Thermal zones and natural zones. Presentation on geography on the topic "geographical location of the Russian Federation" What natural zones are located in thermal zones

19.08.2014 16982 0

Tasks:to form knowledge about the geographical location, size, borders of Russia; show the influence of geographical location on nature and population settlement; teach skills to characterize the geographical location of Russia; strengthen calculation skills geographical coordinates objects on the map and the length of the country in degrees and km, using a cartographic grid.

Move lesson

I. Introductory conversation and preparation for the perception of new knowledge.

When starting to study the topic of the lesson, the teacher reminds that the concept of “geographical location” is already known to schoolchildren and they know how geographical location affects the natural conditions of continents, natural zones, and states. To remember this knowledge, the teacher suggests answering the questions:

1.What is included in the characteristics of the geographical location of a territory?

2.Why does the study of any territory - continent, country - begin with an acquaintance with the geographical location?

Having clarified the answers, the teacher invites the schoolchildren to write down in their notebooks the concept of “geographical location” and a plan of the geographical location of Russia. This plan can then be used to characterize the geographical location of individual regions of the country.

Geographic location is the position of an object on the earth's surface in relation to other objects or territories.

Plan for characterizing the geographical location of Russia:

1.Position on the continent in relation to the equator and prime meridian.

2.Extreme points and their geographical coordinates.

3.Length in degrees and km from north to south and from west to east.

4.The size of the territory of Russia.

5.Position in thermal zones and natural zones.

6.Land borders. Neighboring states.

7.Maritime borders. Neighboring states.

8.The influence of the peculiarities of the geographical location of Russia on natural conditions and the life of the population.

II. Gaining new knowledge.

1.The physical and geographical position of Russia is characterized in the process of dialogue and implementation of practical work No. 1 (p. 6, 34-35 in workbook).

A) Russia is located on the territory of Eurasia in the northern and eastern hemispheres, only the Chukotka Peninsula is located in the western hemisphere.

B) Extreme points and their coordinates:

northern island - Cape Fligeli (81 ° 49 "N) on Rudolf Island in the Franz Josef Land archipelago;

northern continental - Cape Chelyuskin (77 ° 43 "N) on the Taimyr Peninsula;

Cape Chelyuskin was discovered in 1742 by a participant in the Great Northern Expedition, navigator S.I. Chelyuskin, and was named North-Eastern by him. In 1843, the cape received the name of its discoverer.

southern - Mount Bazardyuzyu (41 0 11 "N) in the Republic of Dagestan;

western - spit of the Gulf of Gdansk Baltic Sea near Kaliningrad;

"IN Kaliningrad region, on a coastal spit, is the western tip of Russia. Beyond the spit lies the Baltic Sea, part of the Atlantic, almost always gray under cloudy skies and dull blue when the clouds clear.

With a hiss, the boat's keel crashed into the shoreline. We jumped out and, under the creaking cries of seagulls, almost getting stuck up to our knees in the sand, we began to climb a steep dune. Bare mountains of sand rose, like dunes in the Karakum desert, with striped ripples, with rare tufts of sandy oats, with small bird tracks. But more often the hills are covered with forest. The dunes moved, burying housing; now they are almost all secured.

I climb out to the crest of the dune. They are the highest in Europe here. The sand is very fine, gold grains are visible in it, probably amber.

From the ridge there is a view on one side of the endless sea with a white, noisy strip of surf, and on the other - a calm enclosed bay. The narrow green ribbon of the spit stretches for tens of kilometers.

A striped red and green pillar stands firmly on the spit. It marks the westernmost point of our Motherland.”

7 - 10.);

eastern mainland - Cape Dezhnev (169 ° 40 "W) on the Chukotka Peninsula;

It was discovered in 1648 by the Russian explorer S.I. Dezhnev, who first rounded this cape. Dezhnev’s petitions say that he walked around the Big Stone Nose. IN XVII - XVII 1st century they mentioned this cape under the names Necessary Nose, Chukotka Nose. In 1898, to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the discovery of the cape at the request of the Russian Geographical Society it was renamed in honor of its discoverer.

“Standing in the drizzling rain at the easternmost point of Asia, I felt that I was standing on the edge of the earth and that behind me stretched a huge continent, whose name is Eurasia.

The picture of this eastern tip of Asia was so gloomy and majestic and made such an impression that I wanted to see and remember as much as possible in order to talk about it later. Cape Dezhnev is a completely exposed rock of different rocks, vertically piled up from the water in whimsically varied ridges. The tops of these rocks, cut by teeth of all kinds, were covered with a gigantic blanket of fog, above which black squall clouds quickly rushed, driven by air currents in different directions.” (Pershin A.A. Cape Dezhnev. History of the monument.);

eastern island - on Ratmanov Island (170°W) in the Bering Strait;

In 1816, Lieutenant O. E. Kotzebue discovered (as it later turned out, erroneously) an island in the Bering Strait and named it in honor of Lieutenant Commander M. I. Ratmanov, with whom he in 1803 - 1806. participated in the first Russian circumnavigation. When it became clear that there was no island, the name was moved to one of the three Diomede Islands.

“...For many hours now our ship has been persistently cutting through the blue thickness of the Bering Strait. The water here is vitriol-colored. Icy, transparent. Above the water there is a constant hubbub of birds.

We are heading to Ratmanov Island. In the east, this is the last piece of land that belongs to our country. Behind it is Krusenstern Island. But this is no longer our island - it belongs to the United States of America. There is a meridian between the islands, from which it is customary to count the time of the coming day.

Having rounded Ratmanov Island from the north, we find ourselves between the Diomede Islands. The strait is restless. Bottle-glass waves throw our ship from side to side. ...We go from north to south. Far away on the horizon is the lilac shore of the mainland. To the right, the shores of Ratmanov Island rise like a block of stone, menacing and solemn. They rise up a level plateau for four hundred meters, descending almost like a vertical rockfall to the restless water. The shores are fantastically beautiful. The autumn sun, crystal clear water and the same blue sky cut the island into a transparent frame, making it seem even more convex and solemn.

To our left is the American coast. The island is clearly visible. The same steep banks, rock slides and white surf at their feet. ...In the diving eyepiece of binoculars, the American village of Eliki. This is a small village where about fifty Eskimos and several Americans live.”

(Karpov G.V., Solovyov A.I. Reader on the physical geography of the USSR. S. 7 - 10.)

Students plot the extreme points on the contour map (task 2 on pp. 34 - 35 in the workbook) and independently determine their coordinates. The teacher can use additional material if the students have free time and developed skills in working with a contour map.

C) Then students independently determine the extent of Russia in degrees and km from north to south and from west to east.

The length of the Russian mainland along the 100° meridian

V. length is 28°, or 3108 km.

The length of Russia from west to east along the Arctic Circle is 160°, or 7120 km.

