Variable wet monsoon forests

Variably humid monsoon forests can also be found on all continents of the Earth, except for Antarctica. If summer is all the time in the equatorial forests, then three seasons are pronounced here: dry cool (November - February) - the winter monsoon; dry hot (March-May) - transitional season; humid hot (June-October) - summer monsoon. The hottest month is May, when the sun is almost at its zenith, the rivers dry up, the trees shed their leaves, the grass turns yellow. The summer monsoon comes at the end of May with gale-force winds, thunderstorms, and heavy rains. Nature comes to life. Due to the alternation of dry and wet seasons, monsoon forests are called variable wet. monsoon forests India located in the tropical climate zone. Valuable tree species grow here, distinguished by the strength and durability of wood: teak, sal, sandalwood, satin and iron tree. Teak wood is not afraid of fire and water, it is widely used for building ships. Sal also has a durable and strong wood. Sandalwood and satin wood are used in the manufacture of varnishes and paints.

Monsoon forests of tropical and subtropical regions are also characteristic of Southeast Asia, Central and South America, northern and northeastern regions of Australia (see the map in the atlas).

Temperate monsoon forests

Temperate monsoon forests are found only in Eurasia. The Ussuri taiga is a special place on Far East. This is a real thicket: the forests are multi-tiered, dense, intertwined with lianas and wild grapes. Cedar, walnut, linden, ash and oak grow here. Rough vegetation is the result of an abundance of seasonal rainfall and a rather mild climate. Here you can meet the Ussuri tiger - the largest representative of its kind.

The rivers of the monsoon forests are rain-fed and flood during the summer monsoon rains. The largest of them are the Ganges, Indus, and Amur.

The monsoon forests are heavily cut down. According to experts, only 5% of the former forests have survived in Eurasia. Monsoon forests suffered not so much from forestry, but also from agriculture. It is known that the largest agricultural civilizations appeared on fertile soils in the valleys of the Ganges, Irrawaddy, Indus and their tributaries. The development of agriculture required new territories - forests were cut down. Farming has adapted over the centuries to alternating wet and dry seasons. The main agricultural season is the wet monsoon period. Crops are associated with it the most important crops- rice, jute, sugarcane. In the dry cool season, barley, legumes, and potatoes are planted. In the dry hot season, agriculture is possible only with artificial irrigation. The monsoon is capricious, its delay leads to severe droughts and the death of crops. Therefore, artificial irrigation is necessary.

The tundra occupies such territories as the coastal outskirts of Greenland, the western and northern outskirts of Alaska, the coast of Hudson Bay, some areas of the Newfoundland and Labrador peninsulas. On Labrador, due to the severity of the climate, the tundra reaches 55 ° N. sh., and in Newfoundland it drops even further south. The tundra is part of the circumpolar Arctic subregion of the Holarctic. The North American tundra is characterized by the spread of permafrost, strong soil acidity and rocky soils. The northernmost part of it is almost completely barren, or covered only with mosses and lichens. Large areas are occupied by swamps. In the southern part of the tundra, a rich herbaceous cover of grasses and sedges appears. Some dwarf tree forms are characteristic, such as creeping heather, dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa), willow and alder.

Next comes the forest tundra. It is to the west of the Hudson Bay takes its maximum size. Woody forms of vegetation are already beginning to appear. This strip forms the northern border of forests in North America, dominated by species such as larch (Larix laricina), black and white spruce (Picea mariana and Picea canadensis).

On the slopes of the mountains of Alaska, the plain tundra, as well as on the Scandinavian Peninsula, is replaced by mountain tundra and bald vegetation.

In terms of species, the vegetation of the tundra North America almost no different from the Euro-Asian tundra. There are only some floristic differences between them.

Temperate coniferous forests cover most of North America. These forests form the second after the tundra and the last vegetation zone, which stretches across the entire mainland from west to east and is a latitudinal zone. Further south latitudinal zonality preserved only in the eastern part of the mainland.

