On the territory of the largest continent of Eurasia, all the natural zones of the world are located. Therefore, its flora and fauna is very diverse. It should be noted that it is this continent that is the most populated and it was here that industry began to develop first of all, requiring the development of new territories, new mineral deposits, as well as new transport routes. All this had a negative impact on the species composition of animals and plants of Eurasia. Many of them have disappeared from the face of the Earth, many are listed in the Red Book and taken under protection. Nowadays, most of the plant communities and animal species of Eurasia can be found within the protected areas.
Among the animals of Eurasia there are many representatives of invertebrates, insects, reptiles and mammals. Since the largest area on the mainland is within the taiga zone, representatives of the fauna of this natural zone occupy large areas of Eurasia. Among the inhabitants of the taiga, the most common wolverine and brown bear, fox and wolf, hare and squirrel, many rodents and birds. Among them are black grouse, hazel grouse, capercaillie, crossbills, crows and tits. This list is very incomplete. In fact, the species diversity of taiga animals is quite an impressive list.
A very rich and diverse fauna of Eurasian reservoirs. This is a whole range of waterfowl, amphibians, fish of valuable commercial species.
Despite the difficult living conditions of the tundra and desert zone, which occupy large areas in Eurasia, the animals living there have adapted both to the arid conditions of the desert and to the low temperatures in the tundra.
Flora of Eurasia
Vegetable world Eurasia is also diverse. A significant territory of the mainland is occupied by coniferous, broad-leaved, equatorial and variable wet forests. Trees, shrubs and herbaceous vegetation grow here in open areas. Among the typical representatives of the plant world of Eurasia are Siberian cedar, oak, beech, banyan tree, bamboo, tulip tree and the largest and most fetid flower in the world - rafflesia.
Vast steppe spaces are covered with cereal grasses and feather grass. It should be noted that most of the steppes of Eurasia are under agricultural crops and natural vegetation has been preserved in a rather limited area of the steppes.
The interior of the mainland is occupied by deserts. Here the most common are wormwood, kurai, camel thorn and saxaul, a plant that does not give shade. In deserts, as well as in the steppes, there are many ephemera, plants with a short growing season. During the spring period, the desert is filled with flowering plants. different types, and with the onset of a summer drought, all this flowering splendor quickly disappears without a trace.
.Natural area: polar deserts
Territory: Far North of Eurasia
Climate zone: arctic
The soil: covered with glaciers
Plants: almost none, occasionally mosses and lichens, marsh sedge
Animals: polar bears, lemmings, bird colonies in summer, rarely white fox, arctic fish, seals and walruses.
Natural area: tundra and forest tundra
Territory: Far North of Eurasia
Climate zone: subarctic
The soil: eternal Frost
Plants: sedge, other grasses, mosses, shrubs. To the south are dwarf trees, such as arctic birch.
Animals: a lot of fish, polar tern, snowy owl, reindeer, lemming, arctic fox, seal, walrus, northern partridges, wolves.
Natural area: taiga (coniferous forests)
Territory: northern Europe, Far East, Siberia
Climate zone: moderate
The soil: eternal Frost
Plants: spruces, pines, cedars, larch, fir
Animals: brown bear, wolf, hare, musk deer, deer, elk, sable, otter, beaver, ermine squirrel, roe deer, mole, chicken, many birds (nutcracker, crossbill, tit) and so on. Lots of furry animals.
Natural area: temperate mixed forests (including monsoon)
Territory: Central European Plain, areas on Far East, Western Siberia, Northern Europe.
Climate zone: moderate
The soil: forest brown and podzolic
Plants: spruce, pine, fir, maple, oak, ash, willow, swamp sedge, birch, apple, elm, linden
Animals: brown bear, wolf, hare, fox, squirrel, wild boar, spotted deer, roe deer, various birds (nightingale, capercaillie, pheasant, wagtail, rook, falcon, oriole, lark, lapwing, black grouse, sparrow, crow, magpie, partridge, quail and others)
Natural area: steppes and forest-steppes
Territory: southern part of the East European (Russian) Plain, Mongolia, Southern Urals, Kazakhstan, China
Climate zone: moderate
The soil: chernozem (the most fertile)
Plants: feather grass, sleep-grass, steppe bulrush, fescue, wormwood, oats, sheep, wild apple trees, willows, lindens and poplars in groups, and so on
Animals: steppe wolf, hare, steppe eagle, bustard, hawk, bobaki, ground squirrels, steppe harrier, owl, saigas, saigas, jerboas.