The results are recorded on a contour map (task 3 on pp. 34 - 35 in the workbook).

D) Russia - largest state peace. It occupies an area of ​​17.1 million square meters. km.

During the dialogue, the data from the table “Areas of individual continents and largest countries of the world” given on p. 7 textbooks. Schoolchildren draw a conclusion about which continents and countries Russia is larger in area (Antarctica, Australia and Oceania, Canada, USA, China, Brazil).

“In Europe there is only one country where you can truly understand what space is - this is Russia,” wrote Gaido Gazdanov.

D) Almost the entire country is north of 50° N. sh., therefore large areas are occupied by forest zones (taiga predominates), forest-tundra and tundra.

E) The teacher gives a definition of the concept of “state border”, the students write it down in their notebooks.

The state border is the line defining the boundaries of the state territory.

The length of Russia's borders is almost 61 thousand km. The western and southern borders are predominantly land, while the northern and eastern borders are sea.

Using the map of the atlas “Geographical Position of Russia” (pp. 2 - 3), schoolchildren independently complete task 1 on p. 34 - 35 in the workbook (draw the borders of Russia, identify neighbors and write their names). The teacher draws students' attention to the fact that Russia has maritime borders with some states. Here it is necessary to define the concept “ territorial waters”, which is also written down in the notebook.

Territorial waters are sea ​​waters, adjacent to the land territory of the state and included in its composition. The width of territorial waters is 12 miles (or 22.2 km).

2.The teacher explains how geographic location influences the characteristics of nature, the economy and the life of the population.

Russia is the largest state by area. Naturally, the natural conditions in such a vast area are very diverse. Many features of Russia's nature are associated with its northern location. More than half of the country's territory (64.3%) is located north of the sixtieth parallel. At the same latitude in Europe are only Finland, Iceland, most of Sweden and almost all of Norway. But unlike Russia, these countries are intensively heated warm waters and the air currents of the Atlantic and therefore have a relatively mild climate. Russia, on the other hand, is characterized by the severity of its climate: low winter temperatures and its duration, less precipitation, and large annual temperature amplitudes. With the exception of some small regions of the Ciscaucasia and the North Caucasus, all of Russia is cold northern country. This directly affects all areas of economic activity and people’s daily lives. Huge amounts of money are spent on fighting the cold. During a long, harsh winter, a huge amount of energy resources is spent for these purposes. Thus, in Moscow, during the heating season, about 3 tons of coal are consumed per inhabitant (in standard fuel units), in Norilsk - 7 tons. Only on 40% of the territory of our country can people build cities and towns without special expensive measures to protect against adverse impacts harsh natural environment. Large expenses for heating, construction, clothing, and food increase the cost of living for Russians.

The severity of the climate has a particularly detrimental effect on agriculture. In a cold country, it is necessary to have a high content of animal proteins in the diet. But intensive livestock farming in Russia is difficult due to the lack of more valuable feed crops - corn and soybeans: they can grow in our country only in limited areas. About 45% of all agricultural land is in conditions of insufficient moisture. Quite rightly, the majority of Russian agricultural land is classified as a risky farming zone.

The cold expanses of Russia are washed over a vast area by cold and cool seas. In the seas of the Arctic Ocean, floating ice remains throughout the year. In the most harsh winters Almost all seas freeze off the coast of Russia, even those located near its southern borders. In addition to ice, thick cold fogs hinder navigation in autumn and winter. All this complicates the work of Russian ports, requires additional costs and special measures to ensure their normal functioning.

In general, the influence of the main natural features Russia for life and economic activity its population is contradictory. The northern position of the country, the cold freezing seas washing it, and permafrost sharply worsen the ecological qualities of the natural environment, complicate all types of production activities, and reduce people’s living standards. At the same time, vast spaces of Russia with well-preserved natural natural complexes represent enormous value as the country's environmental potential.

III. Fixing the material.

In order to consolidate the material received, students answer the following questions and complete assignments:

1.Measure distances in degrees and km along the 70th meridian and 60th parallel.

2.Determine the shortest distance between Moscow and Vladivostok.

3.Calculate how many times the territory of Russia is larger than the territory of France - the largest state in Europe (the area of ​​France is 545 thousand sq. km).

4.Identify boundary objects by their coordinates: a) 43° N. w. 146° E. d.; b) 54° N. w. 170° E. d.

5.Do Russia and India have a common border?

6.How would the nature of Russia change if its territory was crossed by the equator?

IV. Summing up the lesson.

Homework:§ 1, finish practical work No. 1 (task 2 on p. 6 in the workbook).

Heat zones

• cold

• moderate

• tropical

Climate depends on the distribution of heat on Earth. The equator region receives the most direct sunlight, so there is a tropical zone on either side of the equator. The north and south poles receive the least amount of solar heat; cold zones are located here. Between them there is a temperate zone.

What are natural areas ?

these are large areas with similar natural conditions, flora and fauna, shaped like belts

Climate depends on the distribution of heat on earth. Vegetation and fauna depend on climatic conditions. Therefore, natural zones also have the form of belts.

Natural areas

The sequence of natural zones is similar on different continents. In the picture: Ice deserts. Tundra and forest-tundra. Coniferous forests (taiga). Mixed and broad-leaved forests. Forest-steppes and steppes. Deserts and semi-deserts. Savannas and woodlands. Hard-leaved and evergreen forests and shrubs. Variably humid forests. Humid and tropical forests. Areas of altitudinal zonation.

Natural areas of Eurasia

The nature of Russia is very diverse. In the direction from north to south, several natural zones change: ice zone, tundra zone, forest zone, steppe zone, desert zone. The transition zone between forest and steppe zones is called forest-steppe

cold belt

ice desert zone

tundra zone

The climate is very

cold

• long harsh winter
• Very short cold summer

Animal adaptations:

• thick subcutaneous fat layer
• can feed on plankton

Around the poles both land and sea all year round covered with ice. But where warm sea currents pass, the water is free of ice and rich in plankton - small plants and animals floating in the water column. Fish feed on plankton, and birds, seals, walruses and other inhabitants of this zone feed on fish.

Ice Desert Animals

1. Polar bear 2. Emperor penguin 3. Seals. 4. Orca 5. Walrus

Plant adaptations:

• Dwarf stature (do not have time to develop)
• The roots are located in the top layer of soil

Animal adaptations:

• They feed on mosses and lichens
• Thick warm wool
• Change color in winter
• Can live under the snow

Climate

cold

• long and cold winter

• short and cool summer

Winter lasts longer than the school year, and summer lasts only 1 month. During the summer, only the top layer of the earth manages to thaw, and below it remains permafrost - a solid layer with ice into which plant roots cannot penetrate.

Flora tundra

1.Dwarf birch. This little tree is older than your parents! 2. Lichen moss – the main source of nutrition reindeer. Lichens grow very slowly - only the thickness of a matchstick per year. 3.Cloudberry 4.Cranberry The trace of an all-terrain vehicle that has driven only once across the tundra remains a dead strip for decades.

