Equatorial forests of Africa flora and fauna. Plants of equatorial forests

Equatorial forests are located on either side of the equator in the Congo Basin and along the Gulf of Guinea north of the equator. Equatorial forests are located on either side of the equator in the Congo Basin and along the Gulf of Guinea north of the equator. The formation of the zone is due to a large number warmth and moisture throughout the year. The formation of the zone is due to a large amount of heat and moisture throughout the year. The equatorial forests of Africa are diverse in composition; there are about 1000 species of trees alone. The equatorial forests of Africa are diverse in composition; there are about 1000 species of trees alone. VEGETATION OF THE EQUATORIAL MOIST FORESTS OF AFRICA

Lianas are a variety of climbing plants, both woody, with evergreen or deciduous leaves, and herbaceous, with relatively weak thin stems. a variety of climbing plants, both woody, with evergreen or deciduous leaves, and herbaceous, with relatively weak, thin stems.

Disconia. Disconia. These tree ferns are one of the most ancient inhabitants of our planet, real living fossils and have a unique exotic appearance. The leaves are arranged in a rosette at the top of the trunk. Young leaves are curled into a snail shape. These tree ferns are one of the most ancient inhabitants of our planet, real living fossils and have a unique exotic appearance. The leaves are arranged in a rosette at the top of the trunk. Young leaves are curled into a snail shape.

Animal world Numerous people live on trees monkeys, chimpanzees, etc. Terrestrial inhabitants include brush-eared pigs, pygmy hippopotamuses, leopards, gorillas, which are not found anywhere else. There are snakes and lizards in the loose soil. The tsetse fly is also common there. She is a carrier of pathogens.

The pygmy hippopotamus inhabits slow-moving ponds Central Africa. He leads a secretive and solitary life. A pygmy hippopotamus calf born on land weighs about 5 kg. The pygmy hippopotamus is rare and is listed in the International Red Book. The pygmy hippopotamus inhabits slow-moving water bodies in Central Africa. He leads a secretive and solitary life. A pygmy hippopotamus calf born on land weighs about 5 kg. The pygmy hippopotamus is rare and is listed in the International Red Book.

Mamba snakes reach a length of 2 to 3 meters. Mamba venom can kill a person in 4 hours if he is bitten on the heel or toe; a bite to the face can lead to death from paralysis within 20 minutes. Mamba reaches a length of 2 to 3 meters. Mamba venom can kill a person in 4 hours if he is bitten on the heel or toe; a bite to the face can lead to death from paralysis within 20 minutes.

Presentation on the topic: Africa. Wet evergreen forests Equatorial Africa.

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Presentation on the topic: Africa. Moist evergreen forests of Equatorial Africa.

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Moist evergreen forests of Equatorial Africa. Hylea. In the equatorial climate zone, permanently moist evergreen forests (or otherwise Hylea, which means forest from Greek) cover approximately 8% of the continent's area. They are common in the Congo River basin to the north - up to 4° N. w. and south of the equator - up to 5° south. w. In addition, these forests occupy the coast of the Atlantic Ocean up to approximately 8° N. w. And in river deltas and on coasts flooded during high tide, especially on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea, mangroves dominate. Primary rain forests remain only in the central basin of the Congo River. In other places, especially north of the Gulf of Guinea, they were replaced by low-growing secondary thickets.

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Fauna The moist equatorial forests of Africa have a distinctive fauna, but less rich than the fauna open spaces of this continent. In the equatorial African forest there are few herbivores, and therefore few predators. Among the ungulates you can find forest antelopes, which are very cautious and timid, related to the giraffe, animals - okapi. There are also wild boars, buffalos, and hippos. Of the predatory animals found wild cats, leopards, jackals and civets. The most common rodents are brush-tailed porcupines and spiny-tailed flying squirrels. There are a lot of monkeys here - monkeys, baboons, mandrills, most of which lead wood image life. Two kinds of apes also live in these places - chimpanzees and gorillas. Lemurs are also found here. Birds of the tropical rainforests of Africa include several species of parrots, banana-eaters, beautifully feathered and brightly colored forest hoopoes, tiny sunbirds, African peacocks. There are many lizards and snakes, and a blunt-nosed crocodile is found in the rivers. Of the amphibians, there are especially many different frogs. Among the large predators you can find tigers, lions, pumas, jaguar, and panthers. The jungle abounds in various reptiles, including many poisonous snakes. A wide variety of insects and arachnids, including poisonous ones.

