Natural areas of Northern America. Report: Natural Areas of North America

Lesson topic: Natural areas North America

Goals And lesson objectives: Continue to develop students’ ideas and knowledge about the nature of North America; introduce the typical features of the natural areas of the continent, the plants and animals common here; continue to develop the ability to establish cause-and-effect relationships between various components of nature using the example of natural areas.

Educational and visual complex: a set of pictures with species of animals and plants of North America, physical map, map of natural areas of North America, atlases for 7th grade, educational supplies.

Lesson type: lesson learning new material

During the classes.

1. Class organization.

2. Introductory part. Preparation for the main stage of the lesson.

Teacher's opening speech. Each lesson of learning new material is the next step in your ladder of knowledge. This is another step in climbing to the pinnacle of knowledge. And the more such steps you take in your life, the higher your intellectual level. I would like these steps on the path of knowledge to be firm and confident. And they only led you forward, overcoming any difficulties and obstacles.

Therefore, I want to start the lesson with a legend about the leader of one of the Indian tribes, who sent young men to the top of Aconcagua, the highest point in South America.

“Go while you have enough strength. Let anyone who gets tired return home, but let everyone bring me a branch from the place where he turned off the road,” said the leader. Soon the first one returned from the road and handed over a cactus leaf. The leader grinned: “You did not cross the desert. You haven’t even been to the bottom of the mountain.” To the second, who brought a silver branch of wormwood, the leader said: “You were at the foot, but did not even try to start climbing.” The third with a poplar branch even earned praise: “You reached the spring.” Similar encouragement for the fourth one, with a buckthorn branch. The fifth man, who brought a cedar branch, nodded approvingly: “You were halfway to the top.” The last young man came empty-handed, but his face shone with joy. He explained that he had been where trees did not grow, but he had seen the sparkling sea. The leader not only believed him, but also paid the greatest tribute of recognition: “You don’t need a symbolic branch. Victory shines in your eyes, sounds in your voice. This is one of the peaks of your life. You saw the mountain in all its grandeur.”

Guys, why did the leader decide that the young man had reached the top? (Discussion of the issue)

Each of you can leave class today with the same shining eyes. With a feeling of victory of learning something new. But this victory requires your attention and hard work.

Geography, as you already know, is an amazing science. Almost every lesson in learning new things begins with a map. And today we will also turn to it several times. But the map that will accompany us on the topic of the lesson is not a physical one, but a map of natural areas. Therefore, I think you have already guessed what the topic of today’s lesson is.

Open your notebooks and write down the topic of the lesson: “NATURAL AREAS OF NORTH AMERICA”

Before we get started, I wanted you to remember the definition - natural area

Students: give a definition to the concept of a natural zone - wide strips of homogeneous nature of the land, due to climatic conditions and flat terrain on land.

Natural zones are territories extending in a latitudinal direction with similar natural conditions(climate, soils, vegetation, animals)

Vertical zonality is a gradual change in climates, soils, plants, and animals in mountainous regions depending on altitude.

Explanation of new material:

Due to long distance continent from north to south organic world extremely rich in all kinds of plants and animals. This polar bear, a resident of the Arctic deserts and bison are the most characteristic animal of the North American prairies.

Unlike those already known to us southern continents in North America, natural zones change in a special way. In the northern part of the continent, natural zones replace each other from north to south. This occurs due to changes in the amount of solar heat.

Compare the maps “Climatic zones and regions”, “Climate map of North America” and the map “Natural zones” on page 35 of the atlas. What conclusion does this suggest?

CONCLUSION: Natural arctic desert zone located in Arctic climate belt. Even in summer, almost the entire territory remains negative temperatures or temperatures close to zero. Cloudiness, fog, and snow storms prevail throughout the year. The winter polar night lasts up to five months. Within this belt there are centers of modern sheet glaciation. Soils are practically absent. Vegetable world presented mosses and lichens. Animal world a little more diverse, but its nutrition is inextricably linked with the water space (walruses, seals, polar bears).

