The exceptional wealth and diversity of South America flora is calculated with tens of thousands of plant species. Such natural generosity is very promoted by the successful location of this part of the continent between the subequatorial latitudes of the Northern and moderate - South.
A significant part of South America with a small share of central forms a non-refective floral area.
Distinguishing from the flora of the North American continent, dependent mainly on temperature conditions, the vegetation world of South America lives according to other laws. For non-rectic kingdom is characteristic high temperatures and incredible number sun rayAllowing plants to develop all year round almost all of its area. But the main factor regulating the duration of the growing season is the degree of moisturizing that decreases as the equator retreats to the tropics, which is why the differences between the territories inside the mainland and near the ocean are very significant. Naturally, the vegetable world of South America changes. Briefly describe the features of the flora of these locations and get acquainted with its representatives.
Equatorial forests
Roast I. humid climate Significantly affects the natural areas of the continent, in which the equatorial forests are predominantly located on both sides of the equator and occupy huge spaces on the Amazonian and slopes of Brazilian and as well as in the coastal areas of the Pacific Ocean. The vegetable world of South America is huge and diverse. The photo presented in the article fully illustrates it. Even glory equatorial forests Africa goes out in comparison with the magnificence and rich variety of flora and the fauna of the South American hyiley, according to the famous natural scientist A. Humboldt. In Portugal, these forests called the ruge.
Features of the vegetation world of South America
South American guille - unimaginably rich in the form and density of cover type of earthly vegetation. For these forests, a combination of height with a long-term forest is characteristic. In some places you can count to five to six levels, three of which are tree-like.
Usually the upper tiers of these forest Massives Form palm trees or representatives of legumes. Trees represent a huge segment of the entire vegetable diversity of Selva.
Trees.
Amazing trees representing the vegetation world of South America and growing often exclusively in equatorial forests, familiar to us on the unsurpassed wood qualities that glorified them to the whole world. Mahagony, iron, teak, red, black, baucaute, sandalwood, satin - here is an incomplete list of trees that deliver the most valuable types of wood with various qualities - magnificent decorativeness, especially durability, etc. For example, from sandalwood, a representative of the Santalov family, prepare a valuable Sandalous oil, and satin gives wood with an unusual silky texture.
Gillets replete rubers: Brazilian cultivated throughout the territory of the tropical belt, representatives of the families of legumes and araucaria. Magnificent natural dyes made of wood and sapphan trees wood.
Natives of these amazing places are Brazilian triangular walnut - Berdoletia, which is consistent with a great content of useful fats, avocado, Guayava cultivated to cultivation in industrial scale. The legendary bread tree gives large fruits used in food.
The famous representatives of the plant world of South America are chocolate trees with firmly sitting on the trunk of flowers and aging fruits. Cocoa trees in culture give excellent raw materials for the production of high-quality chocolate. List trees that are upper levels complex system tropical forests It is possible to infinity, but we turn to other plants inhabiting this world.
Palma
The number and variety of palm trees growing in a tropical belt is so overwhelmingly, which is considered to be the most typical forms of the vegetation of this zone. They are characterized by a cylindrical trunk, crowned with a cap of wide rigid leaves. The growth is different: from one meter to the level of the highest gila trees. Interesting false species of palm trees, for example, known as Rattan.
These are the longest of all false palm trees. The trunk of the rathana palm tree is not too thick, its diameter varies from 1 to 10 cm. In places where there are many of them, the forest is practically impassing: their fantastic weaves are confused with a variety of zigzags.
Liana
Liana deserve special attention. The vegetation world of South America would be much depleted if these were not present in it interesting plants. The guilles of South America differs in a variety of Lian.
Epiphytes
South American is saturated with epiphyts, bright and colorful blooming.
South America is the most diverse continent of the world, if you take into account the flora, primarily due to its geographical position.
The diversity of the vegetation world of South America increases due to the high mountains, especially Andam, which extends from the north to south along the western part of the mainland.
South America includes a variety of rain, tropical, extremely dry, forests moderate belt And alpine.
The largest biomami are deserts, savanna and tropical forests. Due to the rapid pace of deforestation of such places, like some plants may disappear before they register, not to mention the study.
Biom desert is the most dry biome in South America and is limited, as a rule, the Western coast of the continent.
Arid conditions prevail from the coast to relatively high Andes. Atacama desert in the northern part of Chile and the Patagonian desert in the central part of Chile are the most famous deserts of South America. Smaller desert areas are also found in the rain shadow areas of the Andes.
The following on the moisture scale is Biome Savanna, which is found in two completely different areas of the mainland. The largest savannas are concentrated in regions such as: SERRADO; Pantanal; And further south, in the southern part of Brazil, Uruguay and the Northern part of Argentina, are steppe savannaments called Pampasy.
Although some of the forests of South America are dry, most of them are, receiving 2000-3000 mm of precipitation annually. Amazon's rain forest is the world's largest rainforest, it is more than 3/4 of the forest area of \u200b\u200bthe mainland. This is one of the richest vegetation areas of the planet, but it is rapidly destroyed due to, agricultural and other types of human activity. Young rain forests grow along the southeastern coast of Brazil and in the northern part of Venezuela.
Much smaller territories occupy a small Mediterranean region in the central part of Chile, characterized by cool, wet winter and warm dry summer.
On the distant southern Chile and in Argentina there is a small area that becomes Alpine Tundra in the south. The temperature is relatively cool and mild all year round, with the exception of the extreme south, where in the winter it can be very cold.