Equatorial rain forests

This is a natural (geographical) zone stretching along the equator with some displacement south of 8° N latitude. to 11° S The climate is hot and humid. All year round average air temperatures are 24-28 C. Seasons are not defined. Falls at least 1500 mm atmospheric precipitation, since here is the area low blood pressure(cm. Atmospheric pressure), and on the coast the amount of precipitation increases to 10,000 mm. Precipitation falls evenly throughout the year.

Such climatic conditions in this zone contribute to the development of lush evergreen vegetation with a complex layered forest structure. The trees here have few branches. They have disc-shaped roots, large leathery leaves, tree trunks rise like columns and only spread their thick crown at the top. The shiny, as if varnished surface of the leaves saves them from excessive evaporation and burns from the scorching sun, from the impacts of rain jets during heavy downpours. In plants of the lower tier, the leaves, on the contrary, are thin and delicate.

Equatorial forests South America called selva (port. - forest). This area here occupies much large areas than in Africa. The selva is wetter than African equatorial forests and richer in plant and animal species.

The soils under the forest canopy are red-yellow, ferrolitic (containing aluminum and iron).

The equatorial forest is home to many valuable plants, such as the oil palm, from the fruits of which palm oil is obtained. The wood from many trees is used to make furniture and is exported in large quantities. These include ebony, the wood of which is black or dark green color. Many plants of equatorial forests produce not only valuable wood, but also fruits, juice, and bark for use in technology and medicine.
Elements of equatorial forests penetrate the tropics along the coast of Central America, to Madagascar.

The bulk of equatorial forests are located in Africa and South America, but they are also found in Eurasia, mainly on the islands. As a result of significant deforestation, the area under them is sharply reduced.

Equatorial forests

Wet evergreen forests are located in narrow stripes and spots along the equator. “Green Hell” - this is what many travelers of past centuries who visited here called these places. Tall multi-tiered forests stand as a solid wall, under the thick crowns of which darkness, monstrous humidity, constant high temperature, there is no change of seasons, rainfalls regularly fall with an almost continuous stream of water. The forests of the equator are also called permanent rain forests. The traveler Alexander Humboldt called them “hyleia” (from the Greek hyle - forest - note from geoglobus.ru). Most likely this is what wet forests looked like Carboniferous period with giant ferns and horsetails. Subequatorial forests are distinguished by the fact that among evergreen plants there are also those that shed their leaves for several weeks a year.

Life in the rain forest is located “vertically” - plants and animals occupied different “high floors” of this amazing world, adapting to its conditions. Such forests can have up to five similar levels.

The upper floors are at a height of up to 45 m and do not have a closed cover. As a rule, the wood of these trees is the strongest. Below, at a height of 18-20 m, there are tiers of plants and trees, forming a continuous closed canopy and almost impermeable sunlight down to the ground. The rarer lower zone is located at an altitude of about 10 m. Shrubs and herbaceous plants, such as pineapples and bananas, and ferns, grow even lower. Tall trees have thickened, overgrown roots (they are called plank-shaped), which help the gigantic plant maintain a strong connection with the soil.

What plants grow in equatorial forests?

Such plants are called “epiphytes”, i.e. living "at a distance". Such are, for example, orchids. Their exquisite flowers with an intoxicating aroma are nothing more than an attempt in fierce competition to attract insects and birds for pollination and thereby support their later life. In the depths of the forest, in constant dampness, the largest flower on the planet, Rafflesia Arnoldi, blooms, emitting a heavy smell of rotting meat. Its flower reaches 1 m in diameter.

In warm and humid climates, the decomposition of dead plants occurs very quickly. From the resulting nutritional composition, substances for the life of the gyl plant are taken.