Natural area: semi-deserts and deserts
Territory: Karakum, Gobi, Registan, Kyzylkum, Arabian Desert, Takla Makan and other deserts in Southwest Asia and Central Asia
Climate zone: arid
The soil: dry sandy, clay or rocky. Often salty
Plants: rare - camel thorn, tamarisk, prickly acacia, saxaul, wormwood, elm, cotton, saltwort. Trees only on oases.
Animals: poisonous cobra and other snakes, jerboa, giraffe, sand mice, saiga, saiga, bobak, ground squirrel, lizards
Natural area: altitudinal zones (mountains)
Territory: Himalayas, Pamirs, Tien Shan, Alps, Carpathians, Caucasus, Crimean Mountains, Apennines, Pyrenees, Sayans, Urals, Sikhote-Alin
Climate zone: any of those listed in this table
The soil: rocky mountain
Plants: from treeless rocky deserts at the very top of the mountain ranges, where only isolated mosses and lichens grow, vegetation increases as they return to the foot of the mountains. After the deserts, grassy alpine meadows follow, then a forest belt or a desert-steppe is possible.
Animals: depending on the mountain system - mountain sheep, mouflon, mountain goat, wild pig, musk ox, Himalayan black bear, antelope, yak, musk deer, chamois, wild goat, Snow Leopard(irbis), wild horse On the Sikhote-Alin range in the Russian Far East - mandarin duck, Ussuri tiger, leopard (large felids are endangered)
Natural area: subtropical, tropical humid (including monsoonal) forests
Territory: Far East, Mediterranean, India, Southeast Asia, China
Climate zone: tropics and subtropics
The soil: black soil, yellow soil, red soil
Plants: tangerines, oranges, lemons, palms, cycads, cypress, begonias, other tall
herbs, orchids, vines
Animals: in the Far East - Ussuri tiger, mandarin duck, leopard. In general, wolves, monkeys, elephants, eagles, parrots, toucan, chameleon, a wide variety of butterflies, bats
Natural area: humid equatorial forests (jungle)
Territory: southern India, Southeast Asia
Climate zone: subequatorial and equatorial
The soil: red soil
Plants: mangroves, various palm trees, club mosses, coconuts, papaya, creepers, banana, orchids, wet mosses
Animals: Bengal tiger, crocodile, monitor lizard, elephants, monkeys, rhino, hippopotamus, squirrels, flying squirrels, parrots, flying fish, termites, a wide variety of lizards, insects and butterflies.
Climate, natural zones of Eurasia.
Climate.
The climatic features of Eurasia are determined by the huge size of the mainland, the great length from north to south, the variety of prevailing air masses, as well as the specific features of the relief structure of its surface and the influence of the oceans.
natural areas.
Arctic deserts (ice zone), tundra and forest tundra located in the west of the mainland beyond the Arctic Circle. In Northern Europe, the tundra and forest-tundra occupy a narrow strip, which, as one moves eastward, gradually expands with an increase in the severity and continentality of the climate. Basically, sparse low-growing vegetation, poor peat-gley soils and animals adapted to harsh living conditions.
AT temperate zone Significant areas are represented by zones of coniferous forests (taiga), mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, broad-leaved forests, forest-steppes and steppes, semi-deserts and deserts.
coniferous forests stretched from the Atlantic to Pacific Ocean. When moving from west to east, the continentality of the climate increases. In the Asian part of the zone, permafrost is widespread, as a result, the composition of taiga tree species changes. Pine and spruce dominate in the European taiga, fir and Siberian cedar dominate beyond the Urals, and larch dominates in Eastern Siberia. Animal world: sable, ermine, beaver, fox, squirrel, marten, hares, chipmunks, lynxes and wolves, elks, brown bears, capercaillie, black grouse, hazel grouses, crossbills, nutcrackers.