Plants Atacama and Patagonia desert
Desert Atakama
In the desert Atacama, one of the most dry in the world, there is a small humidity, but it is limited defined zones. Coastal areas below 1000 meters are obtained by a regular fog (called Camanchacas).
The amount of precipitation in the attack desert is so low that even cacti (which usually accumulate moisture) can hardly obtain a sufficient amount of water from a single shower, so many plants, including types from the Bromelian family, take part of the necessary moisture from the fogs. There are no regular fog in medium height; Thus, there is almost no floral cover.
In higher areas, the raising air is cooled enough to produce a moderate amount of precipitation, although the vegetation still remains deserted. Shrubs, as a rule, grow near the stream of streams, where their roots can reach a permanent source of water.
The Atakama desert often seems fruitless, but when a sufficient amount of moisture appears, the ephemers change their appearance.
Efemera
Efemers are usually one-year plants whose seeds are contained in dry soil. When the humidity increases, they quickly germinate, grow, bloom and sow seeds before drought comes.
Flower plants
Bright flowers in the desert Atacama
In the first days and weeks after a good rain, a lot of herbs appear, which serves as a background for endless varieties of bright colors, many of which endemic for the Atakam desert (found only in this region).
Nolana Volcanica from the genus Nolan
Among the flowering plants there are views from the Alstrène family (commonly referred to as iris, although they actually relate to Liliece-deed) and the genus Nolan (native plants for Chile and Peru).
Patagonian desert
Conditions in the Patagonian desert are less severe. The vegetation varies from the bumps on pastures near the Andes to most of the shrub-steppe flora on the east.
Feather grass
Kickl is especially common in the entire Patagonia, as well as cacti.
Pillow-shaped plants
Pillow-shaped plants
In the shrub steppes of the Patagonia there are pillow-shaped plants and shrubs of Kulebai.
Quinoa
Where the soil is salted, the swan and other salt-resistant shrubs grow.
Plants of tropical savannas
SERRADO
The Sererado region in the East-central and southern parts of Brazil is the largest biome of Savannah in South America.
Sererado contains more than ten thousand species of plants, with 44% of them endemic. About 75% of the territory was lost since 1965, and the rest was fragmented.
Pantanal
Two other areas of Savannah, located on south, are pantanal and pampas. Although Pantanal is savanna, in the rainy season it becomes a wetlands and is a habitat for aquatic plants.
When the pantanal dries out, savannahs appear instead of water. This unique area is subjected to threats from various types of human activities, including shipping, artificial drainage, mining industry, agriculture and urban waste.
Pampas
Pampas, like great prairies, once covered the central part North America, consist almost exclusively of herbs. Trees and shrubs grow near water bodies, but dominates herbal vegetation.
Cattle breeding, growing wheat and corn are the main types of human activity in the area and, thus, are the main threat to the natural flora. Since the region is located south of Pantanal, it is characterized by a more moderate climate.
Plants of tropical forests
Amazon raind forests
The Amazon Rain Forest is the largest rainforest in the world. It is so large and has enough thick vegetation that the evaporation of moisture partly affects the humidity of the climate in the region.
The variety of vegetation is so great here that at present, in many parts of the Amazon's rainforest, there are no comprehensive information in all types. Of tens of thousands of plant species, a large amount has never been described.
This one-of-a-kind botanical treasure is reduced by a terrifying pace - from 13,000 to 26,000 km² per year. The reasons for such destruction primarily protruding and burning trees, agriculture, and cattle breeding.
The Amazon Rain Forest is an extremely complex biome. The main plant biomass consists of trees that form a closed dome, which prevents the ingress of a large amount of sunlight on the forest litter.
Epiphytes.
The forest litter has a small amount of herbaceous plants, and most small species growing like epiphytes on the branches and trunks of trees. Epiphyts in the Tropical Amazon Forest include species from the family of orchid, bromels and even some cacti.
There is a wide variety of bromelievy, ranging from small, inconspicuous species and ending with larger species that can collect a significant amount of moisture in their central curl of the leaves. Water in these plants can form a miniature, consisting of mosquito larvae, aqueous insects and frogs.
Fern
Ferns are considered another significant member of the epiphite community. Some larger species of ferns, often called wood ferns, growing on the undergrowth.
Liana
Tact, the typical vegetation of the rain forests of the Amazons includes different kinds Lian.
Trees that form a canopy are divided into three rather discrete levels. Two very low level Overflowing, and the upper level consists of high trees that are randomly over continuous lower layers.
Under the canopy there are some smaller palm trees, shrubs and ferns, but they are tight only where there is a fracture in the dome, which allows the sunlight.
Some types of rain forests are well known, first of all, due to their economic value. The most popular tree for making furniture is a red mahagoni tree. Since his wood is highly appreciated, many species of mahogany are rare or completely disappeared.
South American rain forests are also a rich source of rubber. Brazil possessed a monopoly on the rubber until the seeds were taken by smuggling and landed in Malaysia, as well as the synthetic rubber did not push the natural rubber in a number of countries.
Brazilian walnut
Another popular tree is Brazilian walnut. His fruits are rich in proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
Cocoa Wood
Cocoa-tree fruits are widely used in cooking as the main ingredient of chocolate, as well as in medicine.
Every year in the rainy season, the lowest areas of the Amazon rainforests are filled with water (up to 1 m), which retreats several months later. Trees grow well during this flood cycle.
Some trees have unique fruits that eat fish, and thus the spread of their seeds. Flooding can be so extensive in some areas that water reaches the lower parts of the canopy.
