divination 

In conditions of low temperatures, a natural zone is formed. natural area

What determines the formation of natural zones? What kind natural areas stand out on our planet? You can answer these and some other questions by reading this article.

Natural zoning: the formation of natural zones on the territory

The so-called our planet is the largest natural complex. It is highly heterogeneous, as in a vertical section (which is expressed in vertical zonality), and in the horizontal (latitudinal), which is expressed in the presence of various natural zones on Earth. The formation of natural zones depends on several factors. And in this article we will talk about the latitudinal heterogeneity of the geographic envelope.

This is a component of the geographical shell, which is distinguished by a certain set of natural components with its own characteristics. These components include the following:

  • climatic conditions;
  • the nature of the relief;
  • hydrological network of the territory;
  • soil structure;
  • organic world.

It should be noted that the formation of natural zones depends on the first component. However, natural areas receive their names, as a rule, according to the nature of their vegetation. After all, flora is the brightest component of any landscape. In other words, vegetation acts as a kind of indicator that reflects the deep (those that are hidden from our eyes) processes of the formation of a natural complex.

It should be noted that the natural zone is the highest step in the hierarchy of the physical and geographical zoning of the planet.

Factors of natural zoning

We list all the factors in the formation of natural zones on Earth. So, the formation of natural zones depends on the following factors:

  1. Climatic features of the territory (this group of factors should include temperature regime, the nature of moisture, as well as the properties air masses dominating the territory).
  2. The general nature of the relief (this criterion, as a rule, affects only the configuration, the boundaries of a particular natural zone).

The formation of natural zones can also be influenced by proximity to the ocean, or the presence of powerful ocean currents off the coast. However, all these factors are secondary. The main root cause of natural zoning is that different parts (belts) of our planet receive an unequal amount solar heat and moisture.

Natural areas of the world

What natural zones are distinguished today by geographers on the body of our planet? Let's list them from the poles - to the equator:

  • Arctic (and Antarctic) deserts.
  • Tundra and forest tundra.
  • Taiga.
  • Broadleaved forest zone.
  • Forest-steppe.
  • Steppe (or prairie).
  • Semi-desert and desert zone.
  • Savannah zone.
  • Wet zone rainforest.
  • Humid zone (hylaea).
  • The zone of rain (monsoon) forests.

If we look at the map of the natural zonality of the planet, we will see that all natural zones are located on it in the form of sublatitudinal belts. That is, these zones, as a rule, extend from west to east. Sometimes this sublatitudinal direction can be violated. The reason for this, as we have already said, is the features of the relief of a particular territory.

It is also worth noting that there are simply no clear boundaries between natural areas (as shown on the map). So, almost each of the zones smoothly "flows" into the neighboring one. At the same time, border "zones" can very often form at the junction. For example, such are semi-desert or forest-steppe zones.

Conclusion

So, we found out that the formation of natural zones depends on many factors. The main ones are the ratio of heat and moisture in a particular area, the properties of the prevailing air masses, the nature of the relief, and so on. The set of these factors is the same for any territory: mainland, country or small area.

Geographers distinguish over a dozen large natural zones on the surface of our planet, which are elongated in the form of belts and replace each other from the equator to the polar latitudes.

This is the largest natural complex, the surface the globe, with a planet-specific nature.
It is possible to single out a huge number of smaller natural complexes - territories with similar nature different from other complexes. Oceans, seas, continents, mountain systems, rivers, lakes, swamps and much more - these are all separate.

natural areas- very large natural complexes with similar landscape, flora and fauna. Natural zones are formed due to the distribution of heat and moisture on the planet: heat and low humidity is typical for equatorial deserts, high temperature and high humidity- for equatorial and tropical forests, etc.
Natural zones are located predominantly sublatitudinally, but the relief, the distance from the ocean affect the location of the zones and their width. In the mountains there is also a change of natural zones, depending on the height, the change of zones occurs in the same order as the change of land zones from the equator to the poles. The lower natural zone corresponds to the natural zone of the territory, the upper one depends on the height of the mountain range.

Natural land areas

Equatorial and rainforests

This zone is located in the equatorial and tropical zone, and . Tropical forests are evergreen, the temperature and humidity are always high here. These forests are characterized by multi-layered: low shrubs, trees grow on the same area. medium height and huge forest giants. Red-yellow soils are formed here, pale in nutrients. The topsoil is very fertile, but it quickly forms, and just as quickly the nutrients are “drawn out” by numerous.

Deserts and semi-deserts

This zone is formed in the temperate zone with an average amount of precipitation, it is characterized by cold winters and moderately warm summers. In the forests, there are usually two or three tiers, the lower ones are formed by shrubs and herbaceous vegetation. Forest ungulates, predators, rodents, and insectivorous birds are common here. The soils in this zone are brown and gray forest.

This zone is formed in the northern hemisphere in temperate zone with cold winter, short warm summer and quite a lot of rainfall. Tiered forests, many coniferous trees. Animal world represented by many predators, including some that flow into hibernation. Soils are poor in nutrients, podzolic.

Tundra and forest tundra

This natural zone is located in the subpolar and polar zone, where it is quite low. Vegetable world It is represented mainly by low-growing plants with a poorly developed root system - mosses, lichens, shrubs, dwarf trees. Ungulates live in the tundra small predators, many migratory birds Soils in the tundra are peat-gley, large territory is in the zone.

Arctic deserts

Arctic deserts are found on islands close to the poles. From the vegetation there are mosses, lichens, or there is no vegetation at all. Animals found in this zone live most time in the water, the birds arrive for several months.

Natural zones are certain areas of the Earth's surface that differ significantly from others in their originality. natural resources and especially in appearance. Such a division has been practiced for a long time and represents an opportunity to carry out natural-geographical zoning.

Simply put, natural areas are territories appearance, whose flora and fauna are strictly defined and unlike any other. The peculiarity characteristic of each of them can be clearly traced and allows certain types of plants or animals to be found in accordance with the zones in which they can grow or live.

Natural areas are easily recognizable by the change and character of the dominant vegetation type. It is by them that one can clearly trace where one ends and the next begins.

The conditions for the survival of individual tree species are determined by special climatic characteristics which provide for various natural areas. Each of them is characterized by individual characteristics, due to the different amount of precipitation, humidity and air temperature.

Natural areas are so diverse that in one part of the planet the sun can mercilessly burn and the vegetation can be as scarce as the animal world, and in the other - permafrost and never melting snow. The contrast is more than obvious. Nevertheless, in nature everything is reasonable and harmonious, these transitions are not abrupt.

In the Arctic, the air temperature is low, there is very little precipitation, the entire territory is covered with ice, only lichens and moss are the only vegetation.

The Tundra has high humidity, strong winds, numerous lakes and swamps, and the soil is real permafrost. The peculiarity of the territory is treelessness, as well as moss-lichen cover. Nature in these parts is very scarce and monotonous.

The characterization of natural zones involves not only their description, but also takes into account smooth transitions, an example of which can be forest-tundra and woodlands. In such areas, there may be representatives of flora and fauna characteristic of both adjacent areas.

The natural areas of the world are revealed in their full glory in the forest zone in the area where the real kingdom of broad-leaved and mixed forests. Trees such as oak, linden, ash, beech, maple are often found here. Summers in these places are quite warm, up to 20 ° C, and winters are severe, up to -50 ° C, humidity is high.

The forest-steppe can also be called a transitional natural zone, which is located in the Northern Hemisphere. In this area, one can observe the alternation of steppes, an abundance of tall grass, which can be clearly seen in the United States and Canada.

steppe zone located in the northern temperate region, there are no forests, and the territory is covered with grasses, but there is not enough moisture. Conditions for the growth of trees are only along the river valleys. The soil is black earth, which is intensively used by man.

They are found in the following zones: temperate, tropical and subtropical. There is very little rainfall here. These areas are characterized flat surfaces, scarcity of flora and specificity of fauna. There are very different deserts: sandy, saline, rocky, clay.

Currently, scientists have calculated that the desert occupies more than 16.5 million km² (excluding Antarctica), which is 11% of the land surface. With Antarctica, this area is more than 20%. Grass in the desert is scarce, soils are underdeveloped, sometimes oases are found.

Perhaps the most exotic are tropical forests. There are no seasonal differences in the weather, and the trees do not show growth rings. This is a real paradise for plants and an attractive place for wildlife explorers.

All natural zones are located in Russia, except for the tropical one. This is a zone arctic wilderness ,tundra , forest-tundra , taiga, mixed and broad-leaved forests, forest-steppe, steppe, semi-deserts and deserts.

Arctic desert zone

This zone is characterized by a lot of snow and ice in all seasons. The average temperature in July is 4-2 degrees here. Precipitation falls in solid form, this contributes to the emergence of glaciers. arctic deserts there are almost no swamps, lakes. Salt spots form on the surface of the soil in dry weather with the wind.

The vegetation cover here is irritated and spotty. The annual growth of mosses and lichens is approximately 1-2 mm. Of the higher plants, the polar poppy, chickweed, saxifrage and others are characteristic in this area. The animal world is small, there are a scribe, a lemming, reindeer, white deer. From birds: polar owl and partridge.

Tundra zone

Tundra is a cold zone with strong winds because located along the seas of the North Arctic Ocean. Frosts and snowfall are possible in any month. In the tundra, it dominates excessively humid climate due to the influence of the Atlantic. Cold, humid arctic and subarctic climate is typical.

Low temperatures hinder soil formation. Soils contain little humus and have a coarse mechanical composition.

Tundra is a treeless zone. Mosses and lichens grow here; undersized plants - herbs, shrubs. Shrubs - dwarf birch and willows, which rise slightly above the snow.

The tundra is divided into three subzones - arctic tundra, typical lichen-moss tundra, southern shrub tundra.

forest tundra

In contrast to the tunda, summers here are warmer. Winters are cold and quite snowy. An important feature of this zone is the presence of insular sparse forests. They consist of Siberian spruce, larch and Siberian birch.

The meadows in summer and autumn serve as good pasture for deer. Arctic foxes are common in the forest tundra. Only partridges and snowy owls remain here in the winter. For about 9 months, the tundra and forest tundra are covered with snow. For deer, areas where there is little snow are favorable.

Taiga zone

Taiga is located in two climatic zones- subarctic and temperate. The average temperature in January in the west is about -10 ... -16. The temperature in July is not lower than 10 degrees in the north and not higher than 20 in the south. There are many swamps, rivers, lakes in the taiga zone. The taiga is rich in groundwater.

Here developed different types soils: podzolic, taiga frozen, marsh-podzolic.

Often there are larches, rare here are forests of pine, fir. Small-leaved forests are widespread.

Siberian taiga animal species dominate - sable, stone capercaillie, hazel grouse, and others. In the European taiga, such as elk, squirrel, capercaillie, white hare are common. Brown bear, lynx, squirrel. Many insects live.

Semi-desert and desert zone

They occupy a small area. Summer is hot, July temperature is from 22 to 25 degrees. Winter is cold, with little snow, January temperature is from -12 to -16. Salt soils occupy a large area. In some places, soils contain more humus and have a granular structure.

Definition 1

natural area(geographical) - a relatively large part of “ geographic zone” determined by the dominance of a certain zonal landscape type.

Natural areas are a consequence latitudinal zonality in flat conditions. Each natural zone is characterized by its own type of landscape, climate, soil, flora and fauna. A zone is a regional landscape unit.

Natural zones are a classification consequence of regular heterogeneity on the earth's surface, i.e. natural zoning.

Definition 2

Natural zonality is a consistent, regular and geographically determined change in latitudes of natural complexes and components of the natural environment.

The main factors that determine natural zones are the distribution of heat and moisture over the earth's surface in accordance with the latitude of the area. Additional factors are topography and distance from the ocean. Under the influence of these factors, the distribution of natural zones over the earth's surface deviates from the sublatitudinal direction. In the mountains there is altitudinal zonality, i.e. natural zones replace one another as they rise, as well as on a flat territory when moving from the equator to the poles. At the same time, the base of the mountain corresponds to the same natural zone as the adjacent territory, and the natural zone at the top is determined by the height of the massif.

Example 1

In the Alps, at an altitude of up to $800$ meters, there is a zone deciduous forests, above which are located coniferous forests. At an altitude of $ 2200-2300 meters there is a subalpine belt, above - an alpine belt with low-grass meadows. The rocky slopes of the Alps, covered with snowfields and glaciers, represent the nival belt. When we are talking about natural zones, they mean, first of all, natural zones of land. This is due to the fact that sublatitudinal differences are less pronounced in the oceans than on land.

The basis for the study of natural areas was laid by the naturalist Alexander Humboldt, the theoretical basis was developed by Vasily Dokuchaev. L.S. Berg, A.G. Isachenko, A. N. Krasnov, A. A. Grigoriev.

Classification of natural areas

The main criteria for the classification of natural zones are the types of plant communities that have arisen under certain climatic and soil conditions.

It should be noted that different scientists carried out the classification of natural areas, focusing on various factors. In this regard, there are several different features of the classifications of natural zones. Differences in the classification of landscapes are also due to the fact that some scientists accept physical-geographical countries as restrictions on natural zones. For example, in the taiga zone in Russia, taiga is sometimes distinguished Western Siberia, taiga of the Russian Plain. L.S. Berg singled out such natural zones:

  • ice zone;
  • tundra zone;
  • forest-steppe zone;
  • steppe zone;
  • Mediterranean zone;
  • semi-desert zone;
  • temperate desert zone;
  • subtropical forest zone;
  • tropical desert zone;
  • tropical steppe zone;
  • zone of tropical forest-steppe (or savanna);
  • tropical rainforest zone.

In 1985 A.G. Isachenko proposed such natural areas for the territory of Russia:

  • ice zone;
  • tundra zone;
  • forest-tundra zone;
  • taiga zone;
  • zone of mixed forests of the Russian Plain;
  • zone of monsoon mixed forests of the Far East;
  • forest-steppe zone;
  • steppe zone;
  • semi-desert zone;
  • temperate desert zone;
  • desert zone of the subtropical belt;
  • mediterranean zone;
  • humid subtropical zone.

    • Within natural zones, depending on the main type of landscapes, subzones are distinguished.