On the coast of the Pacific Ocean, taiga is distributed from 61 to 42 ° N. sh., then it crosses the lower slopes of the Cordillera and then spreads to the plain to the east. In this territory, the southern border of the coniferous forest zone rises north to a latitude of 54-55 ° N, but then it descends back to the south to the territories of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River, but only its lower reaches.<

Coniferous forests along the line from the eastern slopes of the mountains of Alaska to the coast of Labrador are characterized by a significant uniformity in the species composition of the rocks.

A distinctive feature of the coniferous forests of the Pacific coast from the forest zone of the east is their appearance and composition of the rocks. So the forest zone of the Pacific coast is very similar to the eastern regions of the Asian taiga, where endemic coniferous species and genera grow. But the eastern part of the mainland is similar to the European taiga.

The “Hudson”, eastern taiga is characterized by the predominance of fairly developed coniferous trees with a high and powerful crown. This species composition includes such endemic species as white or Canadian spruce (Picea canadensis), Banks pine (Pinus banksiana), American larch, balsam fir (Abies balsamea). From the latter, a resinous substance is extracted, which finds a direction in technology - Canadian balsam. Although conifers predominate in this zone, there are still many deciduous trees and shrubs in the Canadian taiga. And in the burnt places, which are very numerous in the Canadian taiga region, even deciduous ones predominate.

Deciduous tree species of this coniferous zone include: aspen (Populus tremuloides), balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera), paper birch (Betula papyrifera). This birch has a white and smooth bark, with which the Indians built their canoes. A very diverse and rich undergrowth of berry bushes is characteristic: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, black and red currants. Podzolic soils are characteristic of this zone. In the north, they turn into soils of permafrost-taiga composition, and in the south, these are soddy-podzolic soils.

The soil and vegetation cover of the Appalachian zone is very rich and diverse. Here, on the slopes of the Appalachians, rich broad-leaved forests grow in species diversity. Such forests are also called Appalachian forests. These forests are very similar to the genera of East Asian and European forests, in which the dominant role is dominated by endemic species of noble chestnut (Castanea dentata), May beech (Fagus grandifolia), American oak (Quercus macrocarpa), red plane tree (Platanus occidentalis). A characteristic feature of all these trees is that they are very powerful and tall trees. These trees are often entwined with ivy and wild grapes.

"Peoples of Eurasia" - Romance peoples are dark-haired, swarthy. Russian Ukrainians Belarusians. Frenchwoman. Oriental. On the territory of Eurasia live peoples belonging to different language families and groups. About 3/4 of the world's population lives in Eurasia. Slavic peoples. Religions of Eurasia. Poles, Czechs, Slovaks. The Germanic peoples are characterized by blond hair and fair skin.

"Climatic features of Eurasia" - High average annual and summer temperatures. Temperature. Definition of climate types. Climatic zones and regions of Eurasia. The climate is mild. Arctic air. January temperature. You have learned to read. Temperature and winds in January. Climate charts. Relief. Climatic features of Eurasia. The greatest amount of precipitation.

"Eurasia Geography Lesson" - To introduce students to the idea of ​​​​Eurasia. Explain the effect of size on natural features. Semenov-Tan-Shansky P.P. The highest mountain in the world Chomolungma - 8848 m. Geographical position of Eurasia. General information about Eurasia. Name the names of travelers and explorers of the continent. Obruchev V.A.

"Nature of Eurasia" - Square. Minerals. Inland waters. natural areas. Climate. Eurasia. Relief. organic world. Geographical position. Mainland records.

"Lakes of Eurasia" - The correct answer. -Tectonic lakes in faults have a great depth, an elongated shape. Lake basin of glacial origin. Such lakes are lakes - seas: Caspian and Aral. Internal waters of Eurasia. Determination of the types of lake basins in Eurasia. Lake basin of tectonic origin.

"Natural zones of the temperate zone of Eurasia" - Flora. The flora of the taiga. Animal world of the taiga. Fauna: very similar to the fauna of the taiga... Animal world. In Eurasia, forest-steppes stretch in a continuous strip from west to east from the eastern foothills of the Carpathians to Altai. Taiga. In Europe and in the European part of Russia, light broad-leaved forests of oak (oak), beech, linden, chestnut, ash, etc. are typical.