Coastal tropical rain forests are also found in the northwestern and southeastern parts of South America. In each of these forests there is a large number of endemic species. Some species of trees are so rare that they can be found on the square in several square kilometers and anywhere else.
Mangrove Zaroshi
Where the rainforest is found with the ocean, adapted to the tidal and treble medium.
Mangrove trees have a ball of roots, often towering over the water, which creates a kind of "walking trees". Special root structures that are raised above the water level during tides allow roots to breathe. Mangrove trees are also extremely salt resistant.
Flora of the Mediterranean Climate and Moderate Forests
The plants of the Mediterranean climate and moderate forests
This climate is characterized by warm, dry summer and cool, wet winter. The vegetation consists mainly of leather-deciduous evergreen shrubs, which are well adapted to a long summer drought.
Chilean Matorral
Chilean Matorral is the only Mediterranean region in which there are bromels. At lower sections, many shrubs belong to arid leaves, that is, they drop their leaves in the summer.
Moderate forests
As South America extends far to the south, it has a small region with, called Waldiv forests. They extend from moderate raindrops to more dry mild forests, and in all cases, as a rule, notopagons are dominated.
There are small evergreen trees and shrubs dominate here. Fuchsia, which are valued all over the world for their beautiful flowers, grow in the undergrowth. Although not rich varieties, moderate tropical forests of the southern part of the continent can be quite dense.
Humanity is still truly a truly unique corner of the Earth, located on the continent called South America. Although the alarm for the future exclusivity of the anklav causes the natural phenomenon itself, which formed a special flora and fauna, and human activity that makes their own adjustments to the environment.
Animals and plants of South America are constantly in conditions of the struggle for survival, adapting to an ambiguous climate. The continent is under the continuous impact of tropical showers, highly, savannah, subequatorial forests, sharp difference of heights and human progress. It is possible that all this variety of climatic zones of the southern part of the new light predetermined uniqueness natural worldthat needs to be saved and multiply.
Human intervention
However, an indicative is a fresh example of interference in the world of the nature of a person who has not registered his attention even distant from civilization in the Atakam desert (North Chile), where the largest ground observatory originated. Any traveler, being within the visibility of this oasis of human progress, can confuse reality with fiction, since there is no longer such a fantastic landscape on Earth.
South America - the territory of contradictions
The territory of the conflicting continent, which occupies the fourth place in the area on the globe, literally stuffed with contrasting natural zones. After all, through the countries of Uruguay and Argentina, where the livestock estimate of the farm, the hot steppe of Pamppus stretches. But on the island of the fiery land, located under partial jurisdiction of Chile and Argentina, mainly prevails cold weather With constant storm winds from the Atlantic. A completely different business is the West, where there are fertile valleys with a cool climate that has arisen in the High System of Andes. Adds a picture of contrast Availability on the continent of the most sultry place of the Earth (the desert of the Atakam) and at the same time functioning of one of the most river basins Mira (Amazon) with impassable jungle.
Materials on the topic:
Lazy animals
Animal World of South America
A reasonable question arises: "What animals in South America could appear and survive, given the natural habitat?". First of all, the same inimitable and varied, as well as the nature of the southern part of America, animals of wet forest tropics and rare forests, savannah and, of course, the inhabitants of the real mountain kingdom of the Andes.
To consider the world of animals of the southern half of the American continent separately from the most extended - about 9,000 km - the mountains of the Earth does not make sense. Andes widely distributed their presence in various climatic zones in southern America, covering six belts. The vertical division of the mountain range allocated three zones (Terra of Elay, Terra Fria and Terra Calende), which are strictly delimited, and in independence from climate. The unique nature of the Andes allowed humanity to acquire new cultures and breeds of plants. Potato tubers, tomatoes, tobacco leaf, chinnaya tree have become valuable and indispensable representatives of the Flora of the entire Earth.
Animals living in South America, more than their own part of the Andes from the Andes or the surroundings of the mountain range. Here you can find a large number of (up to 600) species of mammals and even more (900) varieties of amphibians. The nature of the Andes painted many insects with a bright colors, especially allocation of butterflies, and among the ants, it tried to create unique samples of large individuals. Colonies of birds in Andes have 1700 varieties and deserve special attention. IN dense thickets Plants are heard permanent numerous bird gomon. A special presence in Andes awarded motley parrots and tiny hummingbirds.
Materials on the topic:
Mammals on land and in the sea
Condor animal symbol of South America
But the main animal of South America, belonging to the bird kingdom, is a condor, which did not occupy an honorable place in the international red book. Basically, thanks to the Condor man became an endangered species, as it was considered a dangerous predator, and his habitat was reduced to two relative to small areas of the Andes. Honorable attention of man, he was still awarded, becoming a national symbol of several South America states - Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Colombian authorities depicted Condor at the national coat of arms of the country. IN lately Programs began to appear on the protection of this cultural heritage Many Andean peoples.
Flora South America
Most of South America is distinguished by the exclusive wealth of flora. This is also connected with the modern natural conditions of the mainland, and with the peculiarities of its development. Tropical Flora South America developed from the end of the Mesozoic era. Its development proceeded continuously so far, not disturbed by an olelion, nor significant fluctuations in climatic conditions, as it took place on other continents.
On the other hand, the formation vegetable cover South America since the tertiary period occurred in almost complete isolation from other major land plots.
The main features of Flora South America are associated with this: its antiquity, species wealth and high degree of endemism.
The vegetation cover in South America has changed significantly under the influence of man than on other continents of the globe.
