Coniferous forests. Coniferous forests of Russia Fauna of the taiga

The coniferous forest is one of the most interesting objects of wildlife on our planet. A lot of effort has been spent on its study and not in vain - after all, the forest for a person has always been a source of untold wealth.

Coniferous forests grow mainly in areas with a cold climate. If we imagine their location on the globe, then we will see a wide belt covering the northern part of Russia, Scandinavia, Canada and America. At the same time, there are few relic forests left; they are gradually being replaced by artificially planted ones.

The main trees of the coniferous forest are cedar, pine, fir, larch. These species have different requirements for soil moisture and fertility, which is why forests are divided into two types - dark coniferous (spruce, fir, cedar) and light coniferous (pine, larch). In Russia, a mixture of these two types is often found.

Like any other forests, conifers have several floors (tiers). The tiers of coniferous forests are, as a rule, clearly defined. Upper (woody), undergrowth (or shrubby), herbaceous-shrub layer and moss-lichen cover.

The species composition of plants depends on the degree of illumination, soil composition and many other factors. But there are coniferous forest plants that are recognized as its characteristic and integral part. Of the shrubs, these are juniper, currant, buckthorn, willow. Shrubs - blueberries, lingonberries, cranberries, heather. Herbs - Ivan tea, angelica, hogweed, sour, wintergreen and many others. The most typical for coniferous forests are ferns and mosses (mosses, sphagnum).

As already noted, the diversity of species largely depends on the quality of soils. The soil of a coniferous forest can be not only clayey, but also loamy and sandy. Coniferous forests rise both on rock outcrops and in swampy areas.

An array dominated by spruces and cedars may seem gloomy and unsociable. Their branches are tightly closed with each other, creating a formidable barrier. sunbeams. Who would want to live in such a place? There are people who want to, and there are a lot of them. Here you can hear the clatter of woodpeckers, the hooting of the tawny owl and the sparrow owl, the sharp cries of the kuksha and the trill of the nutcracker. Capercaillie, wild grouse, crossbills, tits, chickadees, kinglets - all of them are birds of the coniferous forest. Without some of them (nutcrackers, crossbills), its very existence would be difficult.

It is good to go mushroom picking in a pine or spruce forest. The dry earth, covered with a thick layer of pine needles, seems to be springy underfoot, urging you on. In the spruce forest there are mushrooms, chanterelles, russula, mushrooms, puffballs, champignons. The pine forest will delight you with butter, honey mushrooms, pigs, greenfinches. Milk mushrooms and rows are autumn mushrooms of a coniferous forest.

What else will the forest give its guests, where giant cedars and slender pines reign? pine nuts, essential oils, berries, medicinal herbs- here is a small fraction of all his treasures. And let's not forget about hunting and fishing.

The trees themselves are actively used in the construction and production of various materials. Forests also play a huge role in the formation of an atmosphere suitable for breathing.

To date, many people have appreciated the benefits that rest in a coniferous forest brings. And it becomes a tradition to gain strength not only on the seashore, but also in the green thicket.

Inhale the aromas of resin, pine needles and listen to the singing of the wind in the crowns. Picking mushrooms, berries, cones is already a form of active pastime. What to say about dark nights and campfire talk?

Coniferous forest is a natural area consisting of evergreens. Their unpretentiousness, lack of fear of excess moisture and large temperature changes, as well as the need for natural light, determined the habitat and unique features.

The coniferous forests of Russia make up 2/3 of the total forest area of ​​the country. In this regard, Russia is a world leader. Of the world heritage of coniferous forests, the Russian part is more than half.

All coniferous forests in Russia are taiga, which extends mainly in the northern part of the country, occupies its European zone, the territory of Western and Eastern Siberia, as well as the Far East.

coniferous forest zone

There are three subzones of the taiga, each of which is characterized by its own special vegetation:

• Northern.
• Medium;
• South;

(northern taiga)

In the northern subzone of the taiga, predominantly spruce forests and low vegetation. From the side of the tundra, they are sparse, but gradually thicken towards the south.

(Pine forest of the Urals)

The coniferous forests of the Urals are characterized by pine forests, the Far Eastern region of Siberia is represented mainly by larch

(Southern taiga forest)

The southern taiga boasts a wide variety of vegetation. Fir, spruce, cedar and larch grow here.

Forests in Russia are found formed by only one type of tree or are mixed forest stands. Depending on the composition of the coniferous forest, it is also divided into light coniferous (pine and Siberian larch), as well as dark coniferous forests. The latter are fir, cedar and spruce.