For tropical wet evergreens, or as they are sometimes called, rainforests are characterized by a three-tier structure of the tree canopy. The tiers are poorly demarcated. The upper tier consists of giant trees 45 m or more in height, 2-2.5 m in diameter. The middle tier is represented by trees about 30 m high with a trunk diameter of up to 90 cm. Smaller, exceptionally shade-tolerant trees grow in the third tier. There are many palm trees in these forests. The main area of ​​\u200b\u200btheir growth is the Amazon basin. Here they occupy vast areas, including, in addition to the northern part of Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, the southern part of Venezuela, the west and south of Colombia, Ecuador and the east of Peru. In addition, this type of forest is found in Brazil in a narrow strip along the Atlantic coast between 5 and 30°S. Similar evergreen forests also grow along the Pacific coast from the border of Panama to Guayaquil in Ecuador. Here are concentrated all types of the genus Svitania (or mahogany), rubber-bearing genus Hevea, Brazil nut (Bertolletia excelsa) and many other valuable species.

Tropical variable-humid deciduous forests distributed in the southeast of Brazil and in the south of Paraguay. Tree species in them are relatively small in height, but often with thick trunks. Legumes are widely represented in the forests. Subtropical deciduous broadleaf forests most common in the south of Brazil and Parguay, in the west of Uruguay and in the north of Argentina along the Parana and Uruguay rivers. montane evergreen forests cover the slopes of the Andes from Venezuela to central Bolivia. These forests are characterized by thin-stemmed low trees forming dense stands. Due to the fact that these forests occupy steep slopes and are far from populated areas, they are exploited very little.

Araucaria forests located in two isolated regions. Brazilian Araucaria (Araucaria brasiliana) is predominant in the states of Parana, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, as well as in Uruguay, Eastern Paraguay and Argentina. A less significant massif is formed by forests of Chilean araucaria (A. araucana) found in the Andes at 40°S. in the altitude range from 500 to 3000 m above sea level. seas. These forests are characterized by hardwood species, among which the most important is embuya (Phoebe porosa). In the undergrowth of the araucaria forests, the mate shrub, or Paraguayan tea (Ilex paraguariensis), is also widespread on plantations.

Low growing xerophilous forests distributed in the east of Brazil, in the northern part of Argentina and in the western part of Paraguay. The most important tree species in these forests is the red querbacho (Schinopsis sp.), from which tannin is obtained. mangrove forests occupy the coastal strip of the Atlantic part of South America. These forests are dominated by red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), forming pure stands or mixed with Avicenna (Avicennia marina) and Conocarpus erecta.

In addition to timber harvesting, rubber, food products (seeds, nuts, fruits, beans, leaves, etc.), oils, medicinal substances, tannins, resins, including chicle (Zschokkea lascescens), raw materials for the production of chewing gum.

Venezuela. Evergreen (on laterites) and deciduous forests grow on the slopes of the spurs of the Andes and the Guiana Highlands. On the territory of the low llanos, tall-grass savannah with groves of the Mauritian palm is widespread, and in the high llanos, xerophilic light forests and shrub communities are common. Mangroves stretch around Lake Maracaibo, giving way to undersized xerophilous, and to the south - evergreen tropical forests. In the south of the country, in the upper reaches of the river. Orinoco and its right tributaries grow moist evergreen tropical forests, almost inaccessible to exploitation. Of the tree species of economic value, mahogany, roble colorado, baku, balsa, espave (Anacardium spp.), angelino (Ocotea caracasana), oleo-vermelho (Myroxylon balsamum), pao-roxo, guaiacum, tabebuya (Tabebuia pentaphylla ), ceiba (Ceiba pentandra), almasigo (Bursera simaruba), kurbaril (Hymenaea courbaril), adobe (Samanea saman), etc.