The density of the population on the mainland is small, and huge spaces in some of its parts have almost completely unnecessary. Such territories have retained their natural soil and plant cover unchanged.
The vegetation of South America is a source of huge natural resources - food, forage, technical, medicinal, etc.
d. But they have been very weak so far.
Flora South America gave humanity whole line Essential cultivated plants. The first place among them is potatoes, whose culture was known to the Indians long before the coming of Europeans and is widespread in various fields of South America and now.
The most common rubber glasses of Gevei, chocolate tree, a chinny tree grown in many tropical areas of the globe occurs from South America.
South America lies within two floristic areas. The main part of the mainland is included in the limits of the neopropic area. As part of its flora there are some elements common with Africa.
what points to the existence of land connections between the main students up to the tertiary period.
Part of the mainland south of parallel 40 ° sh. Refers to the Antarctic Floristic Area. Between the Flora of this part of the mainland and Flora Antarctica.
Australia and New Zealand have similarity, which also indicates existence during the geological history of connections between these continents.
The overall picture of soil and vegetable zones in the neo-phase region of South America resembles Africa.
But the ratio of individual types of vegetation and their species composition on these continents are different. If the main type of vegetation of Africa is Savanna, then wet rainforests are particularly characterized for the vegetation cover of South America, who do not have equal on Earth on the wealth of species or by the vastity of the territory occupied by them.
Wet tropical forests in latitite apodolien soils are distributed in South America on a huge area.
The population of Brazil calls them Selvas. Selvas are occupied by a significant part of the Amazon lowland and adjacent areas of the Orinocal lowland. The slopes of the Brazilian and Gwiang Nagrai. They are also characteristic of the coastal strip of the Pacific Ocean within Colombia and Ecuador. Thus, wet tropical forests are covered with areas with equatorial climateBut, in addition, they grow on the slopes of the Brazilian and Gwiang Nagrain, facing aside Atlantic Ocean in higher latitudes where abundant trade houses are going during round year.
In the richest rainforest of Amazon lowland, many valuable plants can be found.
These forests are characterized by a large height and complexity of a forest canopy. In unlocked areas, there are up to 12 tiers in the forest, and the height of the highest trees reaches 80 and even 100 m.
More than a third plant species In these forests endemic. Wet tropical forests rise across the slopes of the mountains to about a height of 1000-1500 m, not undergoing significant changes.
Above they are replaced by depleted mountain tropical forests.
As climate change, wet rainforests go to savanna with red soils. On Brazilian Highlands between Savannes and wet forest There is a band of almost pure palm forests. Savannes are distributed on a significant part of Brazilian Highlands, mainly in its inner areas. In addition, they occupy large areas on the Orinoxic lowland and the central regions of the Guiangic Highland.
In the south - in Brazil - typical savannahs are known called Campos.
Their vegetation consists of high cereals. Wood vegetation or is absolutely absent, or represented by separate copies of mimose, cacti and other xerophytic or succulent trees.
Campos Brazilian Highlands is valuable, but relatively small pasture used.
In the north, in Venezuela and Guiana Savannah called Llanos. There, along with high and varied cereal vegetation, there are separate palm trees that give the landscape a peculiar appearance.
In Brazilian Highlands, except for typical savanna, there are similar types of vegetation, adapted to the transfer of a long arid period.
In the north-east of Brazilian Highlands, a significant area is engaged in the so-called kating, which is a rarefied forest from drought-resistant trees and shrubs.
Many of them lose the leaves on the dry period of the year, others differ in bloated trollers in which moisture accumulates. Red-brown soils are formed in the kating.
On the plain of the Grand Character, in particularly dry areas, spyerous urban shrubs and sparse forests grow on red-brown soils. In their composition there are a number of endemic wood forms containing a large number of tanning substances.
On the Pacific Coast to the south of wet rainforests, you can also meet the unintelligine lane of savanna vegetation, which then rather quickly goes into semi-desert and deserted.
Large territories with mountain-tropical desert vegetation and soils are on the inner highland Andes.
Subtropical vegetation occupies a relatively small area in South America.
However, the variety of types of vegetation cover in subtropical latitudes is quite large.
The extreme southeast of Brazilian Highlands, receiving abundant sediments during the year, is covered with subtropical araucaria forests with an undergrowth of various shrubs, including Paraguayan tea.
Paraguayevsky tea leaves are used by the local population for the manufacture of a common hot drink that replaces tea. By the name of a round vessel, in which this drink is made, it is often called "Mate", or "Yerba Mate".
The second type of subtropical vegetation of South America is a subtropical steppe or PAMPA - characterized for the eastern, most wet parts of Lapanese lowland south of 30 ° Yu.Sh. This is grassy grain vegetation, on fertile reddish-black soils that are forming on volcanic rocks.
It consists of South American species of those goddings of cereals, which are widespread in Europe in the steppes of a moderate belt. There are views of the naughty, bearded, oatmeal. Unlike the steppes of the moderate belt, the vegetation in Pampa vegetates during the year. With the forests of Brazilian Highlands Pampa is connected transitional type Vegetation, where herbs are combined with thickets of evergreen shrubs.
To the west and south of the Pamppa, as the precipitation decreases, the vegetation of dry subtropical steppes and semi-deserts on gray-brown soils, serous and saline soil appears.
The subtropical vegetation and soil of the Pacific coast, respectively, the characteristics of climatic conditions, the appearance resembles the vegetation and soil of the European Mediterranean.
Thickets of evergreen shrubs on brown soils prevail.
