of Siberia and in the central region of the European part of Russia. There are much fewer swamps here. Further south, forests consisting of deciduous trees begin to occur. Such forests are called deciduous. They grow in the south and west of Russia, as well as in the Far East.

2. Taiga

Taiga is a coniferous forest. it occupies most of the forest zone. Winter in the taiga is cold, and summer is warmer than in the tundra, so trees grow here that are not very demanding on heat - these are coniferous trees. In coniferous trees, the leaves are needles, and they are always green. These are tall trees with powerful roots. In the taiga grow: spruce, pine, fir, larch, cedar pine.

  • Spruce is a familiar Christmas tree. In spruce, the needles are short, rough, arranged singly and densely cover the branches. The cones are oblong in shape. Ate - long-lived. The spruce forest is dark and damp.
  • Pine is a coniferous tree with a smooth yellow trunk. Pine needles are long, sitting in pairs. Pine cones are round in shape. Pine forests are light and dry.
  • Fir - differs from spruce in that its needles are flat, and the cones stick up and even mature ones do not fall to the ground, but scales simply fall from them.
  • Larch is the only coniferous tree that drops its needles for the winter.
  • The cedar pine is popularly called the Siberian cedar. Her needles are collected in bunches of five pieces, and the seeds are pine nuts.

The taiga is characterized by the absence or weak development of undergrowth (since there is little light in the forest), as well as the monotony of the grass-shrub layer and moss cover (green mosses). Types of shrubs (juniper, honeysuckle, currant, willow, etc.), shrubs (blueberries, lingonberries, etc.) and herbs (sour, wintergreen) are not numerous

3. Mixed forest

To the south, the taiga is replaced by a mixed forest. Along with coniferous trees, alder, birch, and aspen grow in it. Winter in such a forest is milder. Deciduous trees have medium-sized leaves that they shed for the winter.

  • Birch can be recognized by its bark, it is white, no other tree propagating by seeds has such a bark.
  • Aspen has rounded leaves, and they tremble with every breath of wind, aspen bark is greenish, in spring you can see long fluffy catkins.
  • Alder has small dark bumps on the branches, the trunk is black or gray.
4. Broadleaf forest

Closer to the south of the zone, it becomes even warmer, and mixed forests are replaced by broad-leaved forests, in which large trees grow, shed their leaves in winter, and propagate by seeds.

  • Oak can be recognized by its mighty trunk and carved leaves, the fruits of oak are acorns.
  • Linden has heart-shaped leaves. In summer, when flowering, linden spreads a wonderful aroma. Linden fruits are dark nuts, sitting in several pieces under one wing.
  • Elm can be recognized by its leaves and fruits: the leaves are “skew-sided” at the base, one half is larger than the other, the fruits are rounded winged nuts.
  • Maple is holly, Tatar and American. The fruits of all types of maple are winged.
5. Wildlife of the forest zone

The fauna of the forest zone is diverse: here you can meet large and small animals, insects. In the taiga live: nutcracker, chipmunk, flying squirrel, sable. Also living in the forest zone: red deer, elk, bear, wolves, foxes, lynxes, hares, squirrels, capercaillie, chipmunks, voles. There are no borders for animals - they live throughout the zone. Some animals go into hibernation for the winter (hedgehogs, bears), others make supplies for the winter.

The nutcracker is a taiga bird that makes stocks of pine nuts for the winter.

The flying squirrel is a relative of the squirrel, but smaller than it. She can not only jump, but also fly: she has membranes between her front and hind legs.

The brown bear is an omnivorous animal, very mobile, it can run fast, jump, climb trees, swim.

Elk is a forest giant. Moose consume different amounts of food in different seasons of the year. In winter, they form groups.

The lynx is a predator, has a spotted color. Tanks are developed on the sides of the head, and tassels are on the ears. The lynx, hiding, waits for the victim and quietly creeps up to it.