Zone mixed coniferous-deciduous forests replaces the taiga zone when moving south. Deciduous litter and grass cover of these forests contribute to the accumulation in the soil horizon of a certain amount organic matter. Therefore, the podzolic soils of the taiga are replaced by soddy-podzolic ones.
Zone deciduous forests also does not form a continuous band. In Europe, it stretched from the Atlantic to the Volga. As the climate becomes more continental, moving from west to east, beech forests are replaced by oak forests. In the east of the mainland, broad-leaved forests are mostly cut down.
Forest-steppes and steppes change forest zones when moving south in the inner - central continental sector of the mainland. Here, the amount of precipitation sharply decreases and the amplitudes of summer and winter temperatures. AT forest-steppes characteristic is the alternation of open spaces with herbaceous vegetation on chernozem soils with areas of broad-leaved forests. Steppes - treeless spaces with dense grassy grassy vegetation and a dense root system. In the eastern part of the mainland, forest-steppes and steppes have been preserved in the basins of the relief of Northern Mongolia, Transbaikalia, and Northeast China. They are far removed from the ocean, are in conditions of a sharply continental climate, low moisture. Mongolian dry steppes are characterized by sparse grass vegetation and chestnut soils.
Semi-deserts and temperate deserts occupy the lowlands of Central Asia and the inner basins of Central Asia north of the Tibetan Plateau. There is very little rainfall, hot long summers and Cold winter with noticeable frost.
Zone tropical deserts - the deserts of Arabia, Mesopotamia, the south of the Iranian Highlands and the Indus basin. These deserts in their own way natural conditions similar to African ones, since there are wide historical and modern ties between these territories and there are no obstacles to the exchange of species in flora and fauna. The oceanic sectors of the mainland are closed in the south by zones of subtropical (in Europe) and rainforest(in Asia).
Zone hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs in the Mediterranean region is unique. It has dry and hot summers, humid and warm winter. Plants are adapted to climatic conditions: wax coating, thick or dense leathery bark. Many plants produce essential oils. Fertile brown soils form in this zone. Olives, citrus fruits, grapes, tobacco, essential oil crops are grown on the plantations of the zone.
Zone monsoon evergreen mixed forests expressed in the Pacific sector of the subtropical belt. There are other climatic conditions here: precipitation falls mainly in summer - during the growing season. Forests are ancient.
subequatorial belt covers the peninsulas of Hindustan, Indochina and the north of the Philippine Islands. In this belt different conditions moisture. The zone of subequatorial forests stretches along the western coasts of the peninsulas and receives up to 2000 mm of precipitation per year. The forests here are multi-tiered, differ in the variety of species composition (palms, ficuses, bamboos). Zonal soils are red-yellow ferralitic. Zones seasonally wet monsoon forests, shrub savannas and woodlands presented where precipitation decreases.
Moist equatorial forests are represented mainly on the islands of Southeast Asia. In terms of climatic conditions, they are similar to the forests of the equatorial belt of other continents. However, the equatorial forests of Asia have a number of specific features. In terms of flora, these are the richest forests on the globe(over 45 thousand species). species composition tree species - 5000 species (in Europe - only 200 species).
Altitudinal zonality in the mountains of Eurasia is diverse. The number of altitudinal belts in the mountains always depends on which natural zone is located on the plain at the foot of the mountains; on the height of the mountain system and on the exposure of the slopes. So, for example, the northern drier slopes of the Himalayas, facing the Tibetan Plateau, do not have forest belts. But on the southern slopes, which are better moistened and heated, there are several forest zones.
Abstract of the lesson "Climate, natural zones of Eurasia." Next topic:
Eurasia is the most big mainland of our planet, which for a long time remained the least explored. It is washed by the waters of four oceans, on its territory there are all climatic zones. The nature of Eurasia is so diverse that it is easy to find areas that are completely opposite in terms of conditions. The contrasts of the continent are due to its relief, length and history of formation.