Fauna of the tundra

1. Arctic owl 2. Reindeer 3. Ptarmigan 4. Arctic fox 5. Squirrel

Moderate belt

Forest zone

Steppe zone

Main feature temperate climate the fact that the seasons differ well.

Desert zone temperate zone

Forest zone

The forest zone is the widest in the temperate thermal zone.

Climate

moderate, humid

• winter is cold, not very long

• summer is warm, non-dry

Summer here is much warmer than in the tundra; during the summer the trees have time to gain strength to survive the winter, although frosty, but not so long. In the north of the forest zone, taiga is widespread - a forest of coniferous trees. In areas with milder climates, deciduous forests predominate.

Animal adaptations:

• have thick warm fur
• stocking up for the winter
• some hibernate in winter
• climb trees and hide in the forest
• feed on tree parts
• many birds fly south for the winter

Plant adaptations :

• Some have needles
• Deciduous trees shed their leaves for the winter
• seeds are spread by animals
• can grow in clearings
• Shade-tolerant

Wildlife of the forest

1. Christmas tree 2.Hare 3.Wolf 4.5. Deer 6. Bear 7. Raccoon

Stepnaya zone

Steppes are grassy plains. The steppe is one of the most favorable places to live. In one season, steppe plants grow up to 1 meter, and corn is even taller than human height. The top layer of soil in the steppe - chernozem - is the most fertile soil in the world.

Climate

moderate

• Cold winter
• Dry summer

However, there are no trees in the steppe, only grass. In summer, water quickly evaporates after rain and the plants do not have time to drink enough. Therefore, only those plants that are able to better retain moisture and tolerate both summer drought and winter cold survive in the steppe.

Plant adaptations:

• herbaceous plants
• long thick roots
• narrow hard leaves
• the underground part is larger than the above ground part
• have bulbs

Animal adaptations:

• lead a normal lifestyle
• feed on plant parts
• stocking up for the winter

Flora of the steppes

1. Poppy 2. Feather grass 3. Cornflower 4. Tulip

Fauna of the steppes

• Steppe eagle 2. Bustard 3. Tsokor 4. Mole 5. Gopher
• Steppe eagle 2. Bustard 3. Tsokor 4. Mole 5. Gopher
• Steppe eagle 2. Bustard 3. Tsokor 4. Mole 5. Gopher
• Steppe eagle 2. Bustard 3. Tsokor 4. Mole 5. Gopher

• Previously, herds of large herbivorous animals grazed in the steppes: antelope, saigas, bison. But people turned the steppes into fields and gardens and the herbivores had nowhere to feed. Now they are found only in the zoo. Wild horses - tarpans - became extinct.

Temperate desert zone

Towards the equator, the summer heat intensifies and the rain becomes less and less. Steppes give way to deserts.

The climate is hot, dry

• hot summer
• little rain in both winter and summer
• cold winter

Few plants and animals are able to cope with frost in winter, heat in summer and lack of water all year round.

Plant adaptations :

Animal adaptations:

• prickly plant leaves
• have a very long root

• the skin is covered with scales that protect from the sun and water loss
• unpretentiousness to food

Flora of temperate deserts

1. Saxaul 2. Camel thorn 3. Succulent

Wildlife of temperate deserts

1. Turtle 2. Cobra 3.4. Long-eared roundheads

Tropical belt

Savannah zone

IN tropical zone the sun at noon is at its zenith, that is, directly overhead in both winter and summer. That. straight sun rays strongly heat the earth all year round. The seasons here are either wet or dry. Therefore, the heat in the tropics is different: when it rains, it’s hot, like in a bathhouse, and when it doesn’t, it’s hot, like in a frying pan. The closer to the equator, the longer the rainy season.

Zone tropical forests

The climate is hot, dry

• It's always hot
• Very little rain
• Driest place on earth

This is the driest place on earth. It happens that not a single rain falls in a whole year.

Animal adaptations:

• skin in the form of scutes
• nocturnal
• some hibernate
• can accumulate fat
• can go a long time without food

Plant adaptations:

• very long roots
• store water
• some can drink salt water

Plants can obtain, store, save, and even drink salt water. Hard shields on the skin of animals protect them from heat and evaporation. Many are adapted to a nocturnal lifestyle (jerboa), having good eyesight, allowing you to hunt at night when it is not so hot. During the day they sleep in cool burrows. Some hibernate during the hottest times of the year. Camels store fat in humps on their backs. During his journey through the desert, he does not drink, but his humps are gradually losing weight.

Flora of tropical deserts

1. Cacti 2.3. Solyanka

Wildlife of tropical deserts

1.2. Camels 3. Scarab beetle 4. Scorpion 5. Jerboa

Savannah zone

Savannas are tropical steppes with tall grass and sparse trees.

The climate is hot

• rainy summer
• winter is dry
• winter is hotter than summer

In summer the rainy season begins, plants grow, bloom and bear fruit, and animals and birds bear offspring. In winter there comes a dry period, hotter than summer.

Plant adaptations:

Animal adaptations:

• They grow, bloom and bear fruit in summer and the rainy season.
• In winter, some trees shed their leaves (due to drought)

• herbivores grazing in large groups for protection from predators
• predators kill weak and sick animals, ensuring a healthy population

The savanna has the greatest diversity of large herbivores and predators on earth.

Flora of savannas

1. Baobab 2. Agave 3. Palm 4. Acacia

Savanna fauna

1. Lions 2. Zebra 3. Giraffe 4. Elephant 5. Antelope 6. Cheetah

Rainforest zone

The closer to the equator, the shorter the dry period of the year. Where it completely disappears, savannas are replaced by evergreen tropical rainforests.

The climate is hot, humid

• hot wet winter
• hot humid summer
• every day it rains
• no dry period

Tropical forests are also called rain forests. Every morning the sun rises across a cloudless sky, the coolness of the night quickly gives way to heat. The dew evaporates, clouds appear during the day and it becomes stuffy. A thunderstorm with tropical downpour begins. Around evening the rain stops and the heat subsides. Everything repeats itself in the morning.

Animal adaptations:

• Adapted to life in tree canopy
• They feed on leaves and fruits of trees
• Various climbing devices (prehensile hands, tail, suction cups, etc.)

Plant adaptations :

• Tiered forest
• Lots of vines
• Many settle on tree branches (orchids)
• the trees are very tall - reaching towards the sun

Dampness and twilight reign in the tropical forest. The trees reach towards the sun, reaching the height of a 20-story building. Each layer of the forest contains a huge variety of plants. Plants grow very quickly in hot and humid climates. All animals are adapted to life in tree branches. Even predators, such as the panther, are excellent tree climbers.