The rain forests of South America are called "selva". In my own way species composition(the number of plant species is 2500-3000) the Amazon jungle ranks first in the world. Not much, but still inferior to it are the African equatorial forests. The earth in the rain forest is the kingdom of mosses, mushrooms, algae, plants with wide leaves that catch and retain moisture, and insects, including poisonous ones. To survive in the jungle, travelers need the knowledge of local residents, who build houses on stilts and sleep in hammocks.

All normal life concentrated “between heaven and earth,” on wide tree branches intertwined with vines. Among such landscapes flow the most deep rivers of our planet - the Amazon in the rural areas of South America, the Congo in Africa, the Brahmaputra in Southeast Asia.

The Amazon selva, like the equatorial forests of Congo, Guinea, Uganda, the forests of the equatorial islands of Oceania, reaching sea coasts, create amazing natural communities- mangrove forests. The aerial roots of plants in such a forest are themselves impenetrable thickets. Numerous aerial roots capture every opportunity to get air, making their way from wet sand and liquid mud, and during high tides - from sea water. The width of such a mangrove border can reach 10-20 meters.

The equatorial forests of our planet are often called its lungs. Indeed, a huge number of Hylea trees release such an amount of oxygen into the atmosphere that their removal threatens humanity with a significant deterioration in the composition of the air. Partially the rain forests have already been cleared. In their place, people cultivate various crops, including coffee, oil palms and rubber palms.

Flora and fauna of Tropical Africa

The vegetation in Africa is rich and varied. Its nature is determined by the amount of precipitation and duration wet season due to the flat terrain and the position of the continent between the tropics. In the equatorial climatic zone Evergreen multi-story forests rich in species grow. Herbaceous vegetation predominates in subequatorial belts. IN tropical zones vegetation is poor in species, sparse or absent altogether.

Equatorial climate zone

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Plants of equatorial forests. Features and meaning

Plants of equatorial forests cannot but arouse increased interest not only among specialists, but also among ordinary inquisitive travelers from all over the world. And this is not surprising.

Agree, many of us strive to visit overseas countries precisely for these exotic representatives of the flora. For example, the plants of the equatorial forests of South America or Africa are very different from the grasses, flowers, trees and shrubs that we are used to seeing outside the window of our hometown. They look, smell and bloom completely differently, which means they evoke mixed emotions. You want to take a closer look at them, touch them and photograph them.

Plants of equatorial forests are a topic that can be discussed endlessly. This article is aimed at introducing readers to the most characteristic properties and the living conditions of these representatives of the flora world.

General information

First of all, let's try to define the concept of humid equatorial forests. Plants whose habitats are regions with pronounced equatorial, subequatorial and tropical climate, inhabit this type natural area. It is worth paying attention to the fact that in this case various kinds Representatives of the flora include not only grasses, but also numerous trees and shrubs.

At first glance, it’s hard to even imagine, but here there is up to 2000, or even 10,000 mm of precipitation per year.

These areas of land are characterized by enormous biodiversity; it is here that 2/3 of all plants and animals on our planet live. By the way, not everyone knows that millions of species are still undescribed.

On the lower tier in wet tropical forests there is not enough light, but the undergrowth, as a rule, is weak, so a person can easily move through it. However, if for some reason the deciduous canopy is missing or weakened, the lower tier can quickly become covered with impenetrable thickets of vines and intricately intertwined trees. This is called the jungle.

Equatorial forest climate

Animals and plants of equatorial forests, as we have already said, are diverse. This is due to the current climate, which means we need to talk about it in more detail.

This zone stretches along the equator with a shift to the south. The average temperature all year round is 24-28 degrees. The climate is quite hot and humid, although the seasons are not clearly defined.

This territory belongs to an area of low pressure, and precipitation falls evenly throughout the year. Such climatic conditions contribute to the development of evergreen vegetation, which is characterized by the so-called complex forest structure.

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Flora of the equatorial territories of the planet

As a rule, moist evergreen forests, located in narrow stripes or peculiar spots along the equator, are diverse and contain a huge number of species. It is difficult to imagine that in the Congo Basin and on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea alone there are currently more than a thousand of them.