Features of the geographical location
The mainland is washed by the Arctic, Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. Eurasia's closest neighbors are Africa and North America. From the first mainland is connected through the Sinai Peninsula. North America and Eurasia is separated by a relatively small Bering Strait.
The continent is conditionally divided into two parts: Europe and Asia. The border between them runs along the eastern foot of the Ural Mountains, then along the channel along the northern coast of the Caspian Sea, the Kuma-Manych depression, along the line of meeting of the waters of the Black and Sea of Azov and, finally, along the straits connecting the Black and Mediterranean Seas.
The coastline of the continent is quite indented. In the west, the Scandinavian Peninsula stands out, in the south - Arabian and Hindustan. The east coast also gives way in places to the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Here you can find whole chains of islands: Kamchatka, Big Sunda and so on. The north of the continent is less indented. The land areas that protrude more than others into the ocean are the Kola and Chukotka.
The nature of the Eurasian continent as a whole is determined by the influence of the waters of the oceans only to a small extent. The reason for this is the considerable length of the continent and the features of its relief. The vast territories of Eurasia for a long time remained poorly studied. A special contribution to the development of the territories of Asia was made by Petr Petrovich Semenov-Tyan-Shansky and Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky.
Relief
The natural wonders of Eurasia are, first of all, its contrast. In many ways, it is due to the features of the relief of the mainland. Eurasia is above all other continents. There are mountain ranges here that are larger than similar formations in Africa, Australia and both Americas. The most famous peak of the mainland is Everest, or Chomolungma. This is the highest point on the planet - 8848 meters above sea level.
The Eurasian plains occupy vast areas. There are much more of them than on other continents. The lowest point of the planet on land is also located here - this is the depression of the Dead Sea. The difference between it and Everest is approximately 9 kilometers.
Formation
The reason for such a variety of surface topography lies in the history of its formation. At the heart of the mainland lies the Eurasian lithospheric plate, consisting of sections different ages. The "oldest" areas are the South China, East European, Siberian and Sino-Korean platforms. They are connected by later mountain formations. As the continent formed, fragments of ancient Gondwana were added to these platforms, which today underlie Hindustan and the Arabian Peninsula.
The southern edge of the Eurasian Plate is a zone of increased seismic activity. Here are the processes of mountain building. In the eastern part of the mainland, the edge of the Pacific went under the Eurasian plate, resulting in the formation of deep depressions and extended island arcs. Earthquakes and related disasters are not uncommon in this area.
A large number of volcanoes are also located in the so-called ring of fire of the Pacific Ocean. The highest operating on the territory of Eurasia is (4750 m above sea level).
A significant contribution to the formation of the relief of the continent was made by glaciation, which in ancient times occupied the northern part of the mainland.
Plains and mountains, old and young
The nature of Eurasia has undergone many changes. Extensive West Siberian Plain, which occupies one of the first places in terms of area in the world, was once the bottom of the sea. Today, only a large number of sedimentary rocks found here reminds of the distant past.
The mountains of the mainland were not always what they look like today. The most ancient of them are Altai, Ural, Tien Shan, Scandinavian. The process of mountain building here has long been completed, and time has left its mark on them. The massifs are badly damaged in places. In some areas, however, later uplifts also occurred.
"Young" mountain ranges form two belts in the southern and eastern parts of the mainland. One of them, the Alpine-Himalayan, includes the Pamirs, the Caucasus, the Himalayas, the Alps, the Carpathians, the Pyrenees. Some of the ranges of the belt converge to form highlands. The largest of them is the Pamirs, and the highest is Tibet.
The second belt, the Pacific, extends from Kamchatka to the Big Sunda Islands. Many of the mountain peaks located here are extinct or active volcanoes.
The riches of the continent
Features of the nature of Eurasia include minerals that are unique in their diversity. On the territory of the mainland, tungsten and tin, necessary for industry, but rarely found, are mined. Their deposit is located in the eastern part of the continent.