Flora of the rainforest

1.2. Multi-tiered tropical forest. WITH tall trees the vines are coming down. 3.4. Orchids settle directly on tree branches to reach the light. The bright flowers attract insects for pollination.

Wildlife of the rainforest

• Anteater 2. Hummingbird 3. Toucan 4. tree frog(lays eggs in water that accumulates at the base of leaves after rain.) 5. Jaguar 6. Gorilla 7. Macaw parrot

With set contour maps

Class

Suprychev A.V.

INTRODUCTION

March 18, 2014 President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin signed an interstate Treaty on the admission of Crimea and Sevastopol to the Russian Federation, according to which two new entities appeared within Russia - the Republic of Crimea and the city federal significance- Sevastopol. The treaty came into force from the date of its ratification - March 21. This event is of great importance in modern times Russian history and further socio-economic development of Crimea.

"Crimean Studies" is, essentially, regional studies academic discipline, engaged in a comprehensive study of the unique region of the Russian Federation, the Crimean Peninsula. “Crimean Studies” systematizes diverse data on the nature, history, characteristics of the population, economy, culture and socio-political organization of Crimea. At the same time main feature“Crimean studies” is based on a comprehensive study of the territory on a rich basis of local history.

Subject of study"Crimean studies" in the 8th grade are natural conditions and resources Crimean peninsula, as well as aspects of their rational use. This implies a comprehensive study individual components nature, their direct relationship and close interaction.

Task 1.

Remember………

Lesson topic: Features of the physical and geographical position of the Crimean Peninsula. Coastline.

Task 1.

Remember what is included in the concept "physical-geographical location"? From the proposed characteristics, select those that directly characterize the FGP of a certain territory and arrange them in a logical sequence:

1. Extreme points and their geographical coordinates.

2. Position in thermal zones and natural zones.

3. Distance to the center of the Earth.

4. Land borders.

5. Length in degrees and kilometers from north to south and from west to east.

6. Maritime boundaries.

7. Depth of groundwater.

8. Position on the continent in relation to the equator, prime meridian and other elements of the degree grid.

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Physiographic location- __________________________________

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Task 2. Working with the map

Using the map of the hemispheres, answer the questions:

1) On what continent and in what part of the world is the Crimean Peninsula located?

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2) How is the Crimean peninsula located in relation to the equator, the prime meridian?

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3) Using the map, determine which parallel crosses the Crimean Peninsula and what follows from this?

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4) What seas wash the Crimean Peninsula?

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! The geographical position of the Crimean peninsula is very different interesting feature- the so-called contact position. This is manifested in the fact that on the territory of a relatively small peninsula there is direct contact between two climatic zones, an active folded, stable platform region and a developing sea basin, land and sea, mountains and plains, arid steppes and more humid forests.

In order to answer this question you need to know the following:

• geographical location of the Crimean peninsula;
• what are natural areas and what they are like;
• What are thermal zones and what types do they exist?

What natural areas exist

Natural zones are certain areas of the earth's surface that have significant differences in various indicators, namely: natural conditions, temperature regime, vegetation, fauna, etc.

There are many natural zones that start from the Antarctic and Arctic deserts, where low temperatures and permafrost prevail, tundras, deserts and steppe forests. And also constantly and variablely humid forests, which have very rich vegetation and high temperature conditions. However, these are not all natural areas existing on the planet.

Using a map of natural zones of the world or Russia, you can answer the question posed. Thus, on the Crimean peninsula the main place is occupied by the natural zone of steppes and forest-steppes.

Heat zones and their differences

Heat zones are usually called individual areas of the globe that differ in their average temperature throughout the year.

There are several thermal zones. Cold belts of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, because Since they are the furthest away from the planet’s equator, the Sun warms them the least, and as a result, the temperature is the lowest.

The temperate zones of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres warm up quite well in the summer, however, in winter they are quite cool there due to the lack of sunlight.

The hot zone is located on both sides of the equator and is the most warm place planets both in summer and winter.

Having examined the thermal zones both theoretically and on the map, as well as knowing the geographical location of the Crimean peninsula, we can conclude that southern part The Crimean peninsula is located in a temperate thermal zone. And the rest of it belongs more to the hot thermal zone. This is due to the difference in temperatures in winter and summer, as well as proximity to the equator.

Natural conditions in different places on the globe are not the same, but naturally change from the poles to the equator. The main reason for this is the spherical shape of the Earth. Indeed, if the Earth were flat, like a chalkboard, its surface, oriented (directed) strictly across the sun's rays, would heat up equally everywhere, both at the poles and at the equator.

But our planet has the shape of a ball, which is why the sun's rays fall on its surface at different angles, and therefore heat it differently. Above the equator, the sun during the day “looks” at the earth’s surface almost “point-blank”, and twice a year, at noon, its hot rays fall here at right angles (the sun in such cases is at its zenith, that is, directly overhead) . At the poles, the sun's rays fall obliquely, at an acute angle, the sun for a long time moves low above the horizon, and then does not appear in the sky at all for several months. As a result, the equator and even moderate latitudes receive much more heat than areas near the poles.

Therefore, in both hemispheres of the Earth, several thermal zones are distinguished: equatorial, two tropical, two temperate and two cold. Solar heat is the driving force of natural processes and phenomena that we observe around us in the surface shell of the Earth. Now scientists call this shell the biosphere, that is, the sphere of life.

And since solar heat is distributed unevenly on Earth, large differences are clearly expressed in the biosphere and in the nature around us from one thermal zone to another. Accordingly, geographic zones are distinguished. Their boundaries coincide with the boundaries of thermal zones.

But in each of the geographical zones the natural conditions are different. After all, the width of these belts in some places is more than 4 thousand. km! The closer to the equator this or that part of the geographical zone, the more heat it receives and the more it differs from other parts distant from the equator. Such differences are especially pronounced in climate, soils, vegetation and fauna. Therefore, within geographic zones, geographic, or natural, zones are clearly defined, i.e., areas that are more or less homogeneous in natural conditions. They are most often stretched in stripes along parallels. Thus, in temperate zones there are zones: forest, forest-steppe, steppe, semi-desert and desert.

The location of natural zones around the globe and their boundaries are determined not only by the amount of solar heat. The amount of moisture, which is also unevenly distributed on land, is also of great importance. This leads to large differences in natural conditions even at the same latitude. In Africa, near the equator, there is a lot of heat everywhere, but on the west coast, where there is also a lot of moisture, dense tropical forests grow, and on the east, where there is not enough moisture, there are savannas, sometimes quite dry.

In addition, the position geographical zones land is influenced by mountain ranges that change the direction of zones along parallels. The mountains have their own altitude zones, as it gets colder as you climb. At high altitudes, the earth's surface gives off a lot of heat to the surrounding space, “supplied” to it by the sun. This happens because the air at the top is rarefied, and although here it transmits more sunlight than at the foot of the mountains, heat loss from the earth’s surface increases to an even greater extent with height.