Very originally vegetation moderate breadth South America.
There are two main types of vegetable cover, dramatically differing among themselves, respectively, differences in the climate of the eastern and western parts of the southern tip of the mainland. For the Far Southeast (Patagonia), the vegetation of dry steppes and a semi-desert moderate belt are characteristic. This is actually a continuation of the semi-deserts of the western Pamppa in conditions of a more severe and cold climate.
The soils predominate chestnut and serous, saline soils are widespread. In vegetable cover, cereals are dominated (for example, silver Argentine Mattik) and various xerophytic shrubs, like cacti, mimosa, etc.
The extreme south-west of the continent with its oceanic climate, minor annual differences in temperature and a large annual precipitation has peculiar vegetation, very ancient and rich in composition.
These are the moisture evergreen subnutrctic forests, multi-tiered and very diverse in composition. According to the wealth of species and height, they are not inferior to rainforests. They are abounding the lianas, mosses, lichens. Along with various high-power coniferous trees, evergreen deciduous rocks are common, such as southern beats (Nothofagus).
These impregnated forest moisture with difficulty can be clearing and irrigated. They still have been preserved on large areas in an inviolable form and almost without changing their composition, rise across the slopes of the mountains to a height of 2000 m. In these forests, podzolic soils are dominated in the south, moving in more northern areas in forest burst.
Answer left the guest
As for the situation in South America, especially in lower latitudes, various types of latitite soil prevail. Hot forest areas with constant and abundant sediments are characterized by ascite varnishing soils, which are difficult to separate from the very strong weathelation of the earth's crust.
In areas with seasonal humidity there are red, brown, red and red-brown soils.
The ancient iron bark has a significant distribution. Lattarization processes are still manifested in wet subtropical regions of the East of the continent, where they are characterized beautiful flavors and reddish black prerol soils.
In addition, in the West, as well as in North America, they are consistently replaced with gray-brown soil and gray soils, as well as on Western-brown soils.
What plants grow in South America
The soil of moderately moderate moderate areas is brown forest soils - in the west, brown and brown, desert steppes - in the east. Andes have a clear height with mining zonal types of soil.
-Beron.
The specifics of the soils of South America, which is the most important process for the formation of tropical soils and weathering, is due to its location mainly in equatorial, tropical and subtropical latitudes.
The source has areas where the main types of soils on the continent are separated: Wet Equatorial Forests; alternately wet and high savanna grass; Xerophilic forests and shrubs on hardwood; Deserted soil of tropical and subtropical groups; Mountain floors with a moderate half-life
South America is the 4th area of \u200b\u200bthe mainland of our planet. If you carefully look at the card, then the continent resembles a drop of water. Mainland is located in the southern hemisphere of the Earth.
Natural zones
On the continent there are 5 climatic zones:
- equatorial;
- subequatorial;
- tropical;
- subtropical;
- moderate.
Relief
Relief mainland conditional can be divided into 2 zones - This is a flat plain on the eastern part and mountain ridge in the West.
Mountains of the Andes are a continuation of the mountain range of North America - Cordiller. This is the longest mountain chain on our planet.
Plant community
The vegetation world of the mainland is diverse.
This is facilitated by a soft warm climate and a large amount of precipitation. Flora on the continent varies depending on the climatic zone.
So the tropical belt is dominated by the jungle. And at present, scientists are discovering all new types of plants and representatives of the animal world of rainforest.
South America jungle occupy a large area than similar zones in Africa.
Ratopular trees, melons and chocolate trees grow in the rainforest, various species of palm trees, gevent, orchids.
In some areas the height of the forest cover reaches 100 meters. It can be a 12-tier community with a unique flora and fauna inherent in each flood.
South of the Amazon Selva begin rare deciduous forests. A typical representative of the vegetable world of this part of the mainland is a Quebono tree with strong and durable wood.
Moving around the continent south, travelers cross the savannah and fall on the famous south American plains - Pampasy. This is a classic zone of steppes with a nick, wild millet and disintegration.
Occasionally there are mimosas and dairy. Soil in this part of the continent is very fertile
The closer to the southernmost point of the mainland, the meager becomes a landscape. Pampas are replaced by the semi-desert zone and deserts. There are dry shrubs that form peculiar pillows of rolling mills.
Animal World of South America
Fauna on the mainland also depends on the climatic zone.
In tropical forests There are various types of monkeys, dickelings, sloths.
Many species are adapted exclusively to life on trees. The lower tier of the forest was chosen tapira, amusing. From predators - famous jaguar. Entomologists and currently reveal new types of insects.
A large number of unique bird species live in the forests - these are tucanis, parrots of Ara.
Nature, plants and animals of South America
Only kids-hummingbirds in South America about 320 species.
In the zone of Savann animals are smaller and they are adapted to life on open spaces. These are wild pigs, battleships. Of large birds Outbraises of Nanda feel great. Dwell in savannah and large cats - Puma and jaguars. From small predators in Savannah, savanna fox and grivy wolf live.
Pampas - This is a habitat for the rapid representatives of the animal world.
These are Lama, deer and predators such as a pampas cat, several types of battleships.
In the mountains Andakh Basically live the same types of animals as on the flat part of the mainland. But endemics are found - unique, inherent in South America, animals.
These are mountain lamas, spectacular bear, charming chinchillas.
Detailed information on the variety of Nature of South American mainland can be found in the reports of various scientific societies.