Gold is also mined on the territory of Eurasia, as well as diamonds, rubies and sapphires. The mainland is rich in deposits iron ores. Large quantities of oil and gas are produced here. In terms of the reserves of these minerals, Eurasia is ahead of all other continents. The largest deposits are located in Western Siberia, on the Arabian Peninsula. Natural gas and oil are also found at the bottom of the North Sea.
Eurasia is famous for its deposits hard coal. On the mainland, bauxites, table and potash salts are also mined.
Climate
The diversity of the nature of Eurasia is largely due to the peculiarities of climatic conditions. The mainland is famous for their rather abrupt changes both from north to south and from east to west. The main features of the nature of Eurasia on and Hindustan were formed under the influence of monsoons. Part of the year they blow from the ocean and bring a huge amount of precipitation. In winter, monsoons come from the continent. In summer, a zone is formed above the heated earth reduced pressure, and equatorial air masses come here from the ocean.
Features of the nature of Eurasia in the southern part of the continent are associated with high mountain ranges stretching from west to east. These are the Alps, the Caucasus, the Himalayas. They don't miss cold air from the north and at the same time do not interfere with the penetration into the depths of wet masses coming from the Atlantic Ocean.
The wettest places on the continent are where the monsoons from the ocean meet the mountain ranges. Thus, a large amount of precipitation falls on the southern slopes of the Western Caucasus. One of the wettest places on the planet is located in India, at the foot of the Southeastern Himalayas. Here is the city of Cherrapunji.
Climatic zones
The nature of Eurasia is changing as we move both from north to south and from west to east. Not the last role in this is played by climatic zones. Northern and East End the mainland, including the arctic islands, is an arid and cold region. Low temperatures prevail here, the air warms up a little only in the summer. In winter, for arctic climate characterized by severe frosts.
The next belt is characterized by less severe conditions. The subarctic climate in Eurasia dominates over a small area stretching in a narrow strip from west to east. It also includes the island of Iceland.
The most significant territory on the mainland is occupied by the northern temperate zone. It is characterized by a gradual change in climate types as you move from west to east. The regions of Eurasia bordering the Atlantic Ocean are distinguished by warm and mild winters with frequent rains and fogs (the temperature does not drop below 0º), cool cloudy summers (10-18º on average) and high humidity (up to 1000 mm of precipitation falls here). Such features are characteristic of a maritime temperate climate.
With distance from the western coast, the influence of the Atlantic Ocean weakens. A temperate continental climate extends to the Ural Mountains. This area is characterized warm summer and frosty winter. Beyond the Ural Mountains, the nature of the Eurasian continent is determined by a continental temperate climate. In Central and Central Asia, it is very hot in summer and cold in winter. Temperatures can drop below 50º below zero. Due to the small amount of snow, the ground freezes to a fairly large depth.
Finally, in the east of the temperate zone, the climate becomes monsoonal. Its main difference is a clear change in the seasons of air masses.
It stretches from the Iberian Peninsula to the Pacific Ocean. It is also divided into zones. The subtropical Mediterranean climate is characterized by warm, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. As you move east, the humidity decreases. The central regions of the belt have a continental subtropical climate: hot summers, cold winters, low rainfall.
The east coast, washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean, is characterized by high humidity. The air masses that come here in the summer are poured with endless rains, causing rivers to overflow. In winter, the subtropical monsoon climate is characterized by temperatures down to 0º.
Diversity of nature in Eurasia: natural areas
The climatic zones of the mainland provide uniqueness in their variability of the animal and plant world. Here are all the natural areas that are found on the planet. Many of them are quite strongly modified by man. This is especially true of the area suitable for agriculture, and areas that are comfortable for living. The wild nature of Eurasia, however, has been partially preserved, and today every possible effort is being made so that even after a long time people know what the area around them was originally like.
Wonders of nature on the mainland of Eurasia are not uncommon. There are plants and animals here that are not found anywhere else. The diversity of the nature of Eurasia is created in places by a smooth, and sometimes quite a sharp change in climatic zones.
harsh north
The zone of arctic deserts, tundra and forest-tundra stretches in a narrow strip across the territory of Eurasia. Due to the harsh climate, there is little vegetation. Vast tracts of land remain bare all year round. Of the animals here you can meet polar bears, reindeer, arctic foxes. The area is characterized by a large number of birds arriving in the warm season.