The white hare changes color for the winter, becomes white, only the tips of the ears are black, the coat becomes thick. These are cautious animals.

The fauna of the taiga is richer and more diverse than the fauna of the tundra: here you can meet large and small animals, insects Numerous and widespread: lynx, mink, wolverine, chipmunk, marten, sable, squirrel, flying squirrel, etc. Of the ungulates, there are northern and noble deer, elk, roe deer; rodents are numerous: shrews, mice. Birds are common: capercaillie, hazel grouse, nutcracker, crossbills, etc.

In the taiga forest, in comparison with the forest-tundra, the conditions for the life of animals are more favorable. There are more settled animals here. Nowhere in the world, except for the taiga, there are so many fur-bearing animals.

There are no borders for animals - they live throughout the zone. Some animals go into hibernation for the winter (hedgehogs, bears), others make supplies for the winter.

6. Traditional occupations of the population

The traditional occupations of the population are hunting for fur-bearing animals, collecting medicinal raw materials, wild fruits, nuts, berries and mushrooms, fishing, logging, (building houses), cattle breeding.

7. Environmental issues
  • reforestation work;
  • creation of nature reserves, sanctuaries and other protected areas,
  • rational use of wood

In our country, a lot of protected forest areas have been created.

In the taiga, industrial timber reserves are concentrated, large deposits of minerals (coal, oil, gas, etc.) have been discovered and are being developed. also a lot of valuable wood

As a result of the economic crisis, the volume of reforestation work has decreased.

The problem with the rational use of wood has not been solved. In Russia, only 50-70% of tree biomass is used.

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broadleaf forests

Deciduous forest zones are represented in the central regions of the European part of Russia: Samara, Ufa and partly the Oryol region.

There are also treeless zones here, but they are artificially created for the purpose of agricultural work.

In the strip that covers 55 ° and 50 ° N. sh. predominantly oak and linden groves grow. Closer to the south are bird cherry, mountain ash and birch. Broad-leaved forests are also characteristic of the Far East, in particular in the Amur River valley.

Such forests appeared here due to the proximity of two climatic directions at the same time: cold Siberia and warm China.

The main condition for the spread of broad-leaved forests is a temperate climate with warm, mild winters and high humidity in summer.

small-leaved forests

Such arrays are represented by a set of trees, the leaf plate of which is rather narrow compared to oak and maple plates. The zone of small-leaved forests covers the East European plains and some territories of the Far East.

A strip of small-leaved forests stretches from the Yenisei to the Urals.

Small-leaved trees include birch, aspen and gray alder.

Such trees are resistant to sudden changes in temperature: neither heat nor frost will harm them.

Small-leaved forests grow rapidly and are characterized by high recovery rates.

Taiga

The taiga forest zone is represented by coniferous trees, which form the basis of the biological system of the region. The taiga zone in Russia is divided into three main types: light coniferous (Scots pines), dark coniferous (spruces and firs) and mixed.

The undergrowth of the taiga forest zone is often represented by shrubs, tall grasses and mosses. The taiga forests include the Ural, Far Eastern, Altai, Kolyma, Transbaikal, Sakhalin forest mountain ranges.

Taiga occupies more than 80% of the forests of the Russian Federation.

forest tundra

This zone is located in the subarctic zone, and covers the territory from the Kola Peninsula to the coast of the Indigirka River. Due to the low temperature and the low amount of precipitation, which, despite this, do not have time to evaporate, the forest-tundra is very swampy.

Trees grow here thanks to the rivers, which are fed by melted snow.

Forests here are located in small islands in desert areas. Spruce, fir, pine and many different shrubs are characteristic of this zone.

The forest zones of Russia are extremely diverse and rich.

However, the widespread cutting of forest resources for economic and economic purposes causes irreparable damage to the environment.

Therefore, the state, with the initiative of environmental societies, created many reserves in which forest resources are protected from poachers.