Plants of the equatorial forests of the upper tier are represented by giant ficuses and palm trees, of which there are over 200 species. In the lower ones, mainly bananas and tree ferns grow.

The largest plants are often entwined with vines and flowering orchids. By the way, it is worth noting that sometimes in equatorial forests there are up to six tiers. Among the plants there are also epiphytes - mosses, lichens, ferns.

But in the depths of the forest you can find the largest flower on our planet - Rafflesia Arnoldi, the transverse diameter of which reaches 1 meter.

Fauna of the equatorial forest

It is unlikely that anyone will be surprised if we note that the fauna of equatorial forests is, first of all, rich in monkeys. Especially often and in huge quantities, monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas, howler monkeys and bonobos are found here.

Of the land inhabitants, you can often find small ungulates; for example, in Africa, tourists often admire okapi, African deer and other unusual animals. The most common predators of the South American jungle, of course, are the jaguar and the puma. But in the African tropics, the owners are fast leopards and huge tigers.

Thanks to the humid environmental conditions, the equatorial forests are home to many frogs, lizards and insects. The most common birds are hummingbirds, parrots and toucans.

As for reptiles, who doesn’t know about the pythons of Africa and Asia or the anaconda from the Amazon jungle? In addition, in equatorial forests they are common poisonous snakes, alligators, caimans and others no less dangerous representatives world of fauna.

What happens if you destroy the plants of equatorial forests?

During felling equatorial forest people, sometimes without realizing it, destroy the habitat of many animals and take food from termites. Besides this, this forest It also restrains the onset of deserts that are destructive to all living things.

But that's not all. The fact is that moist equatorial forests, although they occupy a relatively small part of the Earth, are the so-called green lungs of our planet. It is here that about 1/3 of the Earth's oxygen is produced, so the destruction of the equatorial forest will cause irreversible environmental consequences, including increasing the content carbon dioxide. The latter, in turn, will lead to an increase average temperature, will increase the likelihood of melting glaciers, which means it will entail the subsequent flooding of many fertile lands.

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These interesting plants, so readily bred because of the beauty of their originally constructed flowers and familiar to everyone, also primarily belong to the tropics. Most often they are found in the mountains of the equatorial belt; there you can always find several representatives of the countless forms of orchids. They grow along trunks, branches, along the branches of branches, developing especially luxuriantly on fallen trunks, covering rocks and cliffs from top to bottom; some like ours northern species, grow on the ground, between other herbs. Many trees, the bark of which is especially conducive to the growth of orchids, are completely covered with them and thus form, as it were, natural orchid gardens. Some orchids are especially fond of rotted petioles of palm leaves and tree ferns. Many prefer to grow near water, while others, on the contrary, need the air and light of high tree tops. Everyone knows the original diversity of the structure of orchids and the beautiful tones of their flowers, but our richest orchid collections do not give any complete idea of the whole variety of their species found in the tropics; however, many of them have flowers too inconspicuous to be worth breeding. More than 30 years ago, Lindley estimated the number of orchid species known at that time at approximately 3000; Bentham and Hooker in Genera plantarum estimate them at 5000; It is very likely that in our time the number of known species of orchids reaches 6000.

Vegetation of equatorial forests

But no matter how large the number of species already collected and described, the number still to be discovered must be colossal.

Orchid Grammatophyllum speciosum (Java)

In contrast to ferns, certain species of orchids have a relatively small distribution; therefore, for an exhaustive acquaintance with all the species belonging to only one more or less extensive area, for example, an island the size of Java, would require many years of work by a good botanist. It is very possible that this remarkable family will eventually prove to be the most species-rich of all flowering plants.