The tundra is particularly dry and permafrost is impressive in depth. These features lead to the formation of swamps characteristic of the area.
Taiga
To the south of the tundra, swamps are also found in large numbers. The taiga, located here, is divided into European and Asian. The first is dominated by such conifers as pine and spruce. They are adjacent to birch, mountain ash and aspen. As you move south, maples and oaks are more common, as well as ash trees. The Asian taiga is the birthplace of cedar and fir. Here, larch is also found in large numbers - conifer tree dropping leaves for the winter.
Taiga animals are also very diverse. live here brown bears, white hares, squirrels, moose, wolves, foxes and lynxes, as well as wood lemmings, martens, polecats and weasels. Bird polyphony is a familiar background for these places. Here you can meet woodpeckers, white partridges, black grouse, capercaillie, owls and hazel grouses.
forest land
The nature and animals of Eurasia are changing along with climatic conditions. On the vast territory of the East European Plain, the main part of the mixed forests of the mainland is concentrated. When moving to the west, they gradually disappear and reappear on the Pacific coast.
Coniferous, small-leaved and broad-leaved species grow together in mixed forests. There are much fewer swamps here, the soils are soddy-podzolic, and the grass cover is well defined. The broad-leaved forests of the Atlantic zones are characterized by beech and oak. When deepening to the east, the latter begins to predominate. Also there are hornbeam, maple and linden. On the Pacific coast, due to the monsoon climate, the composition of forests is also very diverse.
The fauna is represented here by wild boars, roe deer, deer, as well as almost all the "inhabitants" of the taiga. Brown bears are found in the Alps and Carpathians.
Changed zone
To the south lie the forest-steppe and the steppe. Both zones are quite strongly modified by man. The forest-steppe is interspersed areas of forest and grassy vegetation. The steppe zone is mainly represented by cereals. Here, rodents, ground squirrels, voles, marmots are found in large numbers. The natural vegetation of the area has been preserved today only on the territory of reserves.
The eastern part of the Gobi plateau is a zone of dry steppes. Low grasses grow here, there are areas completely devoid of vegetation or saline.
Devoid of vegetation
Semi-desert and desert zones occupy a considerable part of the continent. They extend from the Caspian lowland along the plains of Central and Central Asia. The main features of the nature of Eurasia here are the almost complete absence of vegetation and the poor fauna. Extremely low rainfall, dry air, clay and stony soils do not contribute to the appearance of even grasses in this area. Rather sparse vegetation is found in sandy deserts. Wormwood, astragalus, saxaul, saltwort "live" here.
The fauna of the deserts is also poor. However, here you can meet quite rare representatives of the fauna, for example wild kulans, Przewalski's horse. Rodents and camels are common in this zone.
Subtropics
Warm winters with high rainfall and hot dry summers good conditions for hardwood forests and shrubs that spread along the coast mediterranean sea. There are cork and cypress, pine, wild olive. The nature of Eurasia and here has undergone many changes due to human activity. Forests in the modern Mediterranean are almost completely cut down. Their place was taken by low trees, as well as shrubs.
The subtropics in southern China look somewhat different and Japanese islands. Magnolias, palms, camellias, ficuses, camphor laurel and bamboo grow here.
On the inner part of the mainland there are subtropical and tropical deserts and semi-deserts. This zone is characterized by dry hot weather, low rainfall. The flora is represented in the same way as in the deserts of the temperate zone. In addition, acacias are found here, date palms grow in oases. Fauna is not numerous: Przewalski's horse, kulans, jerboas, antelopes, jackals, hyenas, wild donkeys, onagers, gerbils.
Close to the equator
The Eurasian savannas are a place where a large number of cereals grow, as well as teak and sal trees, acacias, and palm trees. Vast areas are covered with variable-humid subequatorial forests. They are located on the coast of Hindustan and Indochina, in the lower reaches and the Brahmaputra, as well as in the northern part of the Philippine Islands. Only a few trees growing here shed their leaves during the dry period.