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Abstract on the topic:

Forest

Plan:

    Introduction
  • 1Forest as a historical factor
  • 2Forest as a geographical factor
  • 3The importance of the forest for human life
  • 4The importance of forests for human health
  • 5Forest classification
    • 5.1Depending on latitude
  • 6Forest settings
  • Notes
    Literature

Introduction

Forest- part of the surface of the globe, covered with woody plants.

Currently, forests cover about a third of the land area. The total forest area on Earth is 38 million km². Half of this forest zone belongs to tropical forests, the fourth part is located in the northern hemisphere.

The forest area in Russia is 8 million km².

1. Forest as a historical factor

The presence or absence of a forest often had a direct impact on the course of historical processes and the fate of ethnic groups.

Among some economists, the opinion was expressed that the life of primitive man in the forests, where the gathering of forest gifts took place, produced mainly by women, and hunting and fishing, which were mainly done by men, became the basis for the division of labor, as one of the most important features of human society.

The further development of tools and means of production, associated with the development of cattle breeding and agriculture, which meant significant progress in social relations, is associated with the release of man from a strong dependence on the forest.

The founding of settlements on the site of forests that were uprooted and thus provided a place for life and agricultural activity is evidenced, for example, by the toponyms of German geography: Friedrichroda, Gernrode, Osterode, Rodach, Walsrode, Wernigerode, Zeulenroda and others.

Some of these settlements are approximately located on the territory of the extensive Hercynian forest, which approximately coincided with the place of residence of the Germanic tribes of the Hermundurs, Hermiones and Marcomanni

On the other hand, the forest, its proximity to housing, significantly influenced the historically developing way of life of people, in particular, national architecture.

So, log buildings were a typical type of housing for the Eastern Slavs. Even in the case when the first floor of the building was built of stone (brick), the second floor and higher floors were wooden.

This was facilitated by the belief that life in a wooden building is healthier than in a stone one.

For the first time the historical role of the forest is documented in the notes of Julius Caesar (about 100-44 BC).

H.) about the Gallic War - De bello Galliko, who between 58 and 51 came into contact with the Germanic tribes who inhabited the forested lands on the right bank of the Rhine. Caesar explained his refusal to extend expansion to these lands by saying that these forests are inhabited by unicorns and other mythical animals, and therefore these lands can never be colonized, and it is more expedient to simply ignore them.

Most likely, the reason was Caesar's clear idea of ​​the futility of using the tactics of the Roman legions in the forest area, in the open spaces bringing certain victory.

And this fear was confirmed in the year 9, when the Cheruscus Arminius utterly defeated the army of the Roman commander Publius Quintilius Varus in the Teutoburg Forest. As a result, at the beginning of our era, the wooded area inhabited by the Germans even bore the name "Free Germany" among the Romans ( germany libera)

For the main part of humanity living in areas with a temperate climate, forests have long ceased to be the place of residence of fairly large communities, but their function as a refuge from the enemy, as well as from excessive regulation by society, has been preserved throughout human history.

The forest has always been associated with the habitat of marginalized individuals, which is reflected in fiction (Robin Hood from Sherwood Forest) or in the national Russian epic - "The Nightingale the Robber" from Murom Forest.

During the Second World War, vast forests in Lithuania and Belarus were called "Partisan Land". Here, despite the occupation regime, the organs of Soviet power continued to exist.

After the war, these forests served as a refuge for nationalist groups called "forest brothers".

In the forest regions of occupied Yugoslavia, the partisan community even had the character of a state formation with its own armed forces differentiated according to the types of troops.

After the Second World War, the vast forest areas of South America were also the scene of large guerrilla formations (Che Guevara).

2.

Forest as a geographical factor

Forests have a significant impact on the weather, climate and processes occurring on the earth's surface and at some depth below it.

The forest interacts with the following components of the environment:

  • The forest participates in the oxygen cycle in nature in the most active way.