Landscape in the center of Venezuela

Colombia. According to natural conditions, two regions are distinguished: the eastern (plain) and the western (mountainous, where the Colombian Andes stretch). The first region is largely occupied by humid evergreen forests of the Magdalena basins and the left tributaries of the Amazon. To the north and west of the Guajira peninsula, along the Caribbean coast, low-growing xerophilous forests extend, in which divi-divi beans (Libidibia coriaria) are harvested for tannin. Guaiac wood (Guaiacum spp.) is also harvested here - this is one of the hardest and heaviest woods in the world, used for the manufacture of rollers, blocks and other engineering products.

Mangrove forests stretch along the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. In evergreen tropical hylaea, especially in the lower part of the Magdalena basin and along the mouth of the river. Atrato, kativo wood (Prioria copaifera) is harvested for export, as well as baku, or "Colombian mahogany" (Cariniana spp.), caoba, or real mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), roble colorado, or Panamanian mahogany (Platymiscium spp.) , purple tree, or paoroxo (Peltogyne spp.), etc. In the eastern part of the elevated plain along the tributaries of the Orinoco, savanna-llanos with rare trees and gallery forests with Mauritius palm (Mauricia sp.) are common. The forests of the mountain regions of the Andes are characterized by a peculiar altitudinal zonality. On the lower parts of the lee slopes and on the northern ridges, deciduous forests or thorny shrubs are common. In the adjacent part of the mountains (from 1000 to 2000 m) mountain broad-leaved evergreen forests grow with tree ferns, wax palm (Copernicia cerifera), cinchona, coca (Erythroxylon coca) and various orchids. Cultivated crops include cocoa and coffee trees. At an altitude of 2000 to 3200 m, humid alpine hylaea, in which there are many species of evergreen oaks, shrubs and bamboos.

Ecuador. Three natural areas are distinguished on the territory of the country: 1) a watershed plateau with moist equatorial forests - hylaea, or selva(together with the upper reaches of the left tributaries of the Amazon); 2) Andes ranges; 3) the Pacific forest-savannah plain and the western slopes of the Andes. The evergreen tropical forests of the first region are poorly studied and difficult to access. On the western slopes of the Andes, up to a height of 3000 m, evergreen mountain broad-leaved forests (hylaea) grow, largely disturbed by slash-and-burn agriculture. They produce a lot of cinchona bark, as well as balsa, kapok from the fruits of ceiba, leaves of the toquilla palm, or hipihapa (Carludovica palmata), used to make Panama hats. Tagua palm (Phytelephas spp.) is also found here, the hard endosperm of the fruits of which is used to produce buttons, and various rubber plants. The lower part of the western slopes is characterized by evergreen tropical forests. In the river valley Guayas is intensively harvested for export balsa wood.

Guyana, Suriname, Guiana. The forests of these countries, located along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and along the Guiana Highlands, are evergreen tropical with a number of valuable species. The green tree, or betabaro (Ocotea rodiaei), which is exported in Guyana and Suriname, stands out in particular. Apomate (Tabebuia pentaphylla), canalette (Cordia spp.), pekia (Caryocar spp.), espave (Anacardium spp.), habillo (Hura crepitans), wallaba (Eperua spp.), carap (Carapa guianensis), virola are no less valuable. (Virola spp.), Simaruba (Simaruba spp.), etc.

Brazil. There are more than 7 thousand species of woody and shrubby plants in the flora, of which there are over 4.5 thousand species in the Amazonian selva. High bertholecia grow (giving brazil nuts, etc.), various rubber plants, including brazilian hevea, which has become a valuable plantation crop in many countries of South Asia and Africa, laurels, ficuses, brazilian mahogany, or "pau brazil", which gave the name to the country (Caesalpinia echinata), chocolate tree, or cocoa, mahogany, jacaranda, or rosewood, oleo vermelho, roble colorado and sapukaya, or paradise nut (Lecythis ustata), and many others. In the east, the selva turns into light palm forests, among which we note the valuable babasu palm (Orbignya speciosa), which has highly nutritious nuts. South of the Amazonian selva, landscapes of tropical dry woodlands are common - caatinga, in which trees grow that shed their leaves in the dry season and accumulate moisture in the rainy season, for example, the bottle tree (Cavanillesia arborea), thorny shrubs, cacti (Cereus squamulosus). In the floodplains, there is a carnauba, or wax, palm (Copernicia cerifera), from the leaves of which wax is collected, which is used in technology. From the south, subtropical deciduous forests adjoin forests dominated by palms and savannahs. In the southeast of the country, along the Brazilian Highlands, there are araucaria forests from the Brazilian, or Paran, araucaria (pinheiro, or "Brazilian pine"). Along with it, embuya, tabebuya, cordia grow, and in the undergrowth of yerbamate, Paraguayan tea is prepared from its leaves. Araucaria forests are involved in intensive exploitation.

