Some geographical terms have similar but not identical names. For this reason, people often get confused in their definitions, and this can radically change the meaning of everything they say or write. Therefore, now we will find out all the similarities and differences between latitudinal zonality and altitudinal zonality in order to forever get rid of the confusion between them.

The essence of the concept

Our planet has the shape of a ball, which, in turn, is inclined at a certain angle relative to the ecliptic. This state of affairs was the reason that sunlight unevenly distributed over the surface.

In some regions of the planet it is always warm and clear, in others there are showers, while others are characterized by cold and constant frosts. We call this climate, which changes depending on the distance or proximity to.

In geography, this phenomenon is called “latitudinal zoning,” since changes in weather conditions on the planet occur precisely depending on latitude. Now we can clearly define this term.

What is latitudinal zoning? This is a natural modification of geosystems, geographical and climatic complexes in the direction from the equator to the poles. IN everyday speech We often call this phenomenon “climate zones,” and each of them has its own name and characteristics. Below we will give examples demonstrating latitudinal zoning, which will allow you to clearly remember the essence of this term.

Pay attention! The equator, of course, is the center of the Earth, and all the parallels from it diverge towards the poles, as if in a mirror image. But due to the fact that the planet has a certain tilt relative to the ecliptic, the southern hemisphere is illuminated more than the northern. Therefore, the climate on the same parallels, but in different hemispheres, does not always coincide.

We figured out what zoning is and what its features are at the theoretical level. Now let's remember all this in practice, just by looking at climate map peace. So, the equator is surrounded (sorry for the tautology) equatorial climate zone. The air temperature here does not change throughout the year, as does the extremely low pressure.

The winds at the equator are weak, but heavy rains are common. Showers come every day, but due to high temperature moisture evaporates quickly.

We continue to give examples of natural zoning, describing the tropical zone:

1. There are pronounced seasonal temperature changes here, not so large number precipitation, like at the equator, and not such low pressure.
2. In the tropics, usually six months it's raining, the second six months are dry and hot.

Also in this case, there are similarities between the southern and northern hemispheres. Tropical climate the same in both parts of the world.

Next in line temperate climate which covers most of the northern hemisphere. As for the southern one, there it extends over the ocean, barely capturing the tail of South America.

The climate is characterized by the presence of four distinct seasons, which differ from each other in temperature and amount of precipitation. Everyone knows from school that the entire territory of Russia is located mainly in this natural zone, so each of us can easily describe everything weather conditions inherent in it.

Last, arctic climate, differs from all others by record low temperatures, which practically do not change throughout the year, as well as scanty rainfall. It dominates the poles of the planet, capturing a small part of our country, the Arctic Ocean and the entire Antarctica.

What is affected by natural zoning?

Climate is the main determinant of the entire biomass of a particular region of the planet. Due to one or another air temperature, pressure and humidity flora and fauna are formed, soils change, insects mutate. It is important that the color of human skin depends on the activity of the Sun, due to which the climate is actually formed. Historically it happened this way:

• V equatorial zone lives the black population of the Earth;
• mulattoes live in the tropics. These racial families are the most resistant to the bright rays of the sun;
• The northern regions of the planet are occupied by light-skinned people who are accustomed to spending most of their time in the cold.

From all of the above, the law of latitudinal zoning follows: “The transformation of all biomass directly depends on climatic conditions».

Altitudinal zone

Mountains are an integral part earth's relief. Numerous ridges, like ribbons, are scattered across the globe, some high and steep, others sloping. It is these hills that we understand as areas of altitudinal zonation, since the climate here is significantly different from the plain.

The thing is that when rising to layers more distant from the surface, the latitude at which we remain is already does not have the desired effect on the weather. Pressure, humidity, temperature changes. Based on this, we can give a clear interpretation of the term. Altitudinal zonation is a change in weather conditions, natural zones and landscapes as altitude increases above sea level.

Altitudinal zone

Illustrative examples

To understand in practice how the altitudinal zone changes, it is enough to go to the mountains. As you rise higher, you will feel the pressure drop and the temperature drop. The landscape will change before your eyes. If you started from the zone of evergreen forests, then with height they will grow into shrubs, later into grass and moss thickets, and at the top of the cliff they will completely disappear, leaving bare soil.

