What is coniferous forest. Coniferous forests of Russia. Human economic activity

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 to the sun's rays. 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 - this 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. And what about dark nights and campfire conversations?

Coniferous forests are a natural area that consists of evergreens - coniferous trees. Coniferous forests grow in the taiga of 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 the 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. Conifers have been planted in mixed or broadleaf forests in North America and Europe to restore 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 the main forest-forming species are as follows:

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.

Coniferous plants such as Fitzroy cypress and Brazilian araucaria are represented in South American forests.

In the tropical zone of Australia, 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 flora and fauna has formed. The coniferous trees themselves 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.

Today is Friday again, and again the guests are in the studio, spinning the drum and guessing the letters. The next issue of the capital show Field of Miracles is on the air and here is one of the questions in the game:

What was the coniferous forest called in the European part of Russia and the Urals? 11 letters

Correct answer - Krasnolesye

Since ancient times, our country was considered a country of forests. And for good reason: 45% of the territory falls on forest zones. The forest and human life are two links, the existence of which is impossible without each other. For a long time, the forest fed, clothed, warmed the Russian people, saved them from enemies. And a special place has always belonged to the coniferous forest. In Russia, the coniferous forest was called red forest. It owes this name due to the fact that it is green all year round, which means it is beautiful, red.

Krasnolesye ... Listen to this word. Everything is in it: surprise, admiration and even reverence for a real work of nature - a coniferous forest. It is really red in all seasons, especially the pine forest with its reddish-golden trunks illuminated by the sun, solemnly rising into the blue of the sky. Greens and gold - how not to appreciate this luxury, born in the harsh northern region. And our ancestors loved and appreciated the red forest, involuntarily contrasting it with black forest - a deciduous forest that loses its leaves for the winter and becomes featureless, dark, black. The black forest was also usually considered a refuge for black, evil spirits: it was in it, and not in the pine forest, according to popular beliefs, goblin, witches and mermaids settled.

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)

The northern subzone of the taiga is dominated by spruce forests and stunted 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 winters. 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 infrequently, especially in Siberia, there are large areas of wetlands. 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 make 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 of spruce is resonant wood, which is used to make musical instruments.

It can be confidently called the “lungs of the Earth”, because the state of the air, the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide depend on them. Rich stocks of timber, mineral deposits are concentrated here, many of which are being discovered to this day.

Location in Russia

The taiga is spreading in a wide strip in our country. Coniferous forests occupy most of Siberia (Eastern, Western), the Urals, the Baikal region, the Far East and the Altai Mountains. The zone originates on the western border of Russia, it stretches to the coast of the Pacific Ocean - the Sea of ​​Japan and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

The coniferous forests of the taiga border on other climatic zones. In the north, they coexist with the tundra, in the west - with. In some cities of the country, there is an intersection of taiga with forest-steppe and mixed forests.

Location in Europe

The coniferous forests of the taiga cover not only Russia, but also some foreign countries. Among them are the countries of Canada. Throughout the world, taiga massifs occupy a vast territory and are considered the largest zone on the planet.

The extreme boundary of the biome on the south side is located on the island of Hokkaido (Japan). The northern side is bounded by Taimyr. This location explains the leading position of the taiga in terms of length among other natural zones.

Climate

A large biome is located in two climatic zones at once - temperate and subarctic. This explains the diversity of weather conditions in the taiga. The temperate climate ensures warm summers. The average temperature of the natural zone in the summer is 20 degrees above zero. The cold arctic air affects the temperature fluctuations and affects the taiga winters, the air here can be cooled to 45 degrees below zero. In addition, piercing winds are observed at all times of the year.

The coniferous forests of the taiga are characterized by high humidity due to their location in swampy areas and low evaporation. In summer, most of the precipitation falls in the form of light and heavy rains. In winter there is a lot of snow - the thickness of its layer is 50-80 centimeters, it does not melt for 6-7 months. Permafrost is observed in Siberia.

Peculiarities

The largest, longest and richest natural zone is the taiga. Coniferous forests occupy fifteen million square kilometers of the land area of ​​the Earth! The width of the zone in the European part is 800 kilometers, in Siberia - more than 2 thousand kilometers.

The formation of taiga forests began in the past era, before the onset of and However, the zone received a detailed analysis and characteristics only in 1898 thanks to P. N. Krylov, who defined the concept of "taiga" and formulated its main characteristics.