Along the Atlantic coast and at the mouth of the Amazon, mangrove forests grow, dominated by red mangrove with an admixture of black mangrove (Avicennia marina) and white mangrove (Conocarpus erecta). Tannin is extracted from the bark of these trees.

Road from Calama (Chile) to LaPaz (Bolivia)

Chile. The main forest area is concentrated in the southern half of the country along the Pacific slopes of the Andes. In the region of 41-42 ° S.l. there is a significant array of araucaria forests, dominated by pure stands of pinot, or Chilean araucaria, often called "Chilean pine" (Araucaria araucana). To the south are mixed broad-leaved deciduous forests of the temperate zone with different species of southern beech (Nothofagus spp.), representatives of laurels - linge (Persea lingue), ulmo (Beilschmiedia berteroana). In the extreme south, there are coniferous forests of alerse (Fitzroya cupressoides) and sipres (Pilgerodendron uviferum) with an admixture of canelo (Drimys winteri). The bark of the latter contains substances with antiscorbutic properties.

Argentina. There are several natural regions. The east is dominated by evergreen forests, in which more than 100 species of trees of great economic importance grow. Among them are cabreuva (Myrocarpus frondosus), kanzherana (Cabralea oblongifolia), Brazilian araucaria, tabebuya, etc. In the west, evergreen ice grows along the slopes of the Andes at an altitude of 2000-2500 m above sea level. seas. Palo blanco (Calycophyllum multiflorum), cedro salteno (Cedrela balansae), roble cryolo (Amburana cearensis), nogal cryolo (Juglans australis), tarco (Jacaranda mimosifolia), type blanco (Tipuana tipu), etc. In the south, along the slopes of the Andes, subantarctic vegetation extends, among which several species of southern beech, alerce, "Cordillera cypress" (Austrocedrus chilensis), etc., are distinguished. palosanto (Bulnesia sarmientoi), guaiacan (Caesalpinia paraguarensis), etc. To the south, along the eastern slopes of the Andes, there are xerophilic broad-leaved forests of the temperate zone with algarrobo, acacias (Acacia caven), carcass (Celtis spinosa), quebracho-blanco.

Paraguay. Forest cover 51%. In the east of the country, mixed tropical evergreen and deciduous forests are common, turning in the west (in the Gran Chaco region) into woodlands and savannahs. The main tree species is quebracho blanco (Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco).

Uruguay. Forests occupy an insignificant part of the total territory of the country and are located in the lower reaches of the Rio Negro and in the valley of the river. Uruguay. The forest cover of the country is 3%. Large areas are beginning to be occupied by artificial plantations - pines on coastal dunes and eucalyptus plantations.

Published according to the monograph: A.D. Bukshtynov, B.I. Groshev, G.V. Krylov. Forests (Nature of the world). M.: Thought, 1981. 316 p.

The continent of South America is located in all geographical zones, with the exception of the subantarctic and antarctic. The wide northern part of the mainland lies in low latitudes, so the equatorial and subequatorial belts are most widespread. A distinctive feature of the continent is the wide development of natural forest zones (47% of the area). 1/4 of the world's forests are concentrated on the "green continent"(Fig. 91, 92).

South America gave humanity many cultivated plants: potatoes, tomatoes, beans, tobacco, pineapple, hevea, cocoa, peanuts, etc.

natural areas

In the equatorial geographical zone there is a zone humid equatorial forests occupying the Western Amazon. They are named by A. Humboldt hylaea, and by the local population - the selva. The humid equatorial forests of South America are the richest in species composition of forests on Earth. They are rightfully considered the "gene pool of the planet": they have more than 45 thousand plant species, including 4000 woody ones.