High-altitude zones occupy smaller spaces than plain (latitudinal) zones, and seem to repeat them: mountain glaciers - the polar zone, mountain tundra - tundra, mountain forests - forest zone, etc. The lower part of the mountains usually merges with the latitudinal zone, within which they are located. So, for example, the taiga approaches the foothills of the Northern and Middle Urals, a desert stretches at the bases of some mountains in Central Asia, which lie in the desert zone, and in the Himalayas the lower part of the mountains is covered with tropical jungle, etc. Largest quantity altitudinal zones (from glaciers at the tops of mountains to tropical forests at the foot) is observed in high mountains located near the equator. Although high-altitude zones are similar to plain zones, the similarity is very relative.

Indeed, the amount of precipitation in mountains usually increases with altitude, while in the direction from the equator to the poles it generally decreases. In mountains, the length of day and night does not change with altitude as much as when moving from the equator to the poles. In addition, climatic conditions in the mountains become more complex: the steepness of the slopes and their exposure (northern or southern, western or eastern slopes) play a significant role here, special wind systems arise, etc. All this leads to the fact that both soils and vegetation and fauna of each altitude zone acquire special features that distinguish it from the corresponding plain zone.

The differences in natural zones on land are most clearly reflected by vegetation. Therefore, most zones are named according to the type of vegetation that predominates in them. These are the zones of temperate forests, forest-steppes, steppes, tropical rainforests, etc.

Geographical zones can also be traced in the oceans, but they are less pronounced than on land, and only in upper layers water - to a depth of 200-300 m. Geographic zones in the oceans generally coincide with thermal zones, but not completely, since water is very mobile, sea currents constantly mix it, and in some places transfer it from one zone to another.

In the World Ocean, as on land, there are seven main geographical zones: equatorial, two tropical, two temperate and two cold. They differ from each other in temperature and salinity of water, the nature of currents, vegetation and wildlife.

Thus, the waters of cold zones have a low temperature. They contain slightly less dissolved salts and more oxygen than the waters of other zones. Vast areas of seas are covered thick ice, and the flora and fauna are poor in species composition. In temperate zones, surface layers of water heat up in summer and cool in winter. Ice in these zones appears only in places, and even then only in winter. Organic world rich and varied. Tropical and equatorial waters are always warm. Life is abundant in them. What are geographical land areas? Let's get acquainted With the most important of them.

Ice is the name given to the natural zone adjacent to the poles of the globe. In the northern hemisphere ice zone include the northern edge of the Taimyr Peninsula, as well as numerous Arctic islands - areas lying around the North Pole, under the constellation Ursa Major(“arktos” translated from Greek means bear). These are the northern islands of the Canadian Arctic archipelago, Greenland, Spitsbergen, Franz Josef Land, etc.

In the southern polar region - Antarctica (from the Greek word "anti" - against, i.e. against the Arctic) - there is the ice-covered continent of Antarctica, which is part of the ice zone of the southern hemisphere.

The harsh nature of the ice zone. Snow and ice do not melt completely here even in summer. And although the sun shines for several months without interruption, around the clock, it does not warm up the earth, which has cooled down for a long time. long winter, as it rises low above the horizon. In addition, the sun is often hidden by thick clouds and fog, and the white surface of snow and ice reflects its rays. On the polar night, severe frosts rage.

In 1961, Soviet researchers in Antarctica had to work in temperatures of 88.3°. At the same time they were still blowing hurricane winds- up to 70 m/sec. In engines because of such low temperatures Gasoline did not catch fire, and metal and rubber became as fragile as glass.

Summer is coming, the sun is rising over the Arctic desert, and now it will not hide behind the horizon for a long time. And yet, clear, sunny weather is rare. The sky is overcast with low clouds, and it rains and even snows for several days in a row. There are very few plants here: the conditions are too harsh. Snow-covered ice fields spread out everywhere, and bare rocks and rocky outcrops darken on the islands and coasts. Even where plants are not hindered by ice and snow, strong winds destroy them. Only in some places, in lowlands protected from icy breath, do small “oases” manage to form during the short summer. But even here the plants do not stretch upward, but press themselves to the ground: this way it is easier for them to withstand the wind. The snow barely has time to melt before the first flowers appear. They develop very quickly because the sun shines around the clock.

In the most favorable conditions In the icy desert of the Arctic there are patches of Arctic meadows and swamps. Polar poppies are turning yellow on the island of Spitsbergen. The flora of Franz Josef Land includes more than thirty species of flowering plants. Even in the icy expanses of central Greenland, you can see from an airplane red-brown or green fields formed by microorganisms.

It's noisy in the Arctic in the summer. Return to their nesting places migratory birds: little auks, guillemots, guillemots, various gulls... There are not so many species, but each is represented by many thousands of birds. They nest on the ledges of coastal cliffs in huge colonies, making a terrible noise. That is why these colonies are called “bird colonies”. How can we explain the desire of birds to settle in such huge numbers in small areas? The fact is that steep cliffs with ledges and small platforms are very convenient for nesting, and nearby there is an abundance of fish on which birds feed. In addition, it is easier to drive away a predator together.

Other birds also fly to the Arctic: geese, terns, eiders. In the spring, the eider grows long fluff on its abdomen, with which it covers its nest. This down is unusually warm and light and is therefore highly valued. People collect it at eider nesting sites and even arrange artificial nests for her in the form of a half-open box.

In Greenland and on the islands of the Canadian Arctic archipelago, an animal has been preserved whose ancestors lived back in the days of mammoths and long-haired rhinoceroses. This is a wild musk ox, or musk ox. He really resembles both a ram and a bull at the same time. Its massive body is covered with long hair.

The nature of Antarctica is even poorer than that of the Arctic. Average height Antarctica - 2200 m above sea level, but earth's surface is located much lower here, because it is hidden under a thick layer of ice, its average thickness is more than 1500 m, and the largest is 5000 m. Sparse vegetation is found here only on the coast of the mainland. These are mainly mosses and lichens. Only three species of flowering plants are known here. The Antarctic fauna is also not rich in species. There are no such large animals as polar bears here. Seals live off the coast of Antarctica, and petrels and albatrosses fly over the waters of the oceans washing it. Albatross wingspan up to 4 m. These birds spend most of their lives above water, catching fish.

The most wonderful animals of Antarctica are penguins. These birds have lost the ability to fly; their wings have turned into swimming flippers. Penguins are excellent swimmers and divers. But on land they are clumsy, waddle, resembling fat, funny little men in black tailcoats and white shirts. Penguins live in numerous colonies. Their only enemy is the leopard seal (one of the local seal species).

For a long time, the Arctic and especially the Antarctic were almost undeveloped by humans. Now, thanks to the achievements of science and technology, we can already talk not only about the study and use of these little-explored areas, not only about human adaptation to their harsh natural conditions, but also about the human influence on the nature of the ice zone.