To the south of the Arctic Circle it becomes a little warmer, there is a natural tundra and forest-tundra zone, which occupies areas subarctic climate zone. It is characteristic of him harsh winter(work with climate map), cool summers with cloudy rainy weather. The entire territory of the tundra is located in the permafrost zone. That's why there are a lot of surface swamps here. Tundra soils are swampy. The vegetation is represented by low-growing grasses (blueberries, blackberries, cloudberries) and dwarf trees (dwarf birch, willow, pine). The fauna is more diverse than in the Arctic deserts (Appendix 1.)

As you move south, the amount of solar heat increases. This leads to a change from the tundra zone coniferous forests – taiga. On podzolic soils, reminiscent of the color of ash, they grow coniferous forests represented by pine, fir, spruce, larch. In the west, thanks to the warm current and westerly winds carrying moisture to the mainland, coniferous forests stretch much further south along Pacific Ocean. Giant coniferous trees – sequoia – are found here. Giant sequoia - the highest and a big tree in the world - the General Sherman sequoia grows in California. Its height is 84 m, trunk diameter is 35 m, branch thickness is more than 3 m, age is about 2500 years, weight is 2500 tons.

The warm Gulf Stream flows through the central part of eastern North America. It promotes the formation of rain clouds. And the amount of precipitation is increasing in the east of the continent. Here on the gray forest soils is located mixed and deciduous forests , and a little further south variable- rain forests. There's a sense of dominance here temperate zone. Cold and snowy winter, warm summer with fog on the coastal part Atlantic Ocean. The flora and fauna are more diverse.

As you approach the west inland, the amount of precipitation decreases, and therefore the forests are replaced forest-steppes and steppes, which extended in the meridional direction. In North America, steppes are most often called prairies, which are divided into dry (on chestnut soils) and wet on chernozems. The fauna of this treeless zone is no less diverse than the forest.

The cold California Current runs along the central part of the western coast of the continent, so the amount of precipitation decreases. Cold current and mountainous terrain the mainland forms here desert and semi-desert zone . Treeless area with sparse vegetation and wildlife

As new material is explained, students work with a contour map. (They sign the names of natural zones, soils and prominent representatives of the flora and fauna.)

Game to reinforce new material

“Recognize the natural area by description”

1. Huge spaces with tall herbaceous vegetation with a predominance of feather grass, matlik, and wheatgrass appear before your eyes. Herds of steppe bison roam through them, and pronghorn antelopes run briskly. Cayotes, red fox, badger, ferret, white-tailed hare - all these animals can be found in the blue expanses of the zone. There are countless rodents here. Perhaps it is the gophers, together with their closest relatives, the prairie dogs, who are the true rulers of this natural area. (steppe - prairie)

2. Flying skuas are visible everywhere, and woe to a lemming that gapes or runs out into the snow. In summer there are bright carpets of polar poppies, partridge grass, and buttercups. And how many berries there are - cloudberries, blueberries, blackberries. An amazing spectacle of colors. (tundra)

Changes in natural areas as a result economic activity person

Analysis of a comprehensive map p. 37 atlas.

In what natural zone of the mainland is it located? greatest number national monuments and nature reserves?

Why do you think these natural areas are the most vulnerable?

Primary control of knowledge of new material

Compliance test (Appendix 2)

Summing up the lesson.

What new did you learn in class today?

What part of the lesson did you particularly like and why?

Natural areas of North America.

Goals: - name and show rivers and lakes, boundaries of natural zones and representatives of the flora and fauna of each zone;

Define GP large rivers, lakes, natural areas;

Describe natural components;

Consider the features of natural areas of North America;

To develop students’ ability to characterize natural areas

Explain the peculiarities of nutrition and regime of rivers, vegetation cover of natural areas.

Equipment: physical map of North America I-7kl-1, map of natural areas, 1101060

During the classes

I. Organizing time.

II. Checking homework. 1. Oral survey for questions:

1) Name the reasons that influence the formation of the climate of North America.

2) What winds dominate in North America and why?

3) Why does Arctic air reach the Gulf of Mexico?