Rice. 91. Endemic animals of South America: 1 - giant anteater; 2- hoatzin; 3 - lama; 4 - sloth; 5 - capybaras; 6 - armadillo

Rice. 92. Typical trees of South America: 1 - Chilean araucaria; 2 - wine palm; 3 - chocolate tree (cocoa)

There are flooded, non-flooded and mountain hylaea. In river floodplains, flooded with water for a long period, depleted forests grow from low trees (10-15 m) with respiratory and stilted roots. Cecropia (“ant tree”) prevails, giant victoria-regia swim in the reservoirs.

In elevated areas, rich, dense, multi-tiered (up to 5 tiers) non-flooded forests are formed. Up to a height of 40-50 m, single-standing ceiba (cotton tree) and Bertoletia, which gives Brazil nuts, rise. The upper tiers (20-30 m) form trees with valuable wood (rosewood, pau brazil, mahogany), as well as ficus and hevea, from the milky juice of which rubber is obtained. In the lower tiers, under the canopy of palm trees, chocolate and melon trees grow, as well as the oldest plants on Earth - tree ferns. The trees are densely intertwined with vines, among the epiphytes there are many brightly colored orchids.

Near the coast, mangrove vegetation is developed, poor in composition (nipa palm, rhizophora). Mangroves- these are thickets of evergreen trees and shrubs of the swampy zone of marine tides of tropical and equatorial latitudes, adapted to salt water.

Moist equatorial forests form on red-yellow ferralitic soils that are poor in nutrients. Falling leaves in a hot and humid climate quickly rot, and the humus is immediately absorbed by plants, not having time to accumulate in the soil.

Hylaean animals are adapted to life on trees. Many have prehensile tails, like the sloth, opossum, prehensile-tailed porcupine, broad-nosed monkeys (howler monkeys, arachnids, marmosets). Pig-peccaries and tapir live near the reservoirs. There are predators: jaguar, ocelot. Turtles and snakes are numerous, including the longest - anaconda (up to 11 m). South America is the "continent of birds". Gilea is a home for macaws, toucans, hoatsins, tree chickens and the smallest birds - hummingbirds (up to 2 g).

The rivers are teeming with caimans and alligators. They are home to 2,000 species of fish, including the dangerous predatory piranha and the world's largest arapaima (up to 5 m in length and weighing up to 250 kg). There are electric eel and freshwater dolphin iniya.

Zones stretched across three geographical zones variable-moist forests . Subequatorial variable-humid forests occupy the eastern part of the Amazonian lowland and the adjacent slopes of the Brazilian and Guiana plateaus. The presence of a dry period causes the appearance of deciduous trees. Among the evergreens, cinchona, ficuses, and balsa, which have the lightest wood, predominate. In tropical latitudes, on the humid eastern outskirts of the Brazilian Plateau, on mountainous red soils, rich evergreen tropical forests grow, similar in composition to equatorial ones. The southeast of the plateau on the red and yellow soils is occupied by sparse subtropical variable-moist forests. They are formed by Brazilian araucaria with an undergrowth of yerba mate ("Paraguayan tea") shrub.

Zone savannas and woodlands distributed in two geographical zones. In subequatorial latitudes, it covers the Orinoc lowland and the interior regions of the Brazilian Plateau, in tropical latitudes, the Gran Chaco plain. Depending on the moisture, humid, typical and desert savannas are distinguished, under them, respectively, red, brown-red and red-brown soils develop.

Tall-grass wet savannah in the Orinoco basin is traditionally called llanos. It is flooded for up to six months, turning into an impenetrable swamp. Cereals, sedges grow; Mauritius palm dominates the trees, which is why llanos is called the "palm savannah".

On the Brazilian plateau, the savannahs are called campos. Wet shrub-tree savannah occupies the center of the plateau, typical grassy savannah occupies the south. Undersized shrubs grow against the background of grassy vegetation (bearded vultures, feather grasses). Palm trees (wax, oil, wine) dominate among the trees. The arid northeast of the Brazilian Plateau is occupied by the deserted savanna - caatinga. This is a woodland of thorny shrubs and cacti. There is a bottle-shaped tree that stores rainwater - a bombaks vatochnik.