Based on these observations, a law was formed that describes altitudinal zonation and its features. When raised to great heights the climate becomes colder and harsher, the animal and plant worlds are becoming scarcer, atmospheric pressure becomes extremely low.

Important! Soils located in the altitudinal zone deserve special attention. Their metamorphoses depend on the natural zone in which the mountain range is located. If we're talking about about the desert, then as the altitude increases, it will transform into mountain chestnut soil, and later into black soil. Then on the way there will be a mountain forest, and behind it – a meadow.

Mountain ranges of Russia

Special attention should be paid to the ridges that are located in home country. The climate in our mountains directly depends on their geographical location, so it’s easy to guess that he is very harsh. Let's start, perhaps, with the altitudinal zone of Russia in the region of the Ural ridge.

At the foot of the mountains there are birch and coniferous forests, and as the height increases they turn into moss thickets. The Caucasus Range is considered high, but very warm.

The higher we rise, the greater the amount of precipitation becomes. At the same time, the temperature drops slightly, but the landscape changes completely.

Another zone with high zonality in Russia is the Far Eastern regions. There, at the foot of the mountains, cedar thickets spread, and the tops of the rocks are covered with eternal snow.

Natural zones latitudinal zonation and altitudinal zone

Natural zones of the Earth. Geography 7th grade

Conclusion

Now we can find out what are the similarities and differences between these two terms. Latitudinal zonality and altitudinal zonality have something in common - this is a change in climate, which entails a change in the entire biomass.

In both cases, weather conditions change from warmer to colder, pressure transforms, fauna and flora become scarce. What is the difference between latitudinal zonation and altitudinal zonation? The first term has a planetary scale. Due to it, the Earth's climate zones are formed. But the altitudinal zone is climate change only within a certain terrain– mountains Due to the fact that the altitude increases, weather conditions change, which also entail a transformation of all biomass. And this phenomenon is already local.

The surface of our planet is heterogeneous and is conventionally divided into several belts, which are also called latitudinal zones. They naturally replace each other from the equator to the poles. What is latitudinal zonation? What does it depend on and how does it manifest itself? We'll talk about all this.

What is latitudinal zonation?

In certain parts of our planet, natural complexes and components differ. They are distributed unevenly and may seem chaotic. However, they have certain patterns, and they divide the Earth's surface into so-called zones.

What is latitudinal zonation? This is the distribution of natural components and physical-geographical processes in belts parallel to the equator line. It is manifested by differences in the average annual amount of heat and precipitation, the change of seasons, plant and soil cover, as well as representatives of the animal world.

In each hemisphere, the zones replace each other from the equator to the poles. In areas where there are mountains, this rule changes. Here natural conditions and landscapes change from top to bottom, relative to absolute height.

Both latitudinal and altitudinal zoning are not always expressed equally. Sometimes they are more noticeable, sometimes less. The features of the vertical change of zones largely depend on the distance of the mountains from the ocean and the location of the slopes in relation to passing air flows. Altitudinal zonation is most clearly expressed in the Andes and Himalayas. What latitudinal zonation is is best seen in lowland regions.

What does zoning depend on?

The main reason for all the climatic and natural features of our planet is the Sun and the position of the Earth relative to it. Due to the fact that the planet has a spherical shape, solar heat is distributed unevenly across it, heating some areas more and others less. This, in turn, contributes to unequal heating of the air, which is why winds arise, which also participate in climate formation.

On natural features individual areas of the Earth are also affected by developments on the ground river system and its regime, distance from the ocean, the level of salinity of its waters, sea currents, the nature of the relief and other factors.

Manifestation on continents

On land, latitudinal zonation is more clearly visible than in the ocean. It manifests itself in the form of natural zones and climatic zones. In the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the following zones are distinguished: equatorial, subequatorial, tropical, subtropical, temperate, subarctic, arctic. Each of them has its own natural zones (deserts, semi-deserts, arctic deserts, tundra, taiga, evergreen forest etc.), of which there are many more.