    Due to the huge mass of the forest, the importance of the processes of photosynthesis and respiration of forests has a huge impact on the gas composition of the Earth's atmosphere. Solar energy is one of the main sources of forest existence. Thanks to solar energy, the forest can carry out the process of photosynthesis, which contributes to the release of oxygen necessary for the life of the subjects of the animal and plant world.

  • Hydrosphere.

    The forest is directly involved in the water cycle in nature and thus interacts with the hydrosphere. The forest delays soil water from leaving with the rivers in large reservoirs. Predatory deforestation along river banks leads to their catastrophic shallowing, which leads to a deterioration in the water supply of settlements and a decrease in the fertility of agricultural land.

  • In winter, masses of snow that do not melt for a long time under the forest cover retain water and thereby weaken the intensity of the often destructive spring floods.
  • Atmosphere.

    The influence of the forest on atmospheric processes is also great.

    There is a well-known practice of creating windproof forest belts, which also contribute to snow retention, as well as weaken the force of the wind, leading to the removal of the fertile soil layer, deprived of vegetation cover due to its cultivation for crops.

  • Animal world.

    The forest serves as a habitat for many animals. Animals, in turn, often play a sanitary role in the forest.

  • Human. The forest is of great importance for human health and life.

    Human activity, in turn, affects the forest.

  • Lithosphere. The composition of the upper layers of the lithosphere is associated with the growth of forests in the respective areas

3. The importance of the forest for human life

In the old days in Russia they said: “To live near the forest is not to be hungry.

The forest is richer than the king. The forest not only feeds the wolf, but also the peasant to his fill.

The following main areas of forest use for economic purposes can be distinguished:

  • Food source (mushrooms, berries, animals, birds, honey)
  • Energy source (wood)
  • Construction material
  • Raw materials for production (paper production)
  • Regulator of natural processes (forest planting to protect the soil from weathering)

Unfortunately, today the volume of deforestation is often several times higher than the volume of its natural restoration.

In this regard, in civilized countries much attention is paid to the reproduction of the forest, both through forest plantations that restore the number of trees, and the complete prohibition of any economic activity in some forests.

This ensures natural reforestation in these areas, and in some countries there are a small number of forest areas where human intervention in the life of the forest has never taken place. In Germany, these forests are called "urwald" - primeval or ancient forest. In them, even coniferous trees (spruce) live up to the age of 400 years.

4. Importance of the forest for human health

The forest has great sanitary and hygienic and healing value. There are more than 300 different chemical compounds in the air of natural forests.

Forests actively transform atmospheric pollution, especially gaseous ones. Conifers (pine, spruce, juniper), as well as some varieties of lindens and birches, have the highest oxidizing ability.

The forest actively absorbs industrial pollution, in particular dust, hydrocarbons.

Forests, especially coniferous ones, emit phytoncides - volatile substances with bactericidal properties.

Phytoncides kill pathogenic microbes. In certain doses, they have a beneficial effect on the nervous system, enhance the motor and secretory functions of the gastrointestinal tract, improve metabolism and stimulate cardiac activity. Many of them are enemies of pathogens of infectious diseases, but only if there are few of them.

Phytoncides of poplar buds, Antonov apples, eucalyptus have a detrimental effect on the influenza virus. Oak leaves destroy typhoid and dysentery bacteria.

5. Forest classification

There are several classifications of the forest, depending on the place of distribution, the age of the trees, and their species.

5.1. Depending on the latitude

Depending on the latitude in which the forest is located, there are:

  • Tropical rainforests(selva, gilea, jungle) - equatorial evergreen forests: it has a large species diversity of flora and fauna.

    A large tier allows only a very small amount of light to penetrate inside (to the lower tiers). More than half of all tropical forests have already been destroyed.

    Classical examples are the forests of the Amazon, the jungles of India and the Congo Basin.

  • Caatinga- dry deciduous tropical forests, fall during the drought period.
  • eucalyptus groves Australia - evergreen subtropical forests.
  • Deciduous forests(broad-leaved and small-leaved): found mainly in the Northern Hemisphere.