Savannahs continue in tropical latitudes, occupying the Gran Chaco plain. Only in tropical woodlands is the quebracho tree (“break the ax”) with hard and heavy wood sinking in water. Plantations of coffee tree, cotton, bananas are concentrated in the savannahs. Dry savannahs are an important pastoral area.

The animals of the savannas are characterized by a protective brown coloration (spicy-horned deer, red nosokha, maned wolf, ostrich rhea). Rodents are abundantly represented, including the largest in the world - the capybara. Many hylaean animals (armadillos, anteaters) also live in the savannas. Termite mounds are everywhere.

On the Laplat lowland south of 30 ° S. sh. formed subtropical steppes . In South America they are called pampas. It is characterized by rich forb-grass vegetation (wild lupine, pampas grass, feather grass). The chernozem soils of the pampas are very fertile, therefore they are heavily plowed. The Argentine pampa is the main wheat and forage grass growing area in South America. The fauna of the pampas is rich in rodents (tuco-tuco, viscacha). There are pampas deer, pampas cat, puma, ostrich rhea.

Semi-deserts and deserts South America extends into three geographical zones: tropical, subtropical and temperate. In the west of the tropics, tropical deserts and semi-deserts stretch in a narrow strip along the Pacific coast and on the high plateaus of the Central Andes. This is one of the driest regions on Earth: in the Atacama Desert, it may not rain for years. Dry grasses and cacti grow on the infertile sierozems of coastal deserts, receiving moisture from dews and fogs; on gravelly soils of high-mountainous deserts - creeping and pillow-shaped grasses and thorny shrubs.

The fauna of tropical deserts is poor. The inhabitants of the highlands are llamas, a spectacled bear, and a chinchilla with valuable fur. There is an Andean condor - the largest bird in the world with a wingspan of up to 4 m.

To the west of the pampas, in conditions of a continental climate, subtropical semi-deserts and deserts are widespread. On the sierozems, light forests of acacias and cacti are developed, on salt marshes - saltwort. In the harsh temperate latitudes in flat Patagonia, dry grasses and thorny shrubs grow on brown semi-desert soils.

The southwestern outskirts of the mainland in two belts are occupied by natural forest zones. In the subtropics, under the conditions of the Mediterranean climate, a zone is formed dry hardwood forests and shrubs . The coast and slopes of the Chilean-Argentine Andes (between 28° and 36° S. latitude) are covered with forests of evergreen southern beeches, teak, perseus on brown and grey-brown soils.

To the south are located wet evergreens and mixed forests . In the north of the Patagonian Andes, in a subtropical humid climate, moist evergreen forests grow on mountain brown forest soils. With abundant moisture (more than 3000-4000 mm of precipitation), these rainforests are multi-tiered and rich, for which they received the name "subtropical hylaea". They consist of evergreen beeches, magnolias, Chilean araucaria, Chilean cedar, South American larch with a rich undergrowth of tree ferns and bamboos. In the south of the Patagonian Andes, in a temperate maritime climate, mixed forests of deciduous beech and coniferous podocarpus grow. Here you can meet a pudu deer, a Magellanic dog, an otter, a skunk.

Andean highlands occupies a vast territory with a well-defined altitudinal zonality, which is most fully manifested in the equatorial latitudes. Up to a height of 1500 m, a hot belt is common - hylaea with an abundance of palms and bananas. Above the level of 2000 m - a temperate zone with cinchona, balsa, tree ferns and bamboos. Up to the level of 3500 m, the cold belt extends - an alpine hylaea from a stunted crooked forest. It is replaced by a frosty belt with alpine meadows of paramos from cereals and undersized shrubs. Above 4700 m - a belt of eternal snow and ice.

Bibliography

1. Geography grade 8. Textbook for the 8th grade of institutions of general secondary education with the Russian language of instruction / Edited by Professor P. S. Lopukh - Minsk "Narodnaya Asveta" 2014