On which continents is latitudinal zoning pronounced? It is best observed in Africa. Quite clearly visible on the plains North America and Eurasia (Russian Plain). In Africa, latitudinal zonation is clearly visible due to a small number high mountains. They do not create a natural barrier to air masses, therefore, climatic zones replace each other without breaking the pattern.

The equator line crosses the African continent in the middle, so its natural areas are distributed almost symmetrically. Yes, wet equatorial forests transition to savannas and woodlands subequatorial belt. Followed by tropical desert and semi-deserts, which give way subtropical forests and bushes.

Interesting zoning manifests itself in North America. In the north, it is standardly distributed by latitude and is expressed by Arctic tundra and subarctic taiga. But below the Great Lakes, the zones are distributed parallel to the meridians. The high Cordilleras in the west block the winds from Pacific Ocean. Therefore, natural conditions change from west to east.

Zoning in the ocean

Changes in natural zones and zones also exist in the waters of the World Ocean. It is visible at a depth of up to 2000 meters, but is very clearly visible at a depth of 100-150 meters. It manifests itself in various components of the organic world, the salinity of water, as well as its chemical composition, in temperature difference.

The belts of the World Ocean are almost the same as those on land. Only instead of arctic and subarctic there is subpolar and polar, since the ocean reaches directly to the North Pole. In the lower layers of the ocean, the boundaries between the belts are stable, but in the upper layers they can shift depending on the season.

Latitudinal zonation

Latitudinal (geographical, landscape) zoning means a natural change in physical-geographical processes, components and complexes (geosystems) from the equator to the poles.

Zone distribution of solar heat on earth's surface detects uneven heating (and density) atmospheric air. The lower layers of the atmosphere (troposphere) in the tropics are warmed up strongly from the underlying surface, and in the subpolar latitudes they are warmed up weakly. Therefore, above the poles (up to a height of 4 km) there are areas with high blood pressure, and at the equator (up to 8-10 km) there is a warm ring with low blood pressure. With the exception of subpolar and equatorial latitudes, westerly air transport predominates throughout the rest of the space.

The most important consequences of the uneven latitudinal distribution of heat are the zonality of air masses, atmospheric circulation and moisture circulation. Under the influence of uneven heating, as well as evaporation from the underlying surface, air masses are formed that differ in their temperature properties, moisture content and density.

There are four main zonal types of air masses:

1. Equatorial (warm and humid);

2. Tropical (warm and dry);

3. Boreal, or masses temperate latitudes(cool and wet);

4. Arctic, and in the southern hemisphere Antarctic (cold and relatively dry).

Uneven heating and, as a result, different densities of air masses (different atmospheric pressure) cause a violation of thermodynamic equilibrium in the troposphere and the movement (circulation) of air masses.

As a result of the deflecting effect of the Earth's rotation, several circulation zones are formed in the troposphere. The main ones correspond to four zonal types of air masses, so there are four of them in each hemisphere:

1. Equatorial zone, common to the northern and southern hemispheres (low pressure, calms, rising air currents);

2. Tropical ( high blood pressure, easterly winds);

3. Moderate (low pressure, westerly winds);

4. Polar (low pressure, easterly winds).

In addition, three transition zones are distinguished:

1. Subarctic;

2. Subtropical;

3. Subequatorial.

In transition zones, types of circulation and air masses change seasonally.

The zonality of moisture circulation and humidification is closely related to the zonality of atmospheric circulation. This is clearly evident in the distribution atmospheric precipitation. The zonation of precipitation distribution has its own specificity, a peculiar rhythm: three maxima (the main one at the equator and two minor ones in temperate latitudes) and four minima (in polar and tropical latitudes).

The amount of precipitation in itself does not determine the conditions of moisture or moisture supply of natural processes and the landscape as a whole. IN steppe zone at 500 mm of annual precipitation we are talking about insufficient moisture, and in the tundra at 400 mm we are talking about excess moisture. To judge moisture, you need to know not only the amount of moisture entering the geosystem annually, but also the amount that is necessary for its optimal functioning. The best indicator of moisture demand is evaporation, i.e., the amount of water that can evaporate from the earth's surface under given climatic conditions, assuming that moisture reserves are unlimited. Volatility is a theoretical value. It should be distinguished from evaporation, i.e. actually evaporating moisture, the amount of which is limited by the amount of precipitation. On land, evaporation is always less than evaporation.