4) Why does the amount of precipitation increase from west to east (along the parallel of 40°N latitude)?

5) Why does southwestern North America receive little rainfall?

6) Why are climatic regions distinguished in some climate zones?

2. Test work.

1. Arctic VMs dominate throughout the year. Average July temperature 0 +8°С, average temperature January about -28°C. Annual precipitation mm. This climate is formed at the mouth of the river:

a) Mackenzie; c) Colombia;

b) Yukon; d) St. Lawrence.

2. Despite the possibility of earthquakes, several hydroelectric power stations have been built on the Columbia River. Why?

A) River water contains many particles rocks.

C) The river has large reserves of cheap electricity.

D) It is necessary to prevent the possibility of floods.

3. The Yukon River is covered with ice for almost half the year because it

a) flows high in the mountains;

b) flows into the Northern Arctic Ocean;

c) flows from east to west;

d) flows through an area with a subarctic climate.

4. Rivers flowing into the Arctic Ocean are full even in summer, because they receive water: a) from lakes and swamps;

b) from normal monsoon rains;

c) from the melting of glaciers in the mountains.

5. Through the river... water from the Great North American Lakes enters... the ocean.

6. The Niagara River, connecting Lake Erie and..., is famous for its...

IP. Learning new material.

Students in the class fill out the table using the text from the textbook.

Temperature

Year. amount of precipitation, mm

Sun height

Vegetation

Animal

polar night

Permafrost, rocky, marshy

Here and there mosses and lichens

polar night

Peat bogs, permafrost

Mosses, lichens, marsh grasses, wild rosemary, blueberries, blueberries, dwarf birch, willow, alder.

Arctic fox, polar wolf, deer, caribou, ptarmigan.

Podzolic

Bear, wolf, lynx, fox, deer, elk, moose, sable, beaver, muskrat.

Brown, yellow soils, red soils

Yellow birch, sugar maple, beech, linden, white and red pine, oak, chestnut, tulip tree.

Fox, beaver, muskrat, coyote.

Chestnut, black soils

Cereal herbs, rarely trees.

Bison, coyote.

Serozems, saline

Thorn bushes, cacti, wormwood, solyanka.

Lizards, coyote, rodents.

Conversation on questions:

1) Name the peculiarity of the distribution of natural reserves in North America (in the north they are subject to the law of zonation, that is, they stretch from west to east, and in the central and southern parts- located in the meridional direction).

2) What influenced this arrangement of natural areas (relief and prevailing winds)?

3) Which parts of the continent are rich in water? Why?

IV. Consolidation of the lesson. Game “Who is this? Whatsuch?

Colorado

Yellowstone

Grand Canyon

V. Homework: § 54, 55; V contour map Label the names of the Great North American lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and use arrows to show the movement of water in this huge water system.

North America is located within all geographical zones, with the exception of . Each of them contains several natural zones. The temperate one has the greatest natural diversity.

In the north of the continent it is clearly visible latitudinal zonation: natural zones are elongated along parallel lines and replace each other in latitude. The main reason A pronounced latitudinal pattern is the flatness of the territory of this part of the continent and, in connection with this, a gradual increase from north to south in the amount of solar heat reaching the Earth's surface.

To the south, natural zones are elongated meridionally, and replace each other as they move away from the coasts. This happens due to the fact that mountain barriers, meridionally extended along the western and east coast, do not allow the Pacific and Atlantic to freely penetrate into the interior of the continent. Therefore, change (and therefore natural zones) occurs in two directions: from north to south and from the oceanic margins to the interior of the continent.

Natural areas of the Arctic and geographical zone. Arctic deserts occupy the Severny Islands. Cold and abundant precipitation contribute to the development of glaciation. In summer, mosses, lichens, cold-resistant grasses and shrubs appear in depressions and cracks. Arctic soils contain almost no organic matter. The life of representatives of the animal world is connected with the sea, which provides food. Bird colonies are typical on the islands. The waters of the seas are inhabited by seals, walruses, and whales. Polar bears, wolves, and arctic foxes enter coastal areas from the mainland. Greenland and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago are home to the most large mammal- musk ox, or musk ox.