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Rare plants in the world. Central and South America
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In fig. Left - Alstromeria Pelegrinskaya (Alstroemeria Pelegrina L.), Alstroemeria family (Alstroemeriaceae) - Plant with very beautiful flowers. Pretty common in Brazil. Due to the collection of flowers and improvement of the beaches, many habitats were destroyed, and only a few scattered locations were preserved. Balza, or Wood Tree (Ochroma Lagopus SW.), Baobachab family (Bombaceae) - high, over 30 m Tree with bluish-gray bark and large palpat leaves. Fruits in maturation crack up and then resemble the hare's paws, as inside they are covered with white down. The name "Balza" translated from Spanish means a raft: it has long been used for the construction of rafts. Wood Balza One of the lightest in the world, very loose and soft, but dried, acquires oak hardness. Currently, Balsa almost completely disappeared from the forests of America, preserved in small quantities only in the raw rain forests of Ecuador. |
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1 - Araucaria Chilean ARAUCARIA ARAUCANA (MOLINO) C. KOCH), Araucaria family (Araucariaceae) - a very large two-walled tree with a height of up to 60 m and a diameter of up to 1.5 m. Leaves are hard, spiky, dark green, spiral-located, hold on wood up to 40 years. Brown bumps, spherical, weighing up to 1.6 kg. It has a disjunctive range of two sites. Little is located on the western slope of Coast Cordillera at an altitude of about 700 m above the UR. The sea, and the larger - in Andes, at an altitude of 1600-1800 m. Forms forests, especially on volcanic soils. Seeds are edible, beautiful wood is used in construction. Posted in Annex I Convention CITES. In Cuba, almost all cacti (family cactus, Cactaceae) have local distribution and many are under threat of disappearance, for example, 2 - Melokactus Matanzan (Melocactus Matanzanus Leόn) and 3 - Melocactus Gitar Melocactus GuitArtii Leόn). In the Red Book of IUCs robin Ceres, or a tree-shaped cactus (Cereus Robin I (Lemaire) L. Benson) - Shrub or a small church with a height of 5-8 m, bluish-green. Flowers bells, brownish green or brownish-purple. Grows in Cuba and in Florida. In Cuba, almost all habitats are destroyed. 4 - Mikrantacerus Golden-Yellow (MicRanthoceus Auri-Azureus), Cactus Family (Cactaceae) - a rare cactus growing in the central part of Baia (Brazil). Baya (its central part) is very rich in small small-scale, but they all need protection. Only in the central part of Bayia grows melokactus Baiensky (Melocactus Bahiensis (Br. Et R.) Luetzelb.). It is under threat of extinction, since in places of its growing locals burn grass and low shrub to improve pasture. Perhaps already disappeared melocactus covered with ripples (Melocactus Pruinosus Werderm.) And melocactus amethysty Melocactus Amethystinus Buining Et Brederoo). |
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1 - mahagonyla tree, or scrolls, or red wood, or real mahagony (Swietenia Mahagoni Jasq.), Family of the Meliase (Meliaceae) is an evergreen tree to 15 m high. Plants of South AmericaAppreciated due to wood with a narrow dirty and white zabol and a red-brown core, very beautiful texture. During the debt time, the plantings were exploited, since the wood of this tree was widely used for the interior decoration of ships, art carpentry, etc. Pretty wide red tree was distributed in the forests of South and Central America. Currently, some reserves of this species have been preserved in the hard-to-reach of the Andes in Colombia and Ecuador. Significantly decreased due to increased operation of reserves and another valuable tree - mahagony large-scale (Swietenia macrophylla king.). 2 - Caesalpy (Caesalpinia Echinata Lam.), The Caesalpinium family (Caesalpiniaceae) - a tree with red valuable wood and twiceful leaves, the flowers are almost correct. Area - Brazil, because of valuable wood Almost completely cut down. 3 - cocaine bush (ErythroxyLon Coca Lam.), Erytroxyl family (ErythroxyLaceae) - a dense-blooded shrub with regular oblong leaves and small white flowers in the leaf sinuses (cocaine is obtained from the leaves). The natural range was lying in Peru, Bolivia and the Eastern Outlines of the Andes, now in a wild state this plant is not found, but is widely cultivated on O-Whava, Sri Lanka. The family contains 4 kinds and about 200 species common in tropical America. |
4 in fig. at the top - Mikroxylon Pereira (MyroxyLon Pereira Klotsch.), Bob family (Fabaceae) - a tropical evergreen tree with non-parptile leaves and whitish flowers.
It has a very limited range in El Salvador (the plant is destroyed in order to obtain the Peruvian Balzam). Cultivated on O-Wava and Sri Lanka.
1 in fig. Below - Brassavola Perryni (BRASSAVOLA PERRINII LDL.), Orchid family (Orchidaceae) - ground orchid with a tuber 15-18 cm of length ending with one narrow sheet. Inflorescence of 3-6 flowers, peers yellow leaves, white lip.
Growing in Brazil. Rod has about 15 species common in tropical America from Mexico and Antille Islands to South Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia.