Despite the fact that every orchid can be recognized by its peculiar appearance not even during flowering, yet both their size and appearance are extremely varied. Some small climbing species are not larger than moss, but the large Grammatophyllum from the island of Borneo, growing in the forks of tree branches, have trunks covered with dense foliage up to 10 feet long; some terrestrial species, for example the American Sobraliae, reach the same size. Most orchids look extremely unique thanks to their fleshy aerial roots, which often hang far down, crawl along rocks, or are slightly attached to the bark of a tree; They feed on falling rain and atmospheric moisture in general. Despite so many different types of orchids in the equatorial forests, their flowers are relatively inconspicuous. This happens partly because in many orchids they are generally inconspicuous, and partly because the flowering time of each species lasts only a few weeks and in different species falls on different months. In addition, the very type of growth of orchids, which are found in most cases separately, in individual specimens or in groups, rarely reaching a large size and therefore do not stand out among the mass of plants surrounding them, also has an influence. Only rarely does a traveler find himself in an area where orchids remind him of the beauty of our orchid greenhouses and exhibitions. Slender golden Oncidiae of the flooded forests of the upper Amazon, magnificent Cattleya of drier forests, swamp Caelogynae, and finally, the wonderful Vanda lowii of the wooded hills of Borneo - these are the main examples of beautiful orchids, especially etched in the memory of the author of these lines during his 12 years of wanderings through tropical forests. The above-mentioned Vanda stands out distinctly from all orchids: from its comparatively small tuft of foliage protrudes numerous pedicels, hanging down like cords up to 8 feet in length, and completely dotted with large star-shaped red-mottled flowers.

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Tropical forests are overflowing with flora and fauna. Representatives of ancient groups of mammals have been preserved here - the most primitive marsupials - opossums and woolly wings. There is also a wide variety of monkeys and prosimians (lemurs, lorises) in the forests. Old World lizards and armadillos and anteaters live in tropical forests. Among the birds that live in the crowns, there are many that do not fly very well, but mostly jump and climb (toucans, turacos, hornbills, birds of paradise). And the Nicobar pigeons, crowned pigeons, bowerbirds are excellent flyers, and parrots (cockatoos, macaws, Amazons, African Grays) both climb and fly well. Animals that live in trees can be divided into two groups: gliding animals, which have a well-developed flight membrane (large flying possum, woolly wing, spiny tail) and climbing ones, which, in addition to strong and dexterous paws, have a tenacious tail, used as a fully-fledged fifth. limbs (kinajous, anteaters, howler monkeys, pangolins). Among them there are folivores (sloths, colobus monkeys), frugivorous forms (gulda, kalong, small flying fox, kinkajou) and animals with more wide range plant foods (monkeys, rattufa, woolly wing, kangaroo, spiny tail). Others, such as the gorilla, mandrill, and porcupine, although they can climb trees, are often found on the ground. Insects, gulda, kalong, small flying fox, some birds are pollinators of tropical forest flowers. There are also the largest inhabitants of the tropics, which control the number of animals - these are jaguars, leopards and tigers. The boa constrictor, which can swallow its prey whole, is also very dangerous. It could be like big monkey, and a little hippopotamus.

Trees in tropical rainforests have several general characteristics, which are not observed in plants of less humid climates.

The base of the trunk in many species has wide, woody projections. Previously, it was assumed that these protrusions help the tree maintain balance, but now it is believed that water with dissolved nutrients flows along these protrusions to the roots of the tree. Broad leaves are also common on trees, shrubs and grasses in lower forest floors. Tall young trees that have not yet reached the top tier also have wider foliage, which then decreases with height.

Plants of equatorial forests. Equatorial rainforests

Wide leaves help plants better absorb sunlight under the edges of the trees of the forest, and they are protected from the wind from above. The leaves of the upper tier, which form the canopy, are usually smaller and heavily cut to reduce wind pressure. On the lower floors, the leaves are often narrowed at the ends so that this facilitates the rapid drainage of water and prevents the growth of microbes and moss on them, which destroy the leaves.

The tops of trees are often very well connected to each other with the help of vines or plants - epiphytes, attached to them.

Other characteristics of tropical rainforest may include unusually thin (1-2 mm) tree bark, sometimes covered with sharp thorns or thorns; the presence of flowers and fruits growing directly on tree trunks; a wide variety of juicy fruits that attract birds, mammals and even fish that feed on the sprayed particles.