Tundra also occupy the north of the continent. Permafrost is widespread. In the north - in the Arctic - in moss and lichen forests you can occasionally find grasses (sedge, cotton grass) and polar flowers - forget-me-nots, polar poppies, dandelions.

To the south, in the subarctic zone, the tundra becomes shrubby: low-growing dwarf birch and willow, wild rosemary, blueberries, and blueberries appear. Due to waterlogging caused by summer thawing, tundra-gley soils form in the tundra. To the south, along the river valleys, trees appear - black and white spruce, and the forest-tundra begins.

Tundra vegetation provides food for a variety of animals: reindeer, polar hares, lemmings. Small animals are hunted by the polar bear, polar wolf, and arctic fox. There are ptarmigan, a predatory polar owl, and waterfowl - geese and ducks - fly in in the summer.

The temperate geographical zone occupies more than 1/3 of the continent's area. The climate is characterized by the presence of contrasting seasons - warm summer and frosty winter. The taiga is represented by dark coniferous forests of black and white spruce and balsam fir. In dry places, pine trees grow: white (Weymouth), Banksa (stone) and red. The taiga is characterized by podzolic and gray forest soils, and in the lowlands - peat-swamp soils. Coniferous forests of the Pacific coast grow in conditions of abundant moisture, which is why they are called “rain forests.”

Whole thickets in these forests are formed by shrubs, sometimes thorny, herbs and ferns; mosses cover the trunks, the soil, and hang from the branches with long “beards”. Due to the dense layer of forest litter, seeds rarely fall into the ground, so young trees grow directly on the trunks of rotting predecessors.

The world giants stand out in the dense forest. This is Douglas fir, or Douglas fir, and evergreen sequoia, or "mahogany", forming the densest forest in the world. The height of these giants reaches 115 m. Mountain brown forest soils are formed under the rain forests. The forests have been heavily cut down for their valuable timber.

The fauna of the taiga is diverse. There are many large ungulates here: elk, elk; found in the mountains snow goat and bighorn ram. There are brown and black American bears; - gray and red squirrel, chipmunk; predators - puma (or cougar), marten, wolf, Canadian lynx, ermine, wolverine, fox; along the river banks - beaver, otter and musk rat (muskrat). There are numerous birds - crossbills and warblers. One of the largest animals on the continent is the inhabitant of the “rain forests” - the grizzly bear. The length of its body can exceed 2.5 m.

In the eastern part of the mainland, winter is warmer, so among coniferous trees Deciduous trees appear: elm, beech, linden, oak, birch. The taiga gives way to a zone of mixed and broad-leaved forests. They occupy the areas around the Great Lakes and Appalachia. Maples are especially diverse in these forests - sugar, red, silver. Closer to the coast, broad-leaved forests become dominant. They are distinguished by their antiquity and richness of species composition: oaks, chestnuts, beeches, hickory wood, deciduous magnolia, yellow poplar, black walnut, tulip tree. The decomposition of falling leaves leads to the accumulation of organic matter in the soil. Therefore, soddy-podzolic soils are formed under, and fertile brown forest soils are formed under broad-leaved soils.

The fauna of forests was previously distinguished by its unique richness. Its typical representatives are: Virginia deer, gray fox, lynx, black bear, tree porcupine, American mink, weasel, badger, raccoon. Among the endemics there are flying squirrels, skunks, and the only marsupial in North America - opossums. Various birds, many snakes, freshwater turtles and amphibians.

For natural zoning North America is characterized by: the presence of several natural zones within each geographical zone; change of natural zones within the belts: to the north - in latitude: from north to south, south of the 45th parallel - meridionally: from the coasts to the center of the continent; a wide range of natural areas in the temperate geographical zone.

Natural zones are broad swathes of homogeneous land with similar climatic conditions. The natural zones of North America stretch in stripes from west to east and vary in latitude, and to the south - meridionally.

