What is the climate in the forest zone of Russia?

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:43

The climate of Russia's forests is quite diverse - from moderately cold in the north and east of the country to moderately warm in the south and west. The number of sunny days, humidity and the length of the growing season of plants also vary significantly.

Northern taiga

It is from here that the forest zone in the north of Russia begins (except for the tundra with its mosses and stunted trees). In addition to its impressive area (it stretches from the western border of the country to the Pacific coast in the east), this area is famous for its dense, very gloomy coniferous thickets. The climate here is moderately cold, but the conditions for life can be called extreme.

Most of the taiga forest is formed by a dense layer of coniferous trees of the same type. Their crowns almost do not let in sunlight and heat. For this reason, shrubs and young pines are forced to fight to survive, and are localized mainly in clearings and forest edges.

The most severe climate in the forest zone of the taiga is observed in Central Siberia. Hereit passes from the plains to the mountains, where the conditions are less extreme. The total width of impenetrable coniferous thickets sometimes reaches 2000 km. In winter, the air temperature often drops to -40 and even lower. Severe cold is accompanied by heavy snowfalls, which provides a sufficient (and sometimes even excessive) level of humidity. In summer, the air barely warms up to +13, in some places - up to +19 degrees. The flora of the northern taiga is mainly represented by evergreen coniferous trees (cedar, fir, pine). Spruce is found closer to the south, as well as broad-leaved trees (birch, aspen, alder).

These places are rich not only in wood, but also in animals of valuable breeds. The northern forests are inhabited by lynx, wolverine, squirrel, bear, sable and some other fur-bearing animals.

Southern taiga

As a rule, when answering the question about the climate in the forest zone of Russia, many people mean this particular part of it. Temperature and humidity change when moving not only from north to south, but also from east to west. Relatively warm air masses formed over the Atlantic Ocean penetrate deep into the European part of the country. In the east, they are stopped by the Ural Mountains, beyond which the climate in the forest zone takes on pronounced temperate continental features.

In winter it is warmer here than in the north of the taiga, but still the average annual temperature is significantly lower than at similar latitudes, but to the west. The vegetation is predominantly mixed, coniferous forests are replaced by broad-leaved, and sometimes meadows and even swamps.

Despitethe high fertility of the soil of the southern taiga, agriculture is not very developed here. The main reasons for this are the swampiness of the area and the short growing season. The climate in the forest zone of Russia allows growing only frost-resistant crops. This circumstance, on the one hand, had a positive effect on the ecosystem (the absence of mass cutting down of trees). On the other hand, thoughtless land reclamation often causes global changes, including climate change.

The fauna of the southern taiga is diverse. Here you can meet a brown bear, an elk, a squirrel, a hare and other "primordially Russian" animals. The real trouble of these places is the abundance of insects (especially mosquitoes), which is associated with high humidity and a large number of swamps.

Mixed broadleaf forests

South of the tundra, on the territory of the East European Plain, frost-resistant rocks are replaced by more thermophilic ones. Considering the question of what kind of climate is in the forest zone, south of 50 degrees north latitude, we can definitely say that it is humid and warm. Due to a rather long and comfortable summer (the average July temperature here is above 20 degrees), as well as a large amount of precipitation, broad-leaved forests are represented by oak and ash, maple and linden. Hazel and other types of shrubs are found in places. Coniferous trees include pine and spruce.

Due to strong moisture, wetlands are often found, however, due to high summer temperatures and fairly intense evaporation, there are not as many of them as insouthern taiga. Animals inhabiting the area are not very different from the fauna of the neighboring zone. Basically it is an elk, a bison, a wild boar, a marten, a wolf. Of the rare representatives, it is worth noting the otter. Broad-leaved forests are rich in birds: oriole, grosbeak, woodpecker live here.

Far East

Here the taiga is also replaced by broad-leaved forests, but the weather conditions, vegetation, and wildlife of this area are unique and amazing. Considering what kind of climate prevails in the forest zone of the Far East, it is necessary to remember the influence of the Arctic air masses on one side, and the Pacific Ocean on the other. Due to its proximity, the summer here is quite warm. The average July temperature exceeds 25 degrees. However, winters are quite severe and long. Very sharp temperature changes are often observed. This was one of the reasons for the formation of unique flora and fauna.

Many plant species are found exclusively within this region. We are talking about whole-leaved fir, Korean cedar, Ayan spruce, Mongolian oak, Amur linden and some other trees, shrubs and even herbs. The animal world is represented both by typical inhabitants of the northern latitudes (Amur tiger, spotted deer), and more thermophilic. It is important to note that many species are on the verge of extinction, therefore they are listed in the Red Book.

Human impact on climate

Unfortunately, the massive cutting down of trees, the reclamation of wetlands and the extermination of animals cannot but leave traces in the ecosystem. If we considerwhat kind of climate in the forest was a few hundred years ago, and what it has become now, one can note an increase in the average annual temperature in the eastern part of the taiga and a decrease in the western one. And although these changes are not yet catastrophic, judging by the disappearance of some species of flora and fauna, in the future they can play a fatal role in the ecosystem of the region.

How to save unique plants from extinction

In order to prevent the disappearance of certain valuable tree species and climate change, large-scale work is currently being carried out to preserve and renew the forest. For this purpose, protected areas have been created in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, in the Amur basin, in the western part of the East European Plain. Forests here are studied mainly by aerospace methods, controlling their changes, detecting fires, floods and other disasters. Preserving nature in its original form is the main task of nature reserves.

Forest on the territory of the Russian Federation occupies several climatic zones. Each of them is unique in its own way and is characterized by an amazing landscape, flora and fauna. To preserve this natural we alth, it is necessary to monitor the natural balance, preventing the disappearance of certain components. Only in this case, after more than one century, to the question of what kind of climate is in the forest zone at a certain geographical latitude, it will be possible to get the same answer as now. If, however, mindlessly taking away all its we alth from nature, it is likely that very soon there will simply be nothing left of it.