The biome is especially rich in water bodies. Famous Russian rivers originate here - Volga, Lena, Kama, Northern Dvina and others. They cross the taiga of the Yenisei and the Ob. In coniferous forests there are the largest Russian reservoirs - Bratskoye, Rybinsk, Kamskoye. In addition, there is a lot of groundwater in the taiga, which explains the predominance of swamps (especially in Northern Siberia and Canada). Due to the temperate climate and sufficient moisture, there is a rapid development of the plant world.

Taiga subzones

The natural zone is divided into three subzones, which differ in climatic features, flora and fauna.

• Northern. Characterized by a cold climate. It has harsh winters and cool summers. Huge areas of land are occupied by swampy terrain. Forests in most cases are stunted, medium-sized spruces and pines are observed.
• Average. Differs in moderation. The climate is temperate - warm summers, cold but not frosty winters. Many swamps of various types. High humidity. Trees of normal height, mainly blueberry spruce forests sprout.
• South. The most diverse flora and fauna, coniferous forests are observed here. The taiga has an admixture of broad-leaved and small-leaved tree species. The climate is warm, characterized by hot summers, which last for almost four months. Reduced soreness.

Forest types

Depending on the vegetation, several types of taiga are distinguished. The main ones are light coniferous and dark coniferous forests. Along with trees, there are meadows that arose on the site of deforestation.

• Light coniferous type. It is mainly distributed in Siberia. Also found in other areas (Urals, Canada). It is located in a sharply continental climate zone, characterized by abundant rainfall and moderate weather conditions. One of the most common types of trees is pine - a photophilous representative of the taiga. Such forests are spacious and bright. Larch is another common species. Forests are even lighter than pine forests. The crowns of trees are rare, so in such "thickets" a feeling of open area is created.
• dark coniferous type- most common in Northern Europe and mountain ranges (Alps, Altai Mountains, Carpathians). Its territory is located in a temperate and mountainous climate, characterized by high humidity. Fir and spruce predominate here, juniper and dark coniferous pine are less common.

Vegetable world

Even at the beginning of the 19th century, no one divided the natural zones, and their differences and features were not known. Fortunately, today geography has been studied in more detail, and the necessary information is available to everyone. The coniferous forest of the taiga - trees, plants, shrubs ... What is the characteristic and interesting flora of this zone?

In the forests - weakly expressed or absent undergrowth, which is explained by insufficient amount of light, especially in dark coniferous thickets. There is a monotony of moss - as a rule, only a green species can be found here. Shrubs grow - currants, junipers, and shrubs - lingonberries, blueberries.

The type of forest depends on climatic conditions. The western side of the taiga is characterized by the dominance of European and Siberian spruce. Spruce-fir forests grow in mountainous regions. Clusters of larches stretch to the east. The Okhotsk coast is rich in a variety of tree species. In addition to coniferous representatives, the taiga is also fraught with deciduous trees. consist of aspen, alder, birch.

Animal world of the taiga

The fauna of the coniferous forests of the taiga is diverse and unique. A wide variety of insects live here. Nowhere is there such a number of fur-bearing animals, including ermine, sable, hare, weasel. Climatic conditions are favorable for sedentary animals, but unacceptable for cold-blooded creatures. Only a few species of amphibians and reptiles live in the taiga. Their low numbers are associated with severe winters. The rest of the inhabitants have adapted to the cold seasons. Some of them fall into hibernation or anabiosis, while their vital activity slows down.

What animals live in coniferous forests? The taiga, where there are so many shelters for animals and an abundance of food, is characterized by the presence of such predators as lynx, brown bear, wolf, fox. Ungulates live here - roe deer, bison, elk, deer. On the branches of trees and under them live rodents - beavers, squirrels, mice, chipmunks.

Birds

More than 300 species of birds nest in the forest thickets. Particular diversity is observed in the eastern taiga - capercaillie, hazel grouse, some varieties of owls and woodpeckers live here. Forests are distinguished by high humidity and numerous reservoirs, therefore they are especially widespread here. Some representatives of coniferous expanses have to migrate to the south in winter, where living conditions are more favorable. Among them are the Siberian thrush and the forest warbler.

man in taiga

Human activities do not always favorably affect the state of nature. Numerous fires caused by the negligence and thoughtlessness of people, deforestation and mining lead to a decrease in the number of forest wildlife.

Picking berries, mushrooms, nuts are typical activities popular with the local population for which the autumn taiga is known. Coniferous forests are the main supplier of timber resources. Here are the largest deposits of minerals (oil, gas, coal). Thanks to moist and fertile soil, agriculture is developed in the southern regions. Breeding of animals and hunting for wild animals is widespread.