At high altitudes in the mountains the same cold as in the ice zone, the same wind-blown stones, only here and there covered with mosses and lichens. But there are no sea spaces nearby, and migratory birds do not organize “bazaars”. There are no months-long polar days and nights here either. On high mountains there is low atmospheric pressure, the air is poorer in oxygen, so not all animals can adapt to life in high mountain conditions. Large predator tolerates cold and altitude well - snow leopard. The whitish shade of the fur makes it inconspicuous against the background of snow and gray stones. In summer, the leopard usually stays on the line of eternal snow, and in winter it descends lower, following its prey - mountain sheep and mountain turkeys (sulars).

The more grass there is in the steppe, the more large herbivores there are. And the more predators there are. In our steppes, the typical predator is the wolf (although it is also found in other zones), and in North America there are small wolves, coyotes.

Of the steppe birds, only the bustard and gray partridge live sedentary, not flying to warm countries for the winter. But in the summer, many representatives of the bird kingdom settle in the steppe: ducks, waders, demoiselle cranes, larks.

Feathered predators soar at high altitudes above the steppe: eagles, vultures, etc. Open spaces allow them to spot prey from above at a distance of several kilometers. Birds of Prey they sit down to rest on mounds, telegraph poles and other elevations, from where they have a better view and are easier to take off.

Steppes North America are called prairies. In them, along with plants common to our steppes (feather grass, wheatgrass), there are those that are not in the eastern hemisphere: bison grass, Graam's grass, etc. The steppes of South America - the pampa - are distinguished by an even greater variety of grasses.

Stiff grasses, one to one and a half meters high, in some places completely cover large areas of the pampa. Where the soil is somewhat wetter, bright green creeping plants appear and with them scarlet, pink, and white verbena. Yellow and white lilies grow in damp places. The most beautiful plant of the pampa is the silvery gynerium, whose silky panicles seem to have absorbed the most varied tones of heavenly azure. In this sea of ​​grass, herds of wild cattle and herds of horses roam, rhea ostriches stride importantly. Near lakes and rivers, where there are groves of trees and shrubs, you can see black squirrels, tiny hummingbirds, and noisy parrots.

In some mountains (Tian Shan, Altai, in the mountains of Transbaikalia, in the Greater Khingan, in the Cordillera, etc.) there are places where much resembles a flat steppe. In Central Asia, the mountain steppes are almost no different from the lowland feather grass-fescue steppes.

In distant times, steppes occupied vast territories on the plains of North America and Eurasia. Now they are completely plowed open. Wheat, corn, millet, and various melons are grown on the fertile steppe soils.

The natural vegetation cover of the steppes is now almost non-existent. The animal world has also changed. The ancestors of our domestic animals disappeared here long ago - wild bull tour and wild horses tarpans, some birds have become rare. Now only in a few nature reserves, such as our Askania-Nova, you can see real virgin steppe.

Subtropical forests and shrubs

Approximately between 30 and 40° N. w. and S. are subtropical. Their nature is extremely diverse. At these latitudes you can also see lush evergreen forest, and the steppe, and the sultry desert - moisture is so unevenly distributed here - the source of life.

On the western edges of the continents there are subtropics, often called Mediterranean, because all the features of their nature are most clearly expressed on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea.

Summers in these places are hot and dry, rain falls mostly in winter, during which even mild frosts rarely occur. The vegetation cover of the Mediterranean subtropics is dominated by thickets of evergreen shrubs and low trees. Noble laurel, strawberry tree, which annually sheds its bark, delicate myrtle, wild olives, roses, and junipers grow here. Many plants that have adapted to dry summers have leaves that turn into thorns. Entwined with the same thorny vines, they become an insurmountable obstacle for travelers.

When it's time to bloom, the bushes (called maquis) turn into a sea of ​​luxurious flowers - yellow, white, blue and red. A strong aroma fills the surrounding air.

One of the most beautiful plants Mediterranean subtropics - Italian pine, or pine. The wide, spreading crowns of pine trees seem especially magnificent next to the dense spindle-shaped crowns of cypress trees. These beautiful trees most often grow alone. Very few pine groves have survived. The small forests that can still be found in the Mediterranean subtropics consist mainly of evergreen oaks - cork and holm. Trees are rare here, and grasses and shrubs grow wildly between them. There is a lot of light in such a forest, and this makes it very different from the shady Russian oak forests.

The subtropics on the eastern edges of the continents present a different picture. In Southeast China and Southern Japan precipitation They also fall unevenly, but there is more rain in the summer (and not in the winter, as in the Mediterranean subtropics), i.e., at a time when vegetation especially needs moisture. Therefore, dense humid forests of evergreen oaks, camphor laurel, and magnolias grow here. Numerous vines entangling tree trunks, thickets of tall bamboos and various shrubs enhance the uniqueness of the subtropical forest.

The southeastern part of the United States is dominated by swampy subtropical forests consisting of American species pine, ash, poplar, maple. Swamp cypress is widespread here - a huge tree reaching 45 m in height and 2 m in diameter. In Russia, subtropics include: Black Sea coast Caucasus, Lankaran lowland on the Caspian coast. The subtropics are the birthplace of valuable cultivated plants: oranges, tangerines, lemons, grapefruits, persimmons, etc. In addition to citrus fruits, olives, cherry laurel, figs, pomegranates, almonds, date palms and many other fruit trees and shrubs are grown here. See also: .

Deserts

Deserts occupy globe vast territories, especially in Asia, Africa and Australia. Their total area estimated at 15-20 million. km 2 . There are temperate, subtropical and tropical deserts.

In the temperate zone, all the plains of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to Central China in the east are almost entirely desert spaces. In North America, some intermountain depressions in the west of the continent are deserted.

Subtropical and tropical deserts are located in northwestern India, Pakistan, Iran, and Asia Minor. They cover the Arabian Peninsula and the entire north of Africa, the western coast of South America for almost 3500 km and central Australia. The edges of the desert are usually bordered by transitional zones of semi-deserts.

The climate in deserts is sharply continental. Summer is very dry and hot, during the day the air temperature in the shade rises above 40° (in tropical deserts up to 58°). At night the heat subsides, the temperature often drops to 0°. In winter the cold comes, even in the Sahara there are frosts at this time. There is little precipitation in deserts - no more than 180 mm per year. The Chilean Atacama Desert receives less than 10 of them. mm. In some places in tropical deserts there is no rain for several years in a row.