In tropical rainforests there are edentates (families of sloths, anteaters and armadillos), broad-nosed monkeys, a number of families of rodents, chiropterans, llamas, marsupials, several orders of birds, as well as some reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates. Many animals with prehensile tails live in trees - prehensile-tailed monkeys, pygmy and four-toed anteaters, opossums, prehensile-tailed porcupines, sloths. There are a lot of insects, especially butterflies (one of the richest fauna in the world) and beetles; many fish (as many as 2,000 species - this is approximately one third of the world's freshwater fauna).

Remember: 1. What is a natural area? 2. What patterns exist in the change of natural zones on the plains? What are they due to? 3. What natural areas do you know?

Patterns of distribution of natural zones in Africa. You already know that within each of the natural zones there are similar climates, soils, vegetation and fauna. Since the equator crosses Africa approximately in the middle, it is characterized by a clear alternation of identical natural zones to the north and south of the equator, that is, latitudinal zoning is observed. Wet equatorial forests give way to savannas and woodlands, and these give way to tropical deserts and semi-deserts.

By map geographical zones and natural zones of the world (see flyleaf 2 of the textbook) find out in which areas of Africa and for what reasons latitudinal zoning is violated.

The extreme north and south of the continent are occupied by subtropical hard-leaved forests and shrubs.

The location of natural zones on the mainland is determined by climatic conditions, which are associated with geographical latitude, altitude above sea level, the influence of sea currents, redistribution of precipitation depending on the topography. Therefore, latitudinal zonality is disrupted in some places and natural zones are stretched along the meridians.

Wet equatorial forests. The equatorial rain forest zone covers the coast of the Gulf of Guinea north of the equator and the Congo River basin. It extends 1600 km from north to south and 5000 km from west to east. This natural area is peculiar and unique. There are practically no seasons here: in both winter and summer the air temperature is approximately +24 °C. More than 2000 mm of precipitation falls annually. It rains every day, usually in the afternoon. Water and heat create ideal conditions for the development of all living things, which is why moist equatorial rain forests grow here - hylea (from the Greek hile - forest). From an airplane they resemble a green sea (Fig. 23).

In the zone of humid equatorial forests, the rivers are always deep. During floods, they often flood low banks, and the water covers vast areas.

In the conditions of the equatorial forest, red-yellow ferrallite soils (from lat, ferrum - iron) were formed. It is the iron compounds that give them their red color. These soils are very poor in nutrients, because organic residues are quickly decomposed by microorganisms due to high humidity and heat, and nutrients are quickly absorbed by plants. Therefore, deforestation of equatorial forests causes ecological disaster. The soil in bare areas is washed away by rain, and the sun turns the surface of the earth into a dry crust, where nothing can grow.

There are over 25,000 plant species in the equatorial forests of Africa. There are almost 1000 species of trees alone. These forests are always stuffy, humid and dark. The forest is so dense that it is impossible to see anything nearby: there are bushes around, trees entwined with vines, fallen giant logs.

Rice. 23. Equatorial rainforest

Rice. 24. Tiering of the African Hylea

The equatorial forest has two characteristic features: it is evergreen and multi-tiered.

An evergreen forest because the plants never completely shed their leaves. Thanks to warm and humid weather throughout the year, the leaves can survive on the shoot for 2-3 years.

Layering is the distribution of plants by height in accordance with the need for light.

In the woods temperate zone 3-4 tiers of plants. There are 6-8 of them in gileas (Fig. 24)! Below is the kingdom of shade-tolerant mosses and creeping plants. Shrubs and young trees, unpretentious to light, rise higher. There are a lot of tree ferns and bananas here. Trees grow even higher, 15-20 m tall, which need more light. Among them there are many valuable species, such as red, ebony, sandalwood, yellow trees. There are also bread and nutmeg trees. Ficus trees reign even higher and various types palm trees There are tall light-loving Seibi trees, the spreading crowns of which reach 60-80 m. In such tall trees The leaves are hard and evaporate little water. After all, raising it to such a height is difficult even for the most powerful root system. Wide support roots help keep the trunk upright.