Due to the great elongation of the continent from south to north, the natural zones of North America (9 natural zones) are distinguished by a wide variety of flora and fauna.

Arctic deserts

Most of the Canadian Arctic Islands and Greenland.

Climate. Arctic. Negative or near-zero temperatures predominate.

Soils. Poor, rocky and swampy.

Vegetation. Mainly mosses and lichens.

Animal world. Muskox.

Tundra

The northern coast of the mainland with adjacent islands. In the east are the coast of Hudson Bay and the northern part of the Labrador Peninsula.

Climate. Subarctic (partially Arctic) predominates.

Soils. Tundra - gley, with excess moisture.

Vegetation. In the northern part there are mosses and lichens; in the southern part - marsh grasses, blueberries and blueberries, wild rosemary bushes, low-growing willows, birches, and alders. Woody vegetation appears to the south.

Animal world. polar Wolf, caribou reindeer, arctic fox, ptarmigan and some others. Diversity migratory birds. IN coastal waters- seals and walruses. On the northern coast there is a polar bear.

Taiga

It stretches in a wide strip from east to west. Difficult coniferous forests.

Climate. Moderate (with increased moisture).

Soils. Podzolics predominate.

Vegetation. Mainly coniferous trees - balsam fir, black spruce, pine, sequoias, American larch. Hardwoods - paper birch, aspen. On the slopes of the Cordillera there are Sitka spruce and Douglas fir.

Animal world. Wolves, bears, deer and elk, foxes, lynxes, sables, beavers, muskrats. In mountain forests there are skunks, grizzly bears, and raccoons. In the rivers - salmon fish. There are seal rookeries on the islands.

Mixed and broad-leaved forests

South of the tundra zone. (Variable moist forests predominate in the eastern part of the North American continent.)

Climate. Temperate, turning into subtropical.

Soils. Gray forest, brown forest, yellow soil and red soil.

Vegetation. In mixed forests - sugar maple, yellow birch, white and red pine, linden, beech. In deciduous forests - different types oaks, plane tree, chestnut, tulip tree.

Animal world. Wapiti deer, bears (grizzly), moose, lynx, wolves, wolverines, raccoons, hares, foxes.

Evergreen tropical forests

In the south of the Atlantic and Mississippian and lowlands.

Climate. Subtropical.

Soils. Gray - brown, brown.

Vegetation. Oaks, magnolias, beeches, dwarf palms. The trees are entwined with vines.

Animal world. Diverse.

Forest-steppe

Treeless plains to the west of the forest zone. (In North America they are called prairies).

Climate. Subtropical.

Soils. Chernozems: podzolized and leached. Chestnut, forest gray.

Vegetation. Tall perennial grasses: wheatgrass, feather grass, etc. In river valleys there is woody vegetation. Near the Cordillera there are low cereal grasses (Gram grass and buffalo grass).

Animal world. Diverse and rich.

Desert and semi-desert zone

A significant part of the California coast, the Mexican highlands and the interior plateaus of the Cordillera.

Climate. Moderate (arid).

Soils. Brown and gray desert.

Vegetation. Black wormwood; on salt licks - quinoa solyanka; thorny bushes, cacti.

Abstract “North America. Natural areas. Population". is the third largest continent, with an area of 20.36 million km2– entirely located in the Northern Hemisphere.

Natural areas.

Arctic desert zone occupies most of Greenland and the islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The long polar winter, temperatures below –40 °C, and strong winds make living conditions harsh. Modern glaciation has developed here - it is an almost lifeless area. On the ledges of bedrock one can observe sparse vegetation - mosses, crustose lichens. Common animals include polar bears, wolves, foxes, and musk oxen.

Tundra and forest-tundra zone occupies the southern parts of the islands and the north of the mainland, including half of the island of Labrador. The tundra is significantly waterlogged. Sedges, saxifrages, dandelions, and polar poppies grow on swamp and tundra-gley soils. The species composition of the animal world is not rich - arctic foxes, lemmings, reindeer. Forest-tundra stretches from the Labrador Peninsula to the Mackenzie Mountains. Woody vegetation appears here - black and white spruce, balsam fir, birch, and aspen. Fauna presented brown bears, Arctic foxes, red foxes, there are also muskrats, martens, minks, and beavers.