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The genus Anguloa combines land plants from orchid (orchid family, Orchidaceae), which sometimes grow on bare rocks. Tubers with 2-4 leaves, flowers single. Grow in Andes from Venezuela, Colombia to Peru. One of the decorative Colombian orchids 2 - Angoulo Klovyza (ANGULOA CLOWESII LDL.), With a tuber 8-14 cm of length, 2-4 with wide-elliptic leaves up to 50 cm long. Lemon-yellow flowers with a strong pleasant aroma. There is also found and 3 - Anguloa Ruvet (Anguloa Ruckeri LDL.), - With flowers outside olive-green, and inside yellow, with reddish brown spots, the lip is dark red-brown. Rod Cattleya (Orchid, Orchidaceae) is one of the most popular and famous gardening practices. All wild cattleias (and about 40 species) are distributed in tropical America, from Mexico to Brazil. They have cylindrical spindle-shaped surplified stems with 1-2 and more leather leaves. Inflorescence is a finite low-mild brush, sometimes a single flower. In Venezuela on the rocks at an altitude of 1000-1300 m growing cattleya Percival (Cattleya Persivaliana Rchb. F.), Under threat of disappearance. In Honduras and Venezuela, under threat of disappearance is cattleya Bowering Cattleya Bowringiana Veitch.) With a multi-flowered brush of small lilac flowers. 4 - Cattleya Aklana (Cattleya ACLANDIAE Lindl.) - Rare endemic Brazil. This is a small plant with relatively large olive-green flowers with fucey-red open lip. |
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The emblem of Costa Rica is 2 in fig. left - Cattleya Skinneri (Cattleya Skinneri Bat.). In Annex I of International Trade Convention rare species Flora and fauna included 4 in fig. left - Cattleya Triana (Cattleya Trianae Rchb.) With beautiful pink flowers With dark crimson lip. Grows in Colombia. 1 - Lelia Daian (Laelia Dayana Rchb. F.), Orchid family (Orchidaceae) - a beautiful fine plant with flowers less than 12 cm, their lip vertical with purple lines. Ries only in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). In East Brazil in a narrow strip of seaside forest, epiphytic 3 - Lelia Purple Laelia Purpurata Lindl. eT PAXT.). This orchid is close to death both due to the destruction of many location and due to predatory collection. To rare Brazilian Lelias can be attributed lelia Syankoran (Laelia Sincorana Schltr.), 1 in fig. down below, With rounded stronger falsewinds and velvety white flowers. |
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W.masdevallia beautiful (M. bella RchB.) Orchid family (Orchidaceae) - one yellow flower covered with brown stains, with very long tails, white lip and looks like a fly. This epiphytic orchid is growing in Colombia at an altitude of 1800-2000 m. Even above (2300-3000 m) on the rocks, another species grows - 2 - Bright Red Massevallia (Masdevallia Coccinea Lindl) with large purple-red flowers, lip light pink with white end. Representatives of this kind are found in Central and South America, in Andes, where a colder climate. 3 - Butterfly Orchid (Oncidium papilio ldl.) Grows in Venezuela and trinidad and is very similar to the previous view. Due to commercial fees, it is threatened with disappearance. In Guatemala and Mexico, there is an oncidium "Bird Beak" (oncidium ornithorchum H.B. KTH.) With egg-shaped double tubers. Syrenevato-purple flowers with wavy petals. 4 - Massevalia Chimera (Masdevallia chimaera rchb.), It has brownish-red flowers with lighter spots, their lip in the shape of a shower, light brown. Growing in Colombia, at an altitude of 1700-2000 m above the UR. Sea on rocks and trees. |
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In Guatemala and Mexico meet 1 - Oncidium "Bird Beak" (Oncidium ornithorhynchum H.B. KTH.), Orchid family (Orchidaceae) with egg-shaped double tubers. Syrenevato-purple flowers with wavy petals. In the mountains of Brazil is found 3 - Oncidium swollen (Oncidium varicosum LDL.). This genus contains about 530 species and has an area in tropical America - from Mexico to Brazil and Paraguay and on the Bahamas and Antilsk O-Wah. In Ecuador, Costa Rica and Colombia at an altitude of 300-900 m above the UR. sea is growing 4 - Oscidium Cramer, or Orchid Cramer (Oncidium krameranum rchb. F.). It is in the old trees and rustic liaans. One elliptical sheet is departed from the boulevard, covered with a blacknate purple marble pattern. Flowers are very reministed with a butterfly - orange-golden with brown spots. Golden lip with a brown spot. The males of butterflies take the flower behind another male and, protecting their territory, attack the flower, poling him. This orchid is one of the most elegant and decorative species of the genus. 2 - Vanilla fragrant Vanilla Fragrans (Salisb.) Ames), orchidaceae family - grows in tropical America from Mexico to South America, on Antille O-Wah. Widely cultivated. These properties possess other types of vanilla - vanilla Pahukhau (V. odorata Presl.) From Ecuador and vanilla Pompona (V. Pompona Schiede) with an area in Southeast Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia (at an altitude of 800-1500 m above the Ur. Sea), Trinidad, Guiana. Vanilla Pompon serves as a surrogate of real vanilla (has an aroma with a tint of heliotrope). |
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2 - Ipecais (Capha's Ipecacuanha Willd.), Marines family (Rubiaceae) - a small plant with long thin rhizomes, a thin stem with a height of 30-40 cm with several pairs of opposite evergreen broad leaf and a small head of small white flowers. It grows on the extensive territory in the upper reaches of the right tributaries of Amazon (Brazil). Because of the mass preparation of the roots as a medicinal raw material, the number of species is reduced. It is difficult to cultivate it, although its plantations are laid in India, Indonesia and Tanzania. 3 - Quilladium soap, or soap Quillaja Saponaria Molina), a rosaceae family (Rosaceae) - a tree with evergreen leaves, in the core of which contains saponin. Grows in the subtropical forests of the coastal cordiller. Because of operation, its number has declined sharply. Populations sharply reduced wax palm trees From the genus Ceroxylon (Ceroxylon, a Palm family, Palmaceae family), which is growing in Andes from Venezuela to Peru and Bolivia at large altitudes, where forests on large spaces are substituted with coffee plantations. To the threat of disappearance, should be attributed 4 - Wax Palm Andy (CEROXYLON ANDICOLA HUMB. ET BONPL.) And Colombian National Tree Ceroxylon Quinquiense (Karst.) H. WENDL. In Argentina, under threat of disappearance are acrocomia Shunta (Acromia Chunta Covas et Ragon.), The number of which has decreased as a result of operation. Another Argentine Palm with a small range - 1 - Ethupe Edible (EUTERPE EDULIS MART.) - She has eaten the top kidneys. |
Rare are many of the American palm trees. Two types have been made to the Red Book of IUCN - pseudofinik Ekman (Pseudophoenix Ekmanii Burret) and calipponom River (Calyptronoma Rivalis (O.F.
