Bolshezemelskaya tundra is a vast (more than 1.5 thousand km2) territory stretching between the Polar Urals and the Pechora and Usoy rivers, adjacent to the Barents Sea. The lands belong to the Nenets Autonomous Okrug and the Komi Republic. This is a harsh region of the cold sea, permafrost and poor fauna and flora, formed during the ice age, when the boundaries of glaciation reached the southern outskirts of modern Russia. Gradually, the climate became warmer, but those places where the glacier remained for a long period of time still retain traces of its presence.
The article will tell you what Bolshezemelskaya tundra is. Natural characteristics, economic aspects of the development of the territory will be described in detail in it.
Relief features
The terrain has the structure of a hilly plain, the height of which is mainly 100-150 m, in placesreaches 250 m in the form of moraine ridges. They are a geological body formed by glacial deposits. The internal structure is a very heterogeneous detrital material. It includes both giant boulders up to several hundred meters long and clay formed as a result of crushing debris during the movement of the glacier. Gradually melting, on the surface of the earth, he left his contents. Powerful moraine ridges formed mainly where the thickness of the ice was maximum, or along the very edge of the glaciation. The Bolshezemelskaya tundra is crossed by two hills - the Zemlyanoy Ridge and the Chernyshev Ridge. The second stretches for almost 300 km, up to the Polar Urals. Its height is up to 205 m, the surface has a plateau-like structure, the composition is limestone and sandstone. The vegetation in the southern part is richer - it is deciduous and spruce taiga.
Permafrost
Bolshezemelskaya tundra is mainly permafrost (permafrost), which is characterized by the absence of periods of thawing. In fact, this is the surface part of the earth's crust, which for a long time (from a couple of years to millennia) has a temperature of 0 ° C, groundwater is represented by ice. Its depth sometimes reaches 1000 m. Naturally, this fact is reflected in the nature of the region's soils. In them, under conditions of long-term or permanent permafrost, many specific processes take place. A layer of humus can accumulate above the surface of the frozen layer, and under the influence of low temperatures, cryogenicsoil structuring.
Soils of the region
Description of the Bolshezemelskaya tundra in English with detailed characteristics is difficult to find on the net. However, there is a lot of information about similar regions with permafrost in the north of Alaska, Antarctica, Canada, Europe and even Asia. In general, unstructured or gley soils with a typical rusty or gray color are most characteristic of such an area. On the plain, peat-bog types of soil can be found, but the peat layer is insignificant - 10-15 cm. The accumulation of a larger amount of it is impossible due to the short and cold summer, in which the vegetation is very scarce. Known Malozemelskaya, Bolshezemelskaya tundra. However, these two regions should not be confused. In the first case, we are dealing with richer flora and fauna. The territory is inhabited by indigenous northern peoples and Russians, and is more suitable for life.
Climate
Climatic conditions on the territory of the Bolshezemelskaya tundra are extremely severe. Winter lasts more than half a year, with snow cover from October to June. Long winter months pass without sun, frosts are possible even in summer. The average July temperature is +8…+12 °С. Strong winds constantly blow from the Arctic, blowing snow from the plains into the lowlands and forming deep snowdrifts. The annual rainfall is up to 250 mm in the north and 450 mm in the south.
And yet, in spring, like the whole world, the Bolshezemelskaya tundra wakes up, transforming into its northern beauty. Snow melts on hills and slopes. The main factor that allows to survive in suchconditions, light. The long polar day, when the sun does not drop below the horizon for weeks, contributes to the development of sparse vegetation.
Flora
The territory falls into the tundra zone, subzone of moss-shrub tundra and partly - forest tundra. The latter occurs occasionally in the southern regions, floodplains, where spruce and small-leaved species penetrate.
All tundra plants are characterized by an underdeveloped root system, which is distributed in a superficial shallow layer. This is explained by permafrost. There is more than enough moisture, but plants cannot get it because of the cold. Of the tree species, dwarf birch and willow are the most common. But their height is so small that plants sometimes cannot be seen in the grass.
Flowering plants of the Bolshezemelskaya tundra in springtime are a spectacle of incredible beauty. The seemingly lifeless territory is transformed and filled with bright colors that warmer regions can envy. Annual plants do not have time to form seeds in a season, so the flora is represented by perennials: these are coltsfoot, gentian, cyanosis, cotton grass, bathing suit, buttercup, forget-me-nots, Castile Vorkuta, etc. The farther north, the squat the plants begin kingdom of lichens, of which there are more than 100 species in the tundra.
Fauna
The fauna of the Bolshezemelskaya tundra is also quite limited. The relationship is the same: a cold climate limits vegetation and, as a result,food base. The real king of the territory can be called a reindeer. This large artiodactyl mammal has all the necessary adaptive features for life in the Far North. The natural population closely borders on domesticated herds. The reindeer has always been and remains an indispensable helper for indigenous peoples.
Predators are represented mainly by wolves, as well as bears (brown and white), wolverine, lynx, foxes, arctic foxes. There are quite a lot of hares and lemmings in these places. Birds practically do not winter in the tundra, but in spring it comes to life with the arrival of birds. These are gulls, geese, turukhans, snipes, waders, loons, as well as rarer protected species - swans, osprey, red-throated diver, gray crane, peregrine falcon and others.
One of the main threats to the ecosystem is the struggle for oil in the Bolshezemelskaya tundra, accompanied by the destruction of natural habitats and changes in the relief.
Tundra and man
At first glance, it may seem that life in the Bolshezemelskaya tundra is simply impossible for a person. However, he also found a place there. The development of the territory began in the twentieth century, at the beginning of which the map of these places was full of white spots. At the moment there are three settlements: Khorey-Ver, Karatayka, Kharuta. The population of the settlements is small, but increases significantly with the onset of the hunting and fishing season in the summer. Transport links are not developed. The only way to get to the settlements is byhelicopter, tractor roads link them with drilling stations.
Mineral resources
The discovery of oil and gas fields is a promising opportunity for the development of the entire Bolshezemelskaya tundra region. According to the latest data, the main part of the reserves of the Timan-Pechora oil and gas province is concentrated in this territory. There is also a partial coal basin. The research works of the scientist G. A. Chernov are of great importance, thanks to which the region has development prospects and a future.
Despite the harshness of the place, the Bolshezemelskaya tundra is a fragile ecosystem, so invading its unique and wonderful world should be done with great care, thinking through each step and its consequences.