The ratio of annual precipitation to annual evaporation can serve as an indicator of climatic moisture. This indicator was first introduced by G.N. Vysotsky. Back in 1905, he used it to characterize natural areas European Russia. Subsequently, N.N. Ivanov constructed isolines of this ratio, which was called the humidification coefficient (K). The boundaries of landscape zones coincide with certain values ​​of K: in the taiga and tundra it exceeds 1, in the forest-steppe it is 1.0 - 0.6, in the steppe - 0.6 - 0.3, in the semi-desert 0.3 - 0.12, in the desert - less than 0.12.

Zoning is expressed not only in the average annual amount of heat and moisture, but also in their regime, that is, in intra-annual changes. It is well known that the equatorial zone is characterized by the most even temperature conditions, four thermal seasons are typical for temperate latitudes, etc. The zonal types of precipitation regimes are varied: in the equatorial zone precipitation falls more or less evenly, but with two maximums; in subequatorial latitudes the summer maximum is pronounced, in Mediterranean zone- winter maximum; temperate latitudes are characterized by a uniform distribution with a summer maximum, etc.

Climatic zonation is reflected in all other geographical phenomena - in the processes of runoff and hydrological regime, in the processes of swamping and formation groundwater, formation of weathering crust and soils, in migration chemical elements, V organic world. Zoning is clearly manifested in the surface layer of the ocean (Isachenko, 1991).

Latitudinal zoning is not consistent everywhere - only Russia, Canada and North Africa.

Provinciality

Provinciality refers to changes in the landscape within geographical area when moving from the outskirts of the continent to its interior. Provinciality is based on longitudinal and climatic differences, as a result atmospheric circulation. Longitudinal and climatic differences, interacting with the geological and geomorphological features of the territory, are reflected in soils, vegetation and other components of the landscape. The oak forest-steppe of the Russian Plain and the birch forest-steppe of the West Siberian Lowland are an expression of provincial changes in the same forest-steppe type of landscape. The same expression of provincial differences in the forest-steppe type of landscape is the Central Russian Upland, dissected by ravines, and the flat Oka-Don Plain, dotted with aspen bushes. In the system of taxonomic units, provinciality is best revealed through physiographic countries and physiographic provinces.

Sector

A geographic sector is a longitudinal segment of a geographic zone, the unique nature of which is determined by longitudinal-climatic and geological-orographic intra-belt differences.

The landscape and geographical consequences of the continental-oceanic circulation of air masses are extremely diverse. It was noticed that as one moves away from the ocean coasts into the interior of the continents, there is a natural change in plant communities, animal populations, and soil types. The term sectorality is currently accepted. Sectoring is the same general geographical pattern as zoning. There is a certain analogy between them. However, if in a latitudinal-zonal change natural phenomena Both heat supply and humidification play an important role, then the main sector factor is humidification. Heat reserves do not change significantly along longitude, although these changes also play a certain role in the differentiation of physical-geographical processes.

Physiographic sectors are large regional units that extend in a direction close to the meridional and replace one another in longitude. Thus, in Eurasia there are up to seven sectors: humid Atlantic, moderate continental Eastern European, sharply continental East Siberian-Central Asian, monsoon Pacific and three others (mostly transitional). In each sector, zoning acquires its own specificity. In the oceanic sectors, zonal contrasts are smoothed out; they are characterized by a forest spectrum latitudinal zones from taiga to equatorial forests. The continental spectrum of zones is characterized by the predominant development of deserts, semi-deserts, and steppes. Taiga has special features: permafrost, dominance of light-coniferous larch forests, absence of podzolic soils, etc.

I can show with an example what latitudinal zoning is, because there is nothing simpler! As far as I remember, we all should have covered this topic in the 7th or certainly in the 8th grade in a geography lesson. It's never too late to revive memories, and you'll see for yourself how easy it is!