Taiga zone located in the north of the temperate climate zone. The American taiga is similar to the Eurasian taiga, but richer species composition. The above tundra species are joined by larches and pines. The so-called Pacific taiga is part of the coastal coniferous forests. Hemlock, thuja, and mighty Sitka spruce predominate here. Among the animals found here are grizzly bear, Sitka deer, skunk, and Pacific raccoon.

Zone mixed forests in the Great Lakes region it is represented by lindens, oaks, elms, numerous types of maples, ash trees, and thujas.

broadleaf forest in the Appalachian region it grows on brown forest soils. The plant composition includes beech, plane tree, chestnut, linden. Animals include the Virginia opossum, porcupine, and bison.

In the west, broad-leaved forests border tall grass steppes, or prairies, on chernozem-like soils. They are currently plowed.

In the subtropical zone, natural zones change from east to west; their formation is associated with differences in moisture. They grow in the east wet evergreen mixed forests , to the west there are prairies, in the interior regions of the Cordillera - semi-desert and desert zone .

Within the tropical and subequatorial belts are being formed savannah on the high plateaus of Central America, and on the Gulf Coast - tropical rainforests.

Population

The bulk of the population of North America comes from various European countries, mainly from Great Britain. This US Americans and Anglo-Canadians, they speak English language. The descendants of the French who moved to Canada speak French.

The indigenous population of the mainland - Indians and Eskimos. These peoples belong to the American branch Mongoloid race. Scientists have found that Indians and Eskimos come from Eurasia. The Indians are more numerous (approximately 15 million). The bulk of the tribes were concentrated in Southern Mexico ( Aztecs, Mayans), where they formed their own states, distinguished by their relatively developed economy and culture. With the arrival of the colonialists, the fate of the Indians was tragic: they were exterminated, driven away from fertile lands, and died from diseases brought by Europeans.

In the XVII-XVIII centuries. brought to North America from Africa to work on plantations blacks. They were sold into slavery to planters.

The population of North America is approx. 480 million people. The southern half of the continent is the most populated. The population density is high in the eastern part. This part of North America contains the most big cities: New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Montreal, etc.

North America is home to the most developed country in the world - USA. North of the main US territory is another large country- Canada, and to the south - Mexico. In Central America and the islands Caribbean Sea- several small states: Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Jamaica, etc. The Republic of Cuba is located on the island of Cuba and the small islands adjacent to it.

Lesson summary “North America. Natural areas. Population".

North America is located in the western hemisphere of our planet. total area of the mainland (including islands) is 24.2 million km 2. North America is smaller than Eurasia or Africa. It lies in the subtropical, temperate, northern and subarctic zones. The waters of three oceans wash the continent. All this, combined with the relief, formed the natural areas of North America. Character traits each of them will be discussed below.

It should also be noted that the formation of natural zones was influenced by the gradual movement of heat from north to south. And when moving from east to west, dryness increases in the southern part of the continent. Characteristics of the natural zones of North America comes down to an analysis of their climate, average summer and winter temperatures, amount of precipitation. They also pay attention to the composition of the soil, the types of plants and animals that can be found in the described area.

North America: natural areas of arctic deserts and tundra

The first zone (Arctic deserts) occupies most of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Greenland. A huge area occupied by glaciers is located in the east of the zone. West Side busy with rocky arctic deserts. Glaciers are practically lifeless space. Neither plants nor animals of the natural zones of North America live here. The exception may be some types of algae. In the rocky part you can find, in addition to algae, bacteria, mosses and crustose lichens. Also on land live lemmings - polar mice, which feed on wolves and arctic foxes.