In the subequatorial forests, the animal world is very diverse. There are various ungulates, monkeys, lions and tigers, as well as wild elephants.
Equatorial forests amaze with a variety of palm trees. There are more than three hundred species of them, and coconut is also found among them. There is also a lot of bamboo in this area.
Climatic zones of mountain regions
The features of the nature of the Eurasian continent are also a clearly noticeable change in the flora and fauna in the Alps and the Himalayas. These mountain systems are the highest in Europe and Asia, respectively. The Alps reach a maximum of 4807 meters (Mount Blanc).
On the southern slopes here is the lower zone altitudinal belt. It extends up to 800 m and has features of the Mediterranean climate. In the western part of the Alps, mixed and beech forests are mainly located. In the east, in the lower zone, the climate is drier. Pine and beech forests grow here, interspersed with steppe meadows. The second belt extends up to the mark of 1800 m. Oak and beech forests are located here, conifers are found. The next, subalpine, belt (up to 2300 m) is characterized by shrubs and meadow vegetation. Above, only crustaceous lichens are found.
At the foot of the Eastern Himalayas are Terai, wetlands. Palm trees, bamboo, sal grow here. The fauna of this area is quite diverse. Here you can meet snakes, elephants, tigers, rhinos, monkeys, leopards and so on. The territory from 1500 to 2000 m above sea level is occupied by evergreen subtropical forests. Higher increases the number of deciduous and coniferous species. The belt of shrubs and meadow vegetation begins at 3500 m.
Due to the peculiarities of geography, the diversity of nature, Eurasia is a unique place on our planet. The contrasts of the mainland contribute to the vigilant interest in it on the part of researchers and travelers. However, a description of the nature of Eurasia without mentioning the traces of human activity looks somewhat ideal. As on any other continent, the territory here has undergone a lot of changes. A huge number of the population living on the mainland needs a developed agriculture, continuous mining. Therefore, the areas suitable for this are very different from the state in which they were at the dawn of mankind. Today Eurasia is vast fields, big cities and abandoned villages, huge industrial complexes. Save wildlife often fails. For salvation rare species Animal and plant reserves have been created, but they do not quite cope with the task. Nevertheless, the opinion about the need to respect the environment is increasingly supported by government organizations. I would like to believe that thanks to this, the amazing nature of Eurasia, photos of which are found on the pages of all thematic magazines, will be preserved in the future not only in pictures.
Eurasia is characterized by a clearly defined geographical demarcation. All existing zones are represented on this continent, from equatorial forests to arctic deserts. Each of them has some features, including unique flora and fauna.
As for mixed and broad-leaved forests, they are practically gone. In Europe, secondary plantations appeared in their place, and arable land was created in Asia. However, this zone is characterized by maple, oak, hornbeam, elm, and beech.
The steppes are nothing more than vast expanses of grassy vegetation. Unfortunately, they have been preserved in their original form only on the territory of reserves - only there you can study natural landscapes. The rest of the territory was devoted to agriculture. This zone is inhabited mainly by representatives of rodents.
Deserts and semi-deserts - these natural zones of Eurasia are located mainly in the central part of the mainland (for example, the Gobi Desert). Conditions in these areas are far from optimal, with low rainfall, cold winters and hot summers. Interestingly, there are places with the so-called quicksand. As for the vegetation, here it is represented by saltwort, wormwood, sandy sedge and saxaul. This area is inhabited by rodents, some ungulates and representatives of reptiles.
The zone of hardwood forests and shrubs is located in the subtropical zone, or rather, in its western part. In the preserved forests, you can observe thickets of bamboo, as well as magnolia, camphor and laurel. But wild animals at one time were almost completely exterminated. Only in the highlands of Western Asia still live hyenas, foxes and antelopes.
Savannahs - these natural zones of Eurasia are represented mainly on the coasts of Indochina and Hindustan. The fauna here is very rich - tigers, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, deer, antelopes, monkeys. These areas are mostly planted, but there are also real groves of Indian acacia. There are also valuable species, for example, sal and teak wood, from which expensive, rare varieties of wood are obtained.