The simplest example of latitudinal zoning

Last May, I was in Barnaul with a friend, and we noticed birch trees with young leaves. And in general there was a lot of green vegetation around. When did we return to Pankrushikha ( Altai region), we saw that the birch trees in this village had just begun to bloom! But Pankrushikha is only about 300 km away from Barnaul.

Having made simple calculations, we found out that our village is only 53.5 km north of Barnaul, but the difference in the speed of vegetation can be seen even with the naked eye! It would seem that such a small distance between settlements, but the lag in leaf growth is approximately 2 weeks.

The sun and latitudinal zonality

Our globe has latitude and longitude - that’s what scientists have agreed upon. At different latitudes, heat is distributed unevenly, this leads to the formation of natural zones that differ in the following:

• climate;
• diversity of animals and plants;
• humidity and other factors.

It is easy to understand what wide zoning is if you take into account 2 facts. The earth is a ball and sun rays therefore, they cannot illuminate its surface evenly. Closer to north pole The angle of incidence of the rays becomes so small that permafrost can be observed.

Zoning of the underwater world

Few people know about this, but zonation is also present in the ocean. At approximately a depth of up to two kilometers, scientists were able to record changes in natural zones, but the ideal depth for study is no more than 150 m. Changes in zones are manifested in the degree of salinity of water, temperature fluctuations, varieties sea ​​fish and other organic beings. Interestingly, the belts in the ocean are not much different from those on the surface of the Earth!

Everyone knows that on Earth the distribution of solar heat is uneven due to the spherical shape of the planet. As a result, different natural systems are formed, where in each all components are closely related to each other, and natural area, which is found on all continents. If you follow an animal in the same areas, but in different continents, then you can see a certain similarity.

Law of Geographical Zoning

The scientist V.V. Dokuchaev at one time created the doctrine of natural zones, and expressed the idea that each zone is a natural complex, where living and inanimate nature are closely interconnected. Subsequently, on this basis of teaching, the first qualification was created, which was finalized and more specific by another scientist L.S. Berg.

Forms of zonation are different due to the diversity of composition geographic envelope and the influence of two main factors: the energy of the Sun and the energy of the Earth. It is these factors that are associated with natural zonation, which manifests itself in the distribution of oceans, the diversity of relief and its structure. As a result of this, various natural complexes were formed, and the largest of them is a geographical zone, which is close to the climatic zones described by B.P. Alisov).

The following geographical regions are distinguished: subequatorial, tropical and subtropical, temperate, subpolar and polar (Arctic and Antarctic). are divided into zones that are worth talking about more specifically.

What is latitudinal zonation

Natural zones are closely related to climatic zones, which means that zones as belts gradually replace each other, moving from the equator to the poles, where solar heat decreases and precipitation changes. Such a change of major natural complexes called latitudinal zonality, which manifests itself in all natural zones, regardless of size.

What is altitudinal zonation

The map shows, if you move from north to east, that in each geographical zone there is a geographical zonation, starting with the Arctic deserts, moving to the tundra, then to the forest-tundra, taiga, mixed and deciduous forests, forest-steppe and steppe, and finally to the desert and subtropics. They extend from west to east in stripes, but there is also another direction.

Many people know that the higher you rise in the mountains, the more the ratio of heat and moisture changes towards low temperature and precipitation in solid form, as a result of which the plant and fauna. Scientists and geographers gave this direction its name - altitudinal zoning (or zonation), when one zone replaces another, encircling mountains by different heights. At the same time, the change of zones occurs faster than on the plain; you just need to rise 1 km and there will be a different zone. The lowest zone always corresponds to where the mountain is located, and the closer it is to the poles, the fewer of these zones can be found at altitude.

The law of geographical zoning also works in the mountains. From geographical latitude depend on seasonality, as well as the change of day and night. If the mountain is close to the pole, then you can find polar night and day there, and if the mountain is located near the equator, then day will always be equal to night.

Ice zone

Natural zonation adjacent to the poles globe, called icy. Harsh climate where snow and ice lie all year round, and at the very warm month the temperature does not rise above 0°. Snow covers the entire earth, even though the sun shines around the clock for several months, but does not warm it up at all.

