Taiga is the largest natural area. It occupies approximately 27% of the total forest area of the Earth. Aerial view of the taiga - it is endless coniferous forest. She is beautiful and awesome at the same time. The Eurasian taiga is considered the largest continuous natural zone of the planet. The terrain of the taiga is mainly lowlands with a small number of hills.
General characteristics of the natural zone
On the continent of Eurasia, the taiga begins on the Scandinavian Peninsula, continues throughout the mainland and reaches the Pacific Ocean. In North America, this natural zone stretches from west to east and passes through the territory of states such as the United States and Canada.
In addition to all this, taiga is the northernmost forest zone. Therefore, coniferous trees - spruce and pine dominate in it, since deciduous trees cannot tolerate such low temperatures. This natural area is called the "green lungs of the Earth" because coniferous forests produce large amounts of oxygen.
The relief of the taiga is a glacial type, this is due to the fact that a glacier passed through its territory.
Climate and soil of taiga
The climate of the natural zone in the west of the sea. It has mild winters with an average temperature of -10 degrees and relatively warm summers, at which time the average temperature is +10 degrees. In the eastern part of the taiga, the climate is sharply continental, the temperature in the winter months can reach -40 degrees. Summer is relatively warm, but very short.
Precipitation falls from 200 mm to 1000 mm per year. Under these conditions, such an amount of precipitation cannot evaporate due to the harsh climate; therefore, there are many swamps and lakes in the taiga.
The soil of the taiga zone is podzolic, sod-podzolic. This is due to the fact that the decomposition products of mineral and organic substances under conditions of high humidity remain in the lower soil layer. When moving north, permafrost prevails.
Flora and fauna of the taiga zone
Light coniferous taiga
Dominated by: larch and pine.
Larch can withstand frosts down to -70 degrees. Therefore, this breed prevails in the northeastern part in a sharply continental climate.
Dark coniferous taiga
Dominated by: spruce, cedar, fir.
Siberian spruce is the predominant species. Spruce forest has no undergrowth. Only shade-loving plants grow under the trees.
Fir grows in the western and eastern parts of taiga in milder climatic conditions.
Siberian cedar, like spruce, is the main tree species of dark coniferous forest. His age can reach 800 years.
Typical representatives of the animal world of the taiga are brown bear, wolf, hare, moose, squirrel, lynx, capercaillie, eagle owl, jay, etc. Particular attention should be paid to species such as the Amur tiger, musk deer, and wolverine.
Features of the taiga terrain
The terrain of the taiga is almost completely flat, since most of the taiga zone is located on the Russian Plain. The East European plain was covered with glaciers, which significantly affected the topography of the taiga zone. The relief of taiga in Russia is considered in more detail below.
Kola Peninsula and Karelia
Metamorphic and massive crystalline rocks are common here. In the north of Karelia, heights reach 650 m. Pronounced glacial relief forms of the peninsula: lamb foreheads, ozes, drumlins, domed hills.
Scientists suggest that during the retreat of the Gulf of Finland, the White Sea and Lake Onega were one.
Timan ridge reaches a height of 325 m in the upper reaches of Vychegda. The maximum heights of the Kola Peninsula are the Khibiny and the Lovozero Tundra (1300 m and 1120 m, respectively). Coniferous forests grow up to 350 m.
West Siberian Lowland
The relief features of the taiga in Russia consist in the fact that lowlands prevail here. In the West Siberian lowland, horizontal deposits of mainly the Quaternary and Tertiary periods can be found; only in the north, in the Ob and Sosva rivers, are Lower Jurassic and Upper Cretaceous deposits.
It is assumed that two glaciations took place in Western Siberia.
From the right bank of the Yenisei River, the Yenisei Ridge stretches, which is composed of Lower Paleozoic and Precambrian rocks. Ridge reaches a height of 1132 m.
Central Siberian Plateau
The plateau extends to Aldan, bounded by the Taimyr tundra in the north. Its height ranges from 300 m to 500 m. Within the Central Siberian Plateau are the Tunguska Mountains, the Vilyui Mountains - of erosive origin. The sea was in Cambrian and Silurian in this territory, which is confirmed by marine sediments at present.
The terrain of the taiga is not very diverse, but patency in this area is very difficult due to the large number of swamps, small lakes and thickets.
Economic use of taiga
In addition to high-quality wood and furs, in the taiga is mining. Geologists discover new deposits every year.
Ore and coal, as well as oil, diamonds, gold and apatites, are being developed. Railways are being built for improved communication between the mining and processing areas. This is the single most economical way to transport minerals from the place of their extraction to large processing centers. So the Baikal-Amur Railway was built, which stretches across the entire south of Eastern Siberia.
The White Sea-Baltic Canal, which connects the White Sea with the Baltic, is laid through the taiga zone. Thus, tankers can transport goods from St. Petersburg to other cities located on the shores of the Barents or White Seas.