(Typical coniferous forest)

In coniferous forests, trees tend to be tall with straight trunks and large, dense crowns. Some of them, such as pines, can reach a height of 40 meters. Such conditions do not allow the formation of a diverse undergrowth. It is represented mainly by moss, low bushes of berries and club mosses. New, young trees that also need light cannot always break through, and therefore grow more often on the outskirts of the forest and edges.

The climate of coniferous forests

In the coniferous forests of Russia, the climate is special, it is characterized by warm and sometimes hot summers and frosty, harsh winter. The maximum temperatures reach 45 degrees with a plus and minus sign, respectively. A similar climate is suitable for conifers that are undemanding to such temperature changes. For them, the main thing is the sufficient availability of natural light.

Another feature of the climate of the Russian taiga is high humidity. Precipitation here exceeds the actual volume of evaporation. Not uncommon, especially in Siberia, are found large areas swampy areas. This is partly due to the close approach of groundwater.

Human economic activity

The territory of the taiga is represented by timber, the volume of which exceeds 5.5 billion cubic meters.

Such resources, as well as the presence of oil, gas and coal reserves in the subsoil of the regions, determined the main types of economic activity in the taiga:

• extraction of oil, gas and minerals;
• logging;
• timber processing.

For example, pine wood is used to manufacture building materials, furniture, it is valued as a fuel, cellophane, rayon and, of course, paper are also produced from it.

Spruce and fir also act as a material for construction. Paper, artificial viscose, etc. are made from their wood. An interesting feature spruce is a resonant wood that is used to make musical instruments.

Hello, dear readers of the Sprint-Answer website. In this article you can find out the answers to the questions of the Supergame in the program "Field of Miracles" for October 27, 2017. The winner of the game agreed to the Supergame, so it took place. Answers to all questions of the Supergame can be found on our website in the same section. By the way, the winner won the Supergame, she guessed the main word.

Here are the questions in the Super Game "Fields of Wonders" 27.10.2017

Word horizontal (11 letters). What was the coniferous forest called in the European part of Russia and the Urals?

Word left vertical (5 letters). What was the name of the area from under the forest, bushes, cleared for arable land?

Word on the right vertically (6 letters). An old Russian proverb says: "There is space in the steppe, in the forest ..."?

Answers to the questions of the Supergame "Fields of Wonders" 27.10.2017

RED FOREST, -i, cf. Coniferous forest. All species of resinous trees, such as: pine, spruce, fir, etc., are called red forest, or red forest. S. Aksakov, Notes of a rifle hunter. I do not want to say that the red forest is worse, but the aspen forest is also beautiful. (Soloukhin, The Third Hunt.)

Fight- the same as chischoba; a place where the forest is cut down, uprooted and burned for sowing; arable land cleared from under the forest.

In the steppe space, in the forest land.

1. beauty forest
2. Fight
3. land

Coniferous forests are natural area, which consists of evergreens - coniferous trees. Coniferous forests grow in the taiga Northern Europe, Russia and North America. In the highlands of Australia and South America in some places there are coniferous forests. The climate of coniferous forests is very cold and humid.

According to international classification There are the following types of coniferous forest:

• evergreen;
• with falling needles;
• present in swamp forests;
• tropical and subtropical.

According to the density of the canopy, light coniferous and dark coniferous forests are distinguished.

There is such a thing as artificial coniferous forests. In the territory of mixed or broad-leaved forests in North America and Europe, planted conifers trees to re-forest where it has been heavily cut down.

Coniferous forests of the taiga

In the northern hemisphere of the planet, coniferous forests lie in the taiga zone. Here are the main forest-forming species the following:

In Europe, there are pure pine and spruce-pine forests.

pine forests

There is a wide variety of coniferous forests in Western Siberia: cedar-pine, spruce-larch, larch-cedar-pine, spruce-fir. Larch forests grow on the territory of Eastern Siberia. In coniferous forests, birch, aspen or rhododendron can be used as undergrowth.

In Canada, black spruce and white spruce, balsam fir and American larches are found in forests.

White spruce

There is also Canadian hemlock and lodgepole pine.

Aspen and birch are found in impurities.

Coniferous forests of tropical latitudes

Coniferous forests are found at some points in the tropics. Caribbean, western and tropical pine grows on the islands of the Caribbean.

In South Asia and on the islands, Sumatran and island pines are found.

In South American forests, such coniferous plants like Fitzroy cypress and Brazilian araucaria.

IN tropical zone Australian coniferous forests are formed by podocarps.

Importance of coniferous forests

There are quite a lot of coniferous forests on the planet. As trees were cut down, people began to create artificial coniferous forests in the place where broad-leaved species grew. In these forests, a special plant and animal world. Themselves coniferous trees are of particular value. People cut them down for construction, furniture making and other purposes. However, in order to have something to cut, you first need to plant and grow, and then use softwood.