When too harsh conditions few animals live in the ice zone ( polar bear, penguins, seals, walruses, arctic fox, reindeer), even fewer plants can be found, since the soil-forming process is at the initial stage of development, and mostly unorganized plants (lichen, moss, algae) are found.

Tundra zone

An area of ​​cold and strong winds, where prolonged long winter And short summer, because of which the soil does not have time to warm up, and a layer of perennial frozen soil is formed.

The law of zonation works even in the tundra and divides it into three subzones, moving from north to south: arctic tundra, where mainly moss and lichens grow, typical lichen-moss tundra, where shrubs appear in places, distributed from Vaygach to Kolyma, and Southern shrub tundra, where vegetation consists of three levels.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the forest-tundra, which extends in a thin strip and is a transition zone between the tundra and forests.

Taiga zone

For Russia, the Taiga is the largest natural zone, which extends from the western borders to the Okhotsk and Japanese seas. Taiga is located in two climatic zones, as a result of which there are differences within it.

This natural zonality concentrates a large number of lakes and swamps, and it is here that the great rivers in Russia originate: the Volga, Kama, Lena, Vilyui and others.

The main thing for the plant world is coniferous forests, where larch dominates; spruce, fir, and pine are less common. The fauna is heterogeneous and the eastern part of the taiga is richer than the western.

Forests, forest-steppes and steppes

In the mixed zone, the climate is warmer and wetter, and latitudinal zonation is clearly visible here. Winters are less severe, summers are long and warm, which promotes the growth of trees such as oak, ash, maple, linden, and hazel. Thanks to complex plant communities This zone has a diverse fauna, and, for example, on the East European Plain, bison, muskrat, wild boar, wolf, and elk are common.

Zone mixed forests richer than in conifers, and there are large herbivores and a wide variety of birds. The geographical zonation is characterized by the density of river reservoirs, some of which do not freeze at all in winter.

The transition zone between steppe and forest is the forest-steppe, where forest and meadow phytocenoses alternate.

Steppe zone

This is another species that describes natural zoning. It differs sharply in climatic conditions from the above-mentioned zones, and the main difference is the lack of water, as a result of which there are no forests and cereal plants and all the various herbs predominate, which cover the ground with a continuous carpet. Despite the fact that water is scarce in this area, the plants tolerate drought well, often their leaves are small and can curl up during heat to prevent evaporation.

The fauna is more diverse: there are ungulates, rodents, and predators. In Russia, the steppe is the most developed by man and the main zone of agriculture.

Steppes are found in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, but gradually they disappear due to plowing of the land, fires, and animal grazing.

Latitudinal and altitudinal zoning is also found in the steppes, so they are divided into several subspecies: mountainous (for example, Caucasus Mountains), meadow (typical for Western Siberia), xerophilous, where there are many turf-like grasses, and desert (these are the steppes of Kalmykia).

Desert and tropics

Sharp changes in climatic conditions are due to the fact that evaporation exceeds precipitation many times (7 times), and the duration of this period is up to six months. The vegetation of this zone is not rich, and mainly there are grasses, shrubs, and forests can be seen only along the rivers. The fauna is richer and a bit similar to that found in the steppe zone: there are many rodents and reptiles, and ungulates roam in nearby areas.

The Sahara is considered the largest desert, and in general this natural zonation is characteristic of 11% of the entire earth's surface, and if you add to it arctic desert, then 20%. Deserts are found in temperate zone Northern Hemisphere, and in the tropics and subtropics.

There is no unambiguous definition of the tropics; geographical zones: tropical, subequatorial and equatorial, where forests similar in composition are found, but with certain differences.

All forests are divided into savannas, forest subtropics and their common feature is that the trees are always green, and these zones differ in the duration of dry and rainy periods. In savannas the rainy period lasts 8-9 months. Forest subtropics are characteristic of the eastern outskirts of the continents, where there is a change in the dry period of winter and wet summer with monsoon rains. Rainforests are characterized by a high degree of moisture, and precipitation can exceed 2000 mm per year.