Cook) L.h. Bailey). Pseudofinik - palm 4-5 m height with solitary stem. The base of the stem is about 20 cm in diameter, and above the stem is expanding, forming a bloody up to 80 cm in the diameter, which is narrowed to 15 cm near the crown.
The stem is very juicy, the leaves up to 1.5 m of length, inflorescences are hung, with numerous branches. Occurs in Dominican Republic, in the extreme south, on dry quaternary limestone. It is believed that this wine palm tree described by the first island researchers.
It was prepared from her juice a good bright wine, juice mining and led to the disappearance of this species. CalipTrons are the middle-sized tree with a barrel of up to 10 m, on which leaf scars are well noticeable. Crown of 15-20 peristal leaves. It grows on O-ve Puerto Rico east of San Sebastian. Rights along rivers in wet forests on limestones, at an altitude of 300 m. In 1970, not more than 20 palm trees were noted.
This appearance used to be widespread wider, but disappeared due to fires and logging.
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In fig. on the left - a frying tree (Cinchona Succirubra Pav.), Marines family (Rubiaceae) - evergreen tree with spontaneous leather shiny wide-elliptic leaves and light crimson flowers collected in panicles on the tops of the stems and branches. The range is very limited, meets in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Colombia, on the eastern slopes of the Andes, at an altitude of 1600-3200 m, in wet forests. The trees are predicted to obtain quinine (remedy for malaria). Currently, the culture is widely enacted in Southeast Asia and Africa. Pihta Guatemalan (Abies Guatemalensis RehDer), Pine Family (Pinaceae) - a tree height up to 45 m. As a result of intense logging and the destruction of the teen cattle, it became very rare in Guatemala. Pine Weimutova Mexican (Pinus Aycahuite Ehrenb.), Pine Family (Pinaceae) - a tree with a height of 30-45 m with a conical crown, gray bark and very long, up to 30 cm cheese. Her arral lies in the mountains of South Mexico and Guatemala. Strengthened due to valuable wood, the bark is rushing to obtain tannides, which strongly undermined the stocks of the form. |
Published by the book: Belousova L.S., Denisova L.V.
Rare plants of the world. M.: Forest industry, 1983. 344 p.
Perhaps nowhere in the world does not meet such a variety of flora and fauna, as in South America. Nature, which in many regions of the mainland has been preserved in its original form, is still a great interest for researchers and scientists around the world. First of all, South America plants are in the spotlight, among which there are many endemics.
Wet forests
The vegetation world of South America is presented in all its amazing variety in wet or raindrop equatorial forests or rural. This forest array occupies an impressive territory of Amazonian lowland.
The distinguishing features of Selva include:
- Wealth species composition . It was established that 2/3 of representatives of the Flora of the whole world grows in the jungle. By 10 square meters. km of forest thickets account for more than 1,500 different types of flowering plants and 750 species of trees.
- High density of plant cover . Selva is so thickly populated by the most diverse vegetation that it is almost impossible to move through it. Especially make it difficult to promote Liana.
Fig. one. Equatorial forests South America
South American jungle is not only very thick, but also high. In areas not flooded by rivers during a flood, there are up to 5 tiers of various plants. The highest among them are representatives of the upper tier - the giants trees high to 80-100 m.
In the rural you can find a lot of endemics - representatives of flora growing only in a particular region. One of bright representatives It is a small Tree of Psychotria, the flowers of which externally resemble bright red coarse, as if folded for a kiss. They attract the main pollinators - butterflies and tiny birds hummingbirds. Unfortunately, psychotry is in the list of plants, over which the threat of complete disappearance has hung. Marina to uncontrolled deforestation valuable forest.
Fig. 2. Psychotion
Savannah and Pampasy
Savannas spread out south of the Selva, in which the shrubs, high cereals and tough herbs prevail.
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South American savannahs are the birthplace of the unusual tree of Qubbaho, which is famous for its incredibly severe and dense wood, rich in valuable Taninin substance. Kverbacho is used to obtain a tannic substance, as well as valuable medicinal plant and raw materials for the manufacture of durable furniture.
Fig. 3. Tree Kverbaho
Savannes are located the South American Steppes - Pampasy. In these parts, various types of herbs, shrubs and low trees prevail. Local soil is distinguished by high fertility, and the large territories of Pampas are assigned to agriculture.
Desert
In the south of the mainland there is a desert zone and semi-desert. Sigor climatic conditions are an obstacle for violent and diverse vegetation. In the South American deserts can grow only a few types of herbs and cereals.
Plants capable of carrying long droughts and continuous weathering of the soil - Atagonskaya Fabian, Chukuraga, resinous Chanjar.
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