    Due to the penetration of light, life on the lower tiers is more active. Ancient forests of temperate latitudes are represented only by scattered remnants.

  • Taiga- coniferous forest: the most extensive area. Includes forests over 50% of Siberia, Alaska, Scandinavia and Canada. There are also araucaria groves in South America.

    The flora is represented mainly by coniferous evergreen trees and plants.

  • mixed forests- forests in which both deciduous and coniferous trees grow. The range extends to almost the entire Central and Western Europe.

6. Forest parameters

6.1. Grade

Notes

  1. Engels Friedrich. The origin of the family, private property and the state. 1884
  2. 1 2 Baedecker.

    Deutschland. Verlag Karl Baedeker. 2002. ISBN 3-8297-1004-6

  3. Weltatlas. Printed in Spain-2002. ISBN 3-85492-743-6
  4. Feller, V.V. German Odyssey. Scientific and popular publication. - Samara: Samar. Print House. 2001. - 344 p. ISBN 5-7350-0325-9
  5. Spegalsky Yu. P. Pskov.

    Artistic monuments. - Lenizdat, 1971.

  6. Andreev V. F. The Northern Guardian of Russia: Essays on the History of Medieval Novgorod. - 2nd ed., add. and reworked. - L.: Lenizdat, 1989. - 175 p. ISBN 5-289-00256-1
  7. Razgonov S. N. Northern studies. Moscow: Molodaya Gvardiya, 1972. 192 pages, with illustrations.
  8. Notes of Julius Caesar and his successors "On the Gallic War". - M., 1991
  9. Dr.

    Fritz Winzer Weltgeschichte Daten Fakten Bilder. Georg Westermann Verlag. 1987. ISBN 3-07-509036-0

  10. 1 2 . Martin Kitchen. The Cambridge Illustrated History of Germany. Cambridge University Press, 1996. ISBN 0-521-45341-0
  11. Reinhard Pozorny (Hg) Deutsches National Lexikon. DSZ-Verlag, ISBN 3-925924-09-4

Literature

  • Atlas of forests of the USSR.
  • Forests. - M., Thought, 1981. - 316 p. - (Nature of the world).
  • Brazilian Amazon cut down by 70% - zelenyshluz.narod.ru/articles/amazonia.htm
  • Brazil bans deforestation in 36 areas of the Amazon
  • Sokolsky I. Healing red forest // Science and life: magazine.

    2008. - No. 2. - S. 156-160.

Broad-leaved (beech) forest in Slovenia

Coniferous (pine) forest

coniferous forest

Forest on San Juan Island, Washington

Valdivian forests on the island of Chiloe

Winter forest. Pinezhie

Spring forest. Slobozhanshchina

Mast forest (Lindulovskaya ship grove near St. Petersburg)

Urwald on the banks of the Arbersee lake

Flora Secrets

Different trees require different amounts of heat, one more, one more. Coniferous breeds - spruce, Pine, larch, spruce, cedar pine(often called cedar) - less demanding on heat. They grow well in the northern part of the forest.

These trees consist of coniferous species - taiga. Taiga occupies most of the forest area.

coniferous

Summer in the tajg is much warmer than in the tundra, but the winter is very cold. It is also permafrost here.

True, in summer the surface of the earth sinks deeper than in the tundra. This is very important for trees with strong roots.

Flora of mixed and broad-leaved forests

To the south of the taiga, the winter is rather mild.

There is no permafrost here. These conditions are more favorable for deciduous. That's why they are in the south of the Taj Mahal mixed forests. Here, as if mixed with coniferous trees and deciduous trees. More south stretched out broadband forests. They are formed by thermal trees with wide, large leaves.

These trees oak,maple, Linden, ashes, Brest.

These species are called wide shells, as opposed to small leaves, which include birch, aspen.

October trees

Animal world of forests

On this page we will talk about some of the animals that live in the forest.