The tundra zone of the mainland is located in the subarctic climate zone. It is quite similar to the Asian or European tundra. Soils and soils are characterized by widespread waterlogging caused by Not big amount precipitation and low temperatures. There are quite a lot of rivers, lakes and swamps in this area. On peat-gley soils you can find grasses such as cassiopeia, forget-me-nots, polar poppies, and cotton grass. Dwarf birches, wild rosemary and willows also grow here. Huge areas are covered with lichens and mosses. Among the animals you can find wolves, arctic foxes, lemmings, musk oxen and caribou.

Forest-tundra and taiga zones

Compared to Eurasia, the forest-tundra here is more colorful and diverse. The river valleys located closer to the south are covered with forests. Northern border is a place where spruce trees (white and black), mosses and lichens grow. In the western part you can see larch, but in Labrador you can see balsam fir. The forest-tundra zone extends for 500 km.

North America, whose natural areas are to a greater extent are located in a temperate climate zone, boasting a zone of coniferous forests stretching from Atlantic coast in the east and all the way to the Pacific in the west. There are a lot of swamps here. The vegetation cover consists primarily of balsam fir, white spruce, and black spruce, but paper birch, American larch, and several species of pine trees can also be found. The trees here are powerful, their height is often 70-100 meters. Animals in the taiga include wood bison, American elk, several species of bears (grizzly, baribal), as well as red fox, raccoon, muskrat, skunk, and beaver.

North America: natural areas of mixed and broadleaf forests

The first of these zones occupies the territory of the Great Lakes. Here, tracts of coniferous trees are wonderfully combined with small-leaved species (poplar, birch) and deciduous forests. The soils are brown forest and soddy-podzolic. Here you can find several types of maple (silver, red, sugar), beech, oak, linden, elm, ash. Coniferous species include pine, thuja, fir, larch, and spruce.

Broadleaf (Appalachian) forests are located on the south and southeast side of mixed forests. The main forest-forming species of this natural zone are oak (large-fruited, red and white), chestnut, beech, and linden. Magnolias, black walnuts and hickories can be found here. The diversity of vegetation is complemented by vines, forbs and dense undergrowth. This wealth of broadleaf forests is associated with fertile brown forest soils. As for the animal world, it has been preserved only in protected areas, in nature reserves, in which North America is rich.

Natural areas of forest-steppe and prairie

The prairies are located on the territory of the Central and Great Plains, just south of the taiga. Occupy part Central Plains(western). They are treeless plains covered with tall grass and cereal vegetation. 80% of the entire plant world is made up of small and blue bearded vultures. The latter reaches 1.8 m in height. This is due to the chernozem-like soils of this subzone. This area has now become one of the main agricultural areas of the United States, where corn is grown. The forest-steppe subzone runs from west to east across the Great Plains. The flora is represented mainly by small aspen groves and meadows (fescue, wheatgrass, reed grass). The soils are meadow-chernozem and gray forest.

Zones of steppes, deserts and semi-deserts

The steppe is quite heterogeneous. This zone receives on average up to 600 mm of annual precipitation. The black soil plains are overgrown with fescue, wheatgrass and bearded grass. This area is almost completely plowed and cut up by ravines and gullies. The dry part of the steppes receives up to 400 mm of precipitation per year, which, together with soils with low humus content, does not produce high yields.

Deserts and semi-deserts occupy the driest areas of the Colombian Plateau, as well as the bulk of Big Basin. No more than 250 mm of precipitation falls here per year. The main vegetation on gray-brown soils is wormwood; quinoa grows on saline soils.

Tropics and subtropics, mixed monsoon forests

The tropical zone has a lot of heat. Natural zones change from east to west, which is associated with different moisture levels in the areas. Monsoon forests grow in the southeast of the subtropical zone, on red and yellow earth soils. In addition to coniferous trees, you can see dwarf palms, evergreen oaks and shrubs, and magnolias intertwined with vines. Cypress trees grow in the swamps, and sabal palms and pine trees grow in drier areas. A huge number of birds, turtles and alligators live here.

Also in North America, a narrow strip of hard-leaved forests and shrubs and altitudinal zones are distinguished. For clarity, it is better to put all the information provided in a table, analyzing the natural zones of North America. The table will help organize the information and knowledge received. Generalized material will also be more convenient for memorization.