Cordillera North America, part of the Cordillera Mountain System, occupying the western outskirts of North America (including Central America) and extending more than 9 thousand km from the Beaufort Sea (69 ° Northern Latitude) to the Panama Isthmus (9 ° Northern Latitude). The width of the mountain belt on Alaska reaches 1200 km, in Canada - 1000 km, in the United States - about 1600 km, in Mexico - 1000 km, in Central America - 300 km.
Relief. Cordillera North America are the largest mining area of \u200b\u200bthe mainland and are represented by the system of high-altitude linearly located ridges, mountain arrays and extensive dentition surfaces. Characteristic features of the relief are a large fragmentation, mosaic of morphostructures, the presence of chains of volcanoes and other forms of active relief formation. In Cordillers of North America, 3 longitudinal belts are clearly pronounced: East, internal and Western.
The oriental belt, or the belt of the Rocky Mountains, is represented by the chain of high massive mountain ranges, mostly employees of the watershed between the pools of the Rivers of the Pacific, Atlantic and Northern Ocean Oceans. In the East, the belt breaks sharply to the foothill plateau (arctic, great plains), in the west places are limited in deep tectonic depression ("moat of the rocky mountains") or the valleys of large rivers (Rio Grande), and in some places, it is gradually moving into mountain ranges and plateaus. On Alaska, Brooks Ridge refers to the belly of the Rocky Mountains, in the northwestern part of Canada - Richardson Ridge (height up to 1753 m) and Mackenzie Mountains, limited from the north and south through the valley of Pil's rivers and Liard. In the northern part of the belt is dominated by islandish-mask-folded arrays with alpine formas of relief, large glacial fields, karam, circles, housing valleys. In the Rocky Mountains of Canada, narrow straight ridges and longitudinal valleys are common. Colombian mountains are adjacent to them in the West. Between 45 ° and 32 ° NORTH latitude, the eastern belt reaches the greatest width and is represented by the rocky mountains in the United States (height up to 4399 m, Mount Elbert). They are characterized by the predominance of large nodes of short architectural-fold-lump ridges, separated by extensive plateau (so-called pools, parks). The highest - advanced ridges (height up to 4345 m), Wind River (up to 4207 m), Mount Yint (up to 4123 m), absamer (up to 4009 m). Sharp shapes are highlighted high-altitude arrays in the field of battolite development in Idaho (for example, the Lost River Ridge, the height is up to 3859 m). The southern part of the eastern belt is represented by the Sierra Madre Range East (height up to 4054 m).
The inner belt, or an internal plateau belt and a flatbed, is located between the eastern belt and the belt of the Pacific ridges in the West. For him, denudation platea and a plateau (Yukon, inner, Neiquanko) with a height of 750-1800 m, deeply dismembered by the valleys of rivers. In the inner part of Alaska, extensive tectonic depressures engaged in river valleys alternate with flat-axis mountain arrays of 1500-1700 m (Killbak Mountain, Couscock, Rei). In Canada, this belt is narrow, in many places it is interrupted by mountain massifs of the skin, Kassiar, Omereka (height up to 2469 m). Volcanic plateaus are common (for example, Fraser, Colombian Plateau, Yellowstone). On the territory of the United States and Mexico, this belt is also represented by a highland large swimming pool, Colorado Plateau, Mexican Highlands. For the southern part, the extensive areas of the desert (Mojave, Sonor, etc.) are characterized.
The western belt consists of two parallel chains of ridges separated by longitudinal tectonic depression. The highest chain of the Pacific ridges focuses from the West inland plateaus Cordillere North America and includes the Alaskan ridge (height up to 6194 m, Mac-Kinley mountain is the highest point of North America), Wrangel Mountain (up to 5005 m, Bon Mountain) and St. Ilya Mountain ( up to 5951 m, Mount Logan). The Line of the Pacific Ridges continue Mount Alsek (height to 2265 m), the Baunundari Ridge (up to 3136 m), the coastal ridge, cascade mountains complicated by the series of volcanoes (Reinir, 4392 m; Lassen-Peak, Shasta, etc.). The south of Sierra Nevada, Sierra Madre Western, cross volcanic Sierra with Orizaba volcanoes (height 5610 m), Popochetetet (5465 m), Istaxiuatl (5230 m) and other south of the Tectonic Balzas River Southern Ridges are located South Madre , Sierra Madre (height to 4220 m, Volcano Tahumulko - the highest point of Central America), Central Volcanic Cordillera with Paras volcanoes (2704 m), Iraça (3432 m), etc.; In the southern narrowed part of the mainland, there are two arc raising of the Panama Isthmus - the folded ridges of San Blas and Serrania del Darya (height up to 1875 m). The extreme western chain of the Pacific ridges includes the Aleutian Islands, the Aleutian Ridge, Mount Chugach (height to 4016 m, Mount Markus Baker), a series of coastal mountainous islands (Kadyak Island, Alexander Archipelago, Queen Charlotte Islands, Vancouver), Coastards, Mountains on the peninsula California (up to 3100 m, Mount Diablo).
In the northern part of the Cordiller of North America (north of 40-49 ° Northern latitude) are widespread