Questions and tasks

first

Natural regions of Russia:
a) tundra, arctic zone, forest zone
b) Arctic zone, forest zone, tundra
c) Arctic zone, tundra, forest zone.

second

In Thai they grow:
a) spruce, spruce, larch
b) oaks, pines, spruce
c) birch, lime and larch.

3. Lives in the forests ...
a) arctic foxes, lemmings, wolves.
b) Sable, squirrels, squirrels.
c) seals, wet, whales.

4. Where are mixed forests located?
a) south of the taiga
b) north of the taiga

5. Which tree is deciduous?
a) maple, larch, pine
b) spruce, spruce, larch
c) brest, ash, lime




to answer

first

Work is done
Primary school teacher
MKO School. 4
Location Mineralnye Vody
Zhuravleva Natalia Nikolaevna

second

The forest zone is located south of the tundra zone, marked in green on the map.
Colour.

The forest zone is located in the temperate zone, which means they are different
all four seasons, cold winters and hot summers. More forest area
part is located on the eastern and western Siberian plains,
as well as on the middle Siberian plateau.

This natural area is the largest.
There are three parts in this natural zone: the largest part is taiga, colored
Dark green, they are still mixed forests - also green, but
lighter, and the other part is broadband forests, the green is even lighter.

the third

the woods
taiga
mixed forest
broadband
the woods

fourth

fifth

Taiga is coniferous, it sits a lot
part of the forest area.

Winter in the taiga - frost and
in summer it is warmer than in the tundra, so they grow here,
trees that are not very demanding
warm, they are conifers.

In conifers
trees - leaves - these are needles and always
green. These are big trees with strong
roots.
In Thai they grow:

sixth

seventh

eighths

Macesen-
only
coniferous
which are for the winter
reload needles.

ninth

tenths

11

12

13th

fourteenth

In the south, Taeza is a mixed forest.
It grows with conifers
birch, aspen, alder. Winter in this forest
softer.

October trees are small
leaves that overflow for the winter.

fifteenth

We can recognize birch with bark, so it is white
Any tree has no bark,
seed distribution.

sixteenth

Aspen has rounded leaves and every moment hits
Windy, aspen is greenish, but in spring it looks like a long fluffy
earrings.

seventeenth

Joji has small, dark hands on the branches
The trunk is black or grey.

In black alder leaves
they have a sharp tip.

eighteenth

Toward the south, the region becomes even warmer, and
mixed forests are changing
Broadband where oak grows
maple, autumn, brest, linden. This warm love
trees, so they have big
leaves, for winter discarded foliage,
multiply by seeds.

nineteenth

Oak can be recognized
mighty
trunk and carved
leaves
oak fruit
it's a stomach.

twentieth

Maple - holly (with large carved leaves), Tatar
(leaves are oval with slight protrusions) and American
(each sheet contains three or five separate leaflets),
and the fruits of all types of maple are winged.

twenty first

twenty second

The board can be recognized from the list
and fruits: leaves at the bottom
coconut, half
more different, fruits -
winged walnuts rounded
the form.

twenty third

Lime has heart-shaped leaves.

In the summer when it blooms, the lime spreads
wonderful fragrance. Linden fruits are dark nuts that sit on several pieces
under one roof.

The forest zone is located in the temperate zone

English RussianSteering wheels

Where does larch grow?

Larch, despite its name, is a coniferous plant from the pine family. Her only needles fall for the winter, so you can’t call her evergreen. Only larch seedlings retain their needles throughout the year.

This suggests that the ability to drop needles was acquired by the plant as a result of adaptation to changing climate conditions.

In what natural area does larch grow?

The question of where and in what forests larch grows in nature can be generally answered as follows: it loves mixed forests located in Western and Northern Europe up to the Carpathians.

In general, there are many varieties of trees, the range of which varies slightly.

Where larch grows in Russia: most often it can be found in Siberia and the Far East. The plant is demanding on lighting. It does not grow in shady areas.