The branches of the trees of the lower tier are intertwined so tightly that the crowns of the trees of the upper tier are not visible through them. At the very surface of the earth there is complete darkness. Only 1/120th of the sunlight gets here, so there is no grass at all. But vines rise from the ground - trees with flexible and long (up to 300 m) stems, which, wrapping around the trunks, bring leaves and flowers to the light. Making your way through such a forest without a path is difficult and dangerous.

African Hylea is the birthplace of valuable economic tree species: coffee tree, oil palm. Cocoa is also cultivated here.

The fauna of the equatorial rainforests is rich and diverse.

All layers of the forest are inhabited. Big ones live here apes- gorillas and chimpanzees. A real giant is a two-meter gorilla (Fig. 25) with thick black hair. She has great physical strength. Spends most of its life on the ground, although from time to time it climbs trees. Chimpanzees are smaller than gorilla (height - up to 1.5 m), have a large brain volume, and are distinguished by complex behavior. Lives in trees. Among other monkeys, monkeys and baboons are known.

Rice. 25. Gorilla

Rice. 26. Okapi

They flutter among the trees various birds: fruit pigeon, various types of parrots, hornbills, woodpeckers, sunbirds, bananas. There are a lot of insects: termites, mosquitoes, beetles, butterflies, bees, dragonflies, scorpions, spiders. Some insects are dangerous to humans: malaria mosquitoes They carry the pathogens of tropical fever, and the tsetse fly carries sleeping sickness.

Common land animals include lizards, shrews, earth vipers, pythons, kites and forest pigs, African deer (40 cm high), and forest antelopes. Amazing creatures nature okapi (Fig. 26) is an animal with striped hind limbs, like a zebra. Actually it's dwarf giraffe, three times shorter than its tall relative. Occasionally there is a pygmy hippopotamus, which weighs 10-12 times less than a real one.

It’s as if a giant chain envelops the humid equatorial forests from the north and south of the zone variable-humid forests. This is a transition zone from moist equatorial forests to open savannas. The flora and fauna of this zone are similar to the equatorial forest, but the rhythm of their life is determined by the seasons (wet and dry).

Variable-humid forests are more developed by humans than equatorial forests. The population living near or in the forests themselves is small. Local tribes engage in hunting and fishing. Large areas of forests are being cut down for valuable tree species. Animals die along with the forest.

Briefly about the main thing!

In Africa, a latitudinal zonation of natural zones is clearly visible, which is mirrored on both sides of the equator. The main natural areas of the continent are moist equatorial forests (hylea), savannas and woodlands, tropical desert and semi-deserts.

Africa's equatorial rainforests grow primarily on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea and in the Congo Basin in a warm and humid equatorial climate. Nutrient-poor red-yellow ferrallite soils were formed here.

Equatorial rain forests are evergreen and multi-story. They amaze with the richness of their vegetation.

The most common representatives of the animal world are monkeys (gorillas, chimpanzees, monkeys), birds (parrots, hornbills, sunbirds, bananas), and numerous insects.

1. What are the features of the change in natural zones in Africa?

2. Name and show on the map the main natural areas of the continent.

3. What soils were formed in the hyleas?

4. Name the representatives of the flora and fauna of the equatorial rainforest zone.

5. Think about how plants have adapted to living conditions in humid equatorial forests.

would. Do you think animals living in humid equatorial forests will be able to survive if they are moved to temperate forests? Justify your answer.

Africa is the hottest continent on planet Earth. The equator line passing through the center of the Black Continent symmetrically divides its area into different natural zones. Characteristics of the natural areas of Africa allow us to form a general idea of geographical location Africa, about the characteristics of the climate, soil, flora and fauna of each zone.

What natural areas is Africa located in?

Africa is the second largest continent on our planet. This continent is washed from different sides by two oceans and two seas. But its main feature is its symmetrical location towards the equator. In other words, the equator line horizontally divides the continent into two equal parts. The northern half is much wider than southern Africa. As a result, all natural zones of Africa are located on the map from north to south in the following order:

savannas;
variable-humid forests;
moist evergreen equatorial forests;
variable wet forests;
savannas;
tropical deserts and semi-deserts;
subtropical evergreen hard-leaved forests and shrubs.

Fig. 1 Natural areas of Africa

Equatorial rainforests

On both sides of the equator there is a zone of moist evergreen equatorial forests. It occupies a fairly narrow strip and is characterized by numerous precipitation. In addition, it is rich in water resources: the deepest river Congo, and its shores are washed by the Gulf of Guinea.

Constant heat, numerous precipitation and high humidity led to the formation of lush vegetation on red-yellow ferrallite soils. Evergreen equatorial forests surprise with their density, impenetrability and diversity of plant organisms. Their feature is multi-tiered. It became possible due to the endless struggle for sunlight, in which not only trees, but also epiphytes and climbing vines take part.

The tsetse fly lives in the equatorial and subequatorial zones of Africa, as well as in the wooded part of the savannah. Its bite is fatal to humans, as it is a carrier of sleeping sickness, which is accompanied by terrible body pain and fever.

Rice. 2 Moist evergreen equatorial forests

Savannah

The amount of precipitation is directly related to the richness of the plant world. The gradual shortening of the rainy season leads to the appearance of a dry season, and humid equatorial forests gradually give way to variable wet ones, and then turn into savannas. The last natural zone occupies largest area The Black Continent, and makes up about 40% of the entire continent.

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Here the same red-brown ferrallitic soils are observed, on which various herbs, cereals, and baobabs grow mainly. Low trees and shrubs are much less common.

A distinctive feature of the savannah is the dramatic changes in appearance– the rich tones of green during the rainy season fade sharply under the scorching sun during dry periods and become brownish-yellow.

Savannah is also unique in its richness of fauna. Lives here large number birds: flamingos, ostriches, marabou, pelicans and others. It amazes with the abundance of herbivores: buffalos, antelopes, elephants, zebras, giraffes, hippos, rhinoceroses and many others. They are also food for the following predators: lions, leopards, cheetahs, jackals, hyenas, crocodiles.

Rice. 3 African Savannah

Tropical deserts and semi-deserts

The southern part of the continent is dominated by the Namib Desert. But neither it nor any other desert in the world can compare with the grandeur of the Sahara, which consists of rocky, clayey and sandy desert. The total annual precipitation in the Sahara does not exceed 50 mm. But this does not mean that these lands are lifeless. The flora and fauna are quite sparse, but they exist.

Of the plants, it should be noted such representatives as sclerophids, succulents, and acacia. The date palm grows in the oases. TO arid climate Animals were able to adapt too. Lizards, snakes, turtles, beetles, and scorpions can go without water for a long time.

In the Libyan part of the Sahara there is one of the most beautiful oases in the world, in the center of which is located big lake, whose name literally translates to “Mother of Water.”

Rice. 4 Sahara Desert

Subtropical evergreen hard-leaved forests and shrubs

The most extreme natural zones of the African continent are subtropical evergreen hardwood forests and shrubs. They are located in the north and southwest of the mainland. They are characterized by dry, hot summers and humid, warm winter. This climate favored the formation of fertile brown soils on which cedar of Lebanon, wild olive, arbutus, beech and oak.

Table of natural zones of Africa

This table for 7th grade geography will help you compare the natural zones of the continent and figure out which natural zone predominates in Africa.

Natural area	Climate	Soil	Vegetation	Animal world
Hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs	Mediterranean	Brown	Wild olive, Lebanese cedar, oak, strawberry tree, beech.	Leopards, antelopes, zebras.
Tropical semi-deserts and deserts	Tropical	Desert, sandy and rocky	Succulents, xerophytes, acacias.	Scorpions, snakes, turtles, beetles.
Savannah	Subequatorial	Red ferrollite	Herbs, cereals, palms, acacias.	Buffaloes, giraffes, lions, cheetahs, antelopes, elephants, hippos, hyenas, jackals.
Variably humid and humid forests	Equatorial and subequatorial	Ferrolite brown-yellow color	Bananas, coffee, ficus, palm trees.	Termites, gorillas, chimpanzees, parrots, leopards.