Relief of the taiga. Features natural areas

Taiga – this is the largest natural area. It takes approximately 27% of the total forest area of the Earth. From the height of bird flight taiga – vast coniferous forests. She is beautiful and at the same time intimidating. The Eurasian taiga is the largest continuous natural area of the planet. Relief of the taiga is mostly lowlands with a small number of hills.

General characteristics of the natural area

On the mainland Eurasia taiga starts on the Scandinavian Peninsula, still continues all over the continent and reaches the Pacific ocean. In North America, this natural area stretches from West to East and passes through the territory of such States as the United States and Canada.

Besides all this, taiga – this is the most Northern forest area. Therefore, it is dominated by conifers-spruce and pine, as the hardwood can't stand such low temperatures. This natural area is known as the “green lungs of the Earth”, because coniferous forests produce large amounts of oxygen.

The Relief of the taiga - glacial type, due to the fact that its territory is passed by a glacier.

Climate and soil of the taiga

The Climate of the natural area in the West sea. Here the winter is mild with an average temperature of -10 degrees and relatively warm summers, this time the average temperature is +10 degrees. In the Eastern part of the taiga the climate is continental, the temperature in winter months can reach 40 degrees. The summers are relatively warm, but very short.

Rainfall from 200 mm to 1000 mm per year. Under these conditions, this amount of precipitation cannot evaporate because of the harsh climate, so in the forest many swamps and lakes.

The Soil of the taiga zone-podzolic, sod-podzolic. This is due to the fact that the products of decomposition of mineral and organic substances in conditions of high humidity in the lower soil layer. When driving in the North is dominated by permafrost.

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Flora and fauna of the taiga zone

Light-coniferous taiga

Dominated by larch and pine.

Larch can withstand temperatures down to -70 degrees. Therefore, this breed predominates in the North-Eastern part in conditions of sharply continental climate.

Dark Coniferous taiga

Dominated by spruce, cedar, fir.

Siberian Spruce – the predominant species. The spruce forest has no undergrowth. Under the trees grow only shade-loving plants.

Fir grows in Western and Eastern taiga in milder climates.

The Siberian Cedar, and fir is the main tree species spruce and fir forest. It can reach the age of 800 years.

Typical representatives of the animal world of the taiga are brown bear, wolf, hare, elk, squirrel, lynx, capercaillie, eagle owl, Jay, etc. Special attention should be paid to such species as the Amur tiger, musk deer, Wolverine.

The topography of the taiga

The Relief of the taiga is almost entirely flat, since a large part of the taiga zone is located on the Russian plain. The East European plain was covered by glaciers, which greatly influenced the topography of the taiga zone. Below we discuss in more detail the relief of the taiga in Russia.

Kola Peninsula and Karelia

Here are metamorphic and massive-crystalline rocks. In the North of Karelia height reach 650 m. pronounced glacial landforms of the Peninsula: the mutton foreheads, eskers, drumlins, dome-shaped hills.

Scientists suggest that during the retreat of the glacier, Gulf of Finland, the white sea and lake Onega were one.

Timan ridge reaches a height of 325 m in the upper reaches of the Vychegda. The maximum height of the Kola Peninsula's Khibiny and Lovozero Tundra (1300 m and 1120 m, respectively). Coniferous forests grow up to 350 m.

West Siberian plain

The topography of the taiga in Russia is that here is dominated by lowland. On the West Siberian plain is possible to detect horizontal deposits mainly of Quaternary and tertiary periods, only in the North, in the area of the rivers Ob and Sosva, find lower Jurassic and upper Cretaceous deposits.

It is Assumed that in Western Siberia was held for two of glaciation.

From the right Bank of the Yenisei river stretches of the Yenisei ridge, which folded lower Paleozoic and Precambrian rocks. The ridge reaches an altitude of 1132 m.

Central Siberian plateau

The Plateau extends to Aldan, limited Taimyr tundra in the North. Its altitude ranges from 300 m to 500 m within the Central Siberian plateau are the mountains of the Tunguska, Vilyui mountains – erosional origin. In the Cambrian and Silurian in this territory was the sea, which is confirmed by marine sediments at present.

The Relief of the taiga is not very diverse, however, the permeability in this zone is very difficult due to the large number of wetlands, small lakes and thickets.

Economic use of the taiga

Apart from the quality of the timber and furs in the forest mining. Geologists every year opens new fields.

Under development ore and coal as well as oil, diamonds, gold, and Apatite. Forimproved message mining areas with the processing built railway. This is the single most economical way of transporting minerals from the place of their production to large processing centers. So was built the Baikal-Amur mainline, which stretches through the South of Eastern Siberia.

Across the taiga zone padded white sea-Baltic canal, which connects the White sea with the Baltic. Thus, tankers can transport cargo from St. Petersburg to other cities located on the shores of the Barents or White seas.

Facilities for livestock and agriculture

The Relief of the taiga in Russia for the most part low-lying. In the forest there are many floodplain and upland meadows, which are great for grazing cattle. A good sod of soil to grow crops: rye, barley, flax, potatoes, fodder crops.

But you should not abuse the wealth of this natural area. It can lead to irreparable environmental problems. It is worth remembering that the forests of the taiga – the green lungs of the Earth.