What soils does larch grow on: the tree is completely undemanding to the soil. It can be found both in swamps and on dry soils and even in permafrost conditions.

However, the best soil for larch is sufficiently moist and well-drained.

Differences between larch and pine

First of all, larch sheds its needles for the winter, but pine does not. Pine is an evergreen coniferous tree that changes the shade of needles at different times of the year.

In larch, the needles are soft and not long - up to 4.5 cm. It is located spirally on the shoots in bunches of 20-40 needles. At the same time, her needles do not prick at all. Pine needles reach 5 cm, located along the entire trunk in bunches of 2 pieces.

The larch has a more powerful trunk, sometimes it reaches 1.8 m in diameter. Yes, and it lives twice as long as a pine. Her crown is more transparent, while that of a pine is thicker and more fluffy.

Cones on larch are very beautiful, rounded.

In pine they are cone-shaped.

Forest zones are the most extensive on Earth. There are several types of forests depending on the climatic zone.

Types of forest zones

Forest natural zones are found in three climatic zones, each with several varieties.

Table. Forest types

Each species is represented by its own tree species.

Rice. 1. Forests occupy a significant part of the land

temperate forests

Taiga is located in the north of America and Eurasia. This is a zone of coniferous forests. There are two types of taiga:

  • light coniferous;
  • dark coniferous.

Light coniferous taiga is represented by pine and larch forests, which are undemanding to natural conditions.

💡

These tree species can grow even on permafrost.

Shrubs here are represented by the following varieties:

  • alder;
  • dwarf birches;
  • polar birches and willows;
  • berry bushes.

The light coniferous taiga is located on the territory of Eastern Siberia, Canada, and northern Eurasia.

In the European part of Russia, North America, dark coniferous taiga is common. Spruces, firs and cedars grow here. The lower tier consists of berry bushes and ferns.

Rice. 2. Taiga is one of the largest forest belts

Mixed forests occupy a narrow strip in the following areas:

  • US-Canada border;
  • north of Eurasia;
  • Kamchatka, Far East.

Here are various tree species - coniferous, broad-leaved, small-leaved. In the Far East, monsoon forests are characterized by an abundance of lianas and multi-layered. Pine, fir, aspen, birch grow in Western Siberia. Maple, elm, beech, birch grow in North America.

Another natural zone is the broad-leaved forest - located in the eastern part of North America, in Central Europe, in the Crimea and the Caucasus. The following tree species grow here:

  • ash;
  • hornbeam;
  • maple;
  • Linden.

Forests of the subtropical zone

Hard-leaved foxes are located in southern Europe, northern Africa, southern Australia. They are characterized by a tiered structure and many vines. The following tree species grow here:

  • heather;
  • myrtle;
  • holm and cork oak;
  • arbutus;
  • eucalyptus.

These trees are well adapted to life in drought conditions. The lower tier is represented by thorny shrubs.

Monsoon forests are located in the eastern regions of the continents, characterized by the highest humidity. They are represented by evergreen and deciduous tree species:

  • subtropical pine;
  • magnolias;
  • camellias;
  • laurel;
  • cypress.

Monsoon forests are cut down by man to free up areas for agriculture.

Tropical forests

Seasonally wet and permanently wet forests are located north of the equator. They are represented by eucalyptus, teak, various types of palm trees. There is a large number of vines and shrubs. What areas are covered by these forests? They grow in Australia, on the islands of the Caribbean.

The equatorial zone contains the wettest forests. Due to the fact that there is no change of seasons at the equator, and the temperature is constantly in the range of 24-28 degrees Celsius, the vegetation here is evergreen.

Various types of palms, ficuses, cocoa trees grow here. There are a lot of shrubs and vines here.

Rice. 3. The rainforest is represented by evergreen trees.

What have we learned?

The forest zone is the most extensive of all the natural zones of the Earth. There are varieties of it in almost every climatic zone. The diversity of tree species depends on climate and soil.

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