In the hot, sultry summer, the meager plant remains in the desert soils seem to “burn out.” Hence the light gray or light yellow (sometimes almost white) color of the soils, which are called gray soils. Most often, the soil cover in deserts is very weak. Rocky or clayey areas are replaced here by seas of shifting sand. “Sand waves” - dunes - reach 12 m height. Their shape is crescent or crescent-shaped, one slope (concave) is steep, the other is gentle. Connected at their ends, dunes often form entire dune chains. Under the influence of wind, they move at speeds from tens of centimeters to hundreds of meters per year. Unobstructed winds in the desert sometimes reach terrible strength. Then they raise clouds of sand into the air and sweep over the desert like a menacing sandstorm.

Clay deserts are almost devoid of vegetation. These are usually low-lying areas. They flood easily and during periods of light rains they look like lakes, although the depth of such “lakes” is only a few millimeters. The clay layer does not absorb water - it quickly evaporates in the sun, and the dry surface of the earth cracks. Such areas of the desert are called takyrs. Often in deserts, various salts (table salt, Glauber's salt, etc.) appear directly on the surface, forming barren salt marshes. Plants feel better in sand than in takyrs, because sand absorbs water better and is less saline. In summer, small reserves of moisture even form in the lower, cooler layers of sand: this is the condensation of water vapor coming from the atmosphere.

The name “desert” does not mean a complete absence of life. Some plants and animals are well adapted to living in dry climates and high temperatures.

In the deserts of Central Asia, saxaul grows - black and white. Large saxaul sometimes reaches 5 m height. Its leaves and branches are so small (this helps retain moisture) that on a hot summer day the trees seem bare in winter. But under the black saxaul in the lowlands there is even a faint shadow, saving animals and people from the sun.

In many desert plants, during the hot period, relatively large “spring” leaves are replaced by small “summer” ones. And if there are larger “summer” leaves, they are either fluffy (among wormwoods in Central Asia) or covered with a shiny waxy layer. Such leaves reflect the sun's rays and do not overheat. In some plants (sand acacia), the leaves have turned into thorns, which also prevents moisture evaporation. A small shrub - black wormwood - is usually devoid of leaves and looks very gloomy. And only in spring does black wormwood seem to come to life, briefly becoming covered with fluffy silver foliage.

There are many different cacti growing in the deserts of the Western Hemisphere. They have adapted to it in their own way arid climate: Large reserves of water accumulate in the fleshy stems and leaves, sometimes 96% of the total weight of the plant. North American cactus Carnegia gianta (height up to 15 m) stores 2-3 thousand in its stems. l water. Desert plants typically have a well-developed root system. It allows them to extract moisture from deep layers of the soil. Some of these plants (desert sedge) can anchor sand with a powerful root system.

Desert animals also have their own adaptations to their surrounding conditions. Many desert inhabitants are colored yellow and gray, which allows them to hide from enemies or sneak up on prey unnoticed.

All desert inhabitants try to hide from the scorching heat. Pigeons, sparrows and owls manage to nest and rest in the walls of wells. Birds of prey (eagles, crows, falcons) make nests on hillocks and in the ruins of buildings, choosing the shadow side. Many animals hide in burrows, where it is not so dry and hot in summer and not too cold in winter. And if the inhabitants of most temperate zones hibernate in winter, then other desert animals fall asleep in the summer, thus enduring a lack of moisture.

And the thin-toed ground squirrel generally does without drinking water: the moisture contained in the plants it eats is enough for it. The hairy jerboa also does not “know how” to drink: when water is offered to it in captivity, it wets its paws in it and licks them.

Like many inhabitants of the steppes, some desert animals are excellent runners. Wild kulan asses run vast distances in search of water and food. They can reach speeds of up to 70 km/hour Cheetahs run even faster - wild cats on long legs with semi-retractable claws.

The dry desert climate is extremely unfavorable for amphibians, but there are a lot of reptiles here: various snakes, lizards (including very large monitor lizards), turtles. To escape the heat and enemies, many of them quickly bury themselves in the sand. And the agama lizard, on the contrary, climbs onto the bushes - away from the hot sand.

The camel is perfectly adapted to life in the desert. He can eat grass that is not digestible by other animals, drinks little, and can even drink salt water. Camels tolerate prolonged hunger well: a reserve of fat is deposited in their humps (up to 100 kg and more). The camel has calluses on its body and legs, allowing it to lie down on the hot sand. Leaning on a wide cloven hoof, the camel moves freely along the sands. All these features make it an indispensable assistant for humans in desert conditions. A camel walks in harness, under a pack and a saddle, and provides warm wool. It was domesticated 4 thousand years ago.

Traces of ancient settlements and irrigation systems are often found under the desert sands. They were destroyed during wars, and, abandoned by people, the once flourishing lands became the prey of the desert. But even now, where grazing areas have not changed for a long time or too many shrubs are cut down, the sands, not already held together by plant roots, go on the offensive.

Fixing loose sand with plants is one of the surest ways to conquer the desert. In addition, sand can be “bound” with special emulsions, the thin film of which is easily penetrated by young plant shoots.

If you irrigate the desert with enough moisture, its appearance will change. Then it will be possible to grow rice, cotton, melons, corn, wheat, orchards, and vineyards here. Desert oases provide 25-30% of the world's cotton harvest and almost 100% of the world's date harvest. On irrigated lands in the deserts of Central Asia, two harvests of various crops can be harvested per year. Read more about the desert zone.

Savannah

In the equatorial zones of the northern and southern hemispheres there are tropical steppes - savannas (from the Spanish “sabana” - wild plain). In Africa, the Brazilian Highlands in South America and northern Australia, they occupy vast areas.

The climate of the savannas is tropical. There are two very clearly defined seasons here - dry and wet. In this regard, the entire life of nature is subject to a certain rhythm.

During the dry period the heat reaches 50°. At this time, the savannah makes a dull impression: yellowed and dried grasses, leafless trees, red-brown, cracked soil, lack of visible signs life.

Savannas are vast spaces covered with grassy vegetation with sparsely scattered acacias, baobabs and shrubs.

But then the rains begin, and the savannah awaits literally before our eyes. The soil greedily absorbs moisture and is covered with tall grass, taller than human height. Trees and shrubs growing in groups or alone are green everywhere. The crowns of trees are umbrella-shaped, especially those of acacias.

The largest plant of the African savannas is the baobab. It is not taller than our pine, but its trunk is extremely thick - up to 10 m in diameter. Outwardly, this tree is unattractive; only its large white flowers are beautiful. Baobab fruits are not tasty, but for monkeys they are a real delicacy.

Eucalyptus trees grow in the savannas of Australia - giant trees up to 150 meters high. m. There are many types of them. In some types of eucalyptus, the leaves can turn edge-on towards the sun's rays and therefore do not provide almost any shade, but this reduces the evaporation of moisture. Among the sparsely scattered trees there is scrub - dense thickets of brigolow acacia, desert oak, and sandalwood. Between them there are bizarre “bottle trees” with a trunk swollen from the base to the crown.

The fauna of savannas, especially African ones, is extremely rich and diverse. Large representatives of land animals live here: clumsy hippopotamuses live on the shores of lakes and in the water, heavy buffaloes come, and among the branches of mimosa you can see the beautiful heads of giraffes. In the thick of the grass, crouched to the ground, a lion is guarding its prey. And the fast legs of antelopes do not always save these light, graceful animals from the formidable ruler African savannah. But more often its victims are careless zebras.

The slight rustle of grass indicates the presence of other inhabitants. These are snakes. There are a lot of them here, and the most terrible of them is the asp. Both people and animals are afraid of him: the bite of an asp is fatal. Only the buffoon eagle fearlessly fights this snake and almost always wins. See also: .

The abundance of heat, and during the humid period, precipitation, fertile soils like our black soil make it possible to grow various grain crops, cotton, peanuts, sugar cane, bananas, and pineapples in the savannah zone. Therefore, people have been farming here since time immemorial, and grazing livestock on the luxurious savannah pastures. The largest modern bird, the African ostrich, lives in the African savannas.

Rainforests

Tropical forests grow near the equator, on both sides, between the northern and southern tropics. It's very hot and humid here. The annual rainfall in some places reaches 10 thousand. mm, and in Cherrapunj (India) - 12 thousand. mm. This is 20 times more than in temperate forests. The abundance of heat and moisture is the main reason for the fabulous wealth and diversity of plants and animals in the tropical rainforest.

The weather here is amazingly constant. Before sunrise, the forest is quite cool and quiet, the sky is cloudless. The sun rises and the temperature begins to rise. By noon the heat sets in and the air becomes suffocating. Two or three hours later, clouds appear in the sky, lightning flashes, deafening rumbles of thunder shake the air and rain begins. The water flows as if in a continuous stream. Tree branches break and fall under its weight. Rivers overflow their banks. The rain usually lasts no more than an hour. Before sunset, the sky clears, the wind subsides, and soon the forest plunges into the darkness of night, which comes quickly, almost without twilight.

Under tropical rainforests, red lateritic soils up to several tens of meters thick are formed. Their color is due to the presence of a large amount of iron oxides. Sometimes yellow-white aluminum oxides are also mixed in - then the soil becomes spotty. During tropical rainfalls, a significant part of the humus is washed out of the soil, and in order to grow cultivated plants (sugar cane, citrus fruits, etc.) it has to be fertilized.

Some trees lose leaves alternately from different branches. Falling leaves usually do not turn yellow, and therefore green color dominates everywhere here. In the tropics there are up to 600 species of different ficuses, some of them are much larger than our oak. Tree ferns, similar to palm trees, grow in the forest. There are a lot of palm trees in the tropics. They have no branches - the leaves are collected at the top of the tall trunk. The fruits of date, coconut, oil and other palm trees are used by humans.

The wilds of the tropical forest are home to a variety of animals. From giant elephants, rhinoceroses, hippos to barely noticeable insects - everyone finds shelter and food here. Representatives of some groups of fauna in tropical forests are numerous. This is where most monkeys live, including apes. Of the birds alone

There are more than 150 species of parrots in South America. The Amazon parrot is easy to teach to speak. The parrot does not understand the meaning of the spoken words - it simply imitates the combination of sounds. There are a lot of insects in the tropical forest: over 700 species of butterflies are known in Brazil, which is almost five times more than in Europe. Some of them are giants, such as the tizania butterfly: its wingspan is up to 30 cm.

In tropical forests rich in water, along with various reptiles (crocodiles, turtles, lizards, snakes), many amphibians are found. On the island of Kalimantan alone there are 7 times more species of amphibians than in Europe. Reptiles of the tropics reach enormous sizes: some crocodiles are up to 10 m, and the South American anaconda boa reaches 9 m. There are a lot of different ants in the tropics. The abundance of plant food attracts many herbivorous animals to the tropical forests, which in turn are followed by predators: leopards (panthers), jaguars, tigers, various mustelids, etc. The striped or spotted coloring of many inhabitants, although it seems very bright and noticeable, in fact, it helps animals hide in the twilight of the lower tiers of the tropical forest, permeated here and there with sunlight.

The nature of the so-called mangrove tropical forests is unique. They grow in lowlands sea ​​coasts, protected from the surf, but flooded at high tide. Mangrove forests are dense thickets of low (5-10 m) trees and shrubs. They grow on sticky muddy soil. In such conditions, the plant is supported by branched aerial (stilted) roots, which are immersed in silt. But since the silty soil here is poisoned with hydrogen sulfide, plants receive oxygen only from the air - with the help of other, special aerial roots. In this case, reserves are formed in old leaves fresh water, necessary for young foliage. The fruits of plants have air cavities and do not sink in water, but can float in the ocean for a long time until they linger somewhere on the shallows and germinate. Mangrove forests, by fixing silt and sand, interfere with navigation at the mouths of tropical rivers.

The rich nature of tropical forests has long provided people with its gifts. But even nowadays large areas wild jungles are inaccessible, swampy, and poorly developed by humans. Rain-forest grows very quickly. Fields, roads, clearings and clearings that are abandoned for some reason immediately become overgrown. People constantly have to fight the jungle that is advancing on the fields. Raids of predators on villages, monkeys and ungulates on plantations cause a lot of harm.

Many wonderful representatives of tropical fauna (elephants, rhinoceroses, antelopes) were barbarously exterminated by European colonialists. Now some states have already taken measures to protect rare tropical animals: hunting is prohibited and nature reserves have been created.

The appearance of the Earth's natural zones and their boundaries have not always been the same as they are now. Over the long history of our planet, the relief, climate, vegetation, and fauna have repeatedly changed.

In the distant past, cold snaps occurred many times on Earth. During the last such period, large parts of Eurasia and North America were covered with thick ice.

IN southern hemisphere ice penetrated into South America and Australia. But then it became warmer again and the ice retreated in the northern hemisphere to the north, and in the southern hemisphere to the south, leaving huge ice caps only in Greenland and Antarctica.

After the end of the last ice age, modern natural zones arose on Earth. But even now they do not remain unchanged, because nature has not stopped in its eternal development, it continues to continuously change and renew itself. A significant role in this process is played by the person and his work activity. Man grows cultivated plants in place of wild steppes and dense forests, destroys some animals and breeds others, irrigates arid areas and drains swamps, connects rivers and creates artificial seas - he transforms the face of the Earth.

But sometimes human impact on nature leads to undesirable consequences. Plowing of land is often accompanied by erosion and washing away of soils, their dispersal and, consequently, deterioration of the living conditions of plants. Therefore, in the USA, after 2/3 of the forests were destroyed, the area of ​​deserts doubled.

The burning of forests in Africa has caused deserts to encroach on savanna, which in turn appears where tropical forests are being destroyed.

Such changes in geographical areas reduce natural resources of our planet. The transformation of nature must be reasonable. We must not impoverish her, but make her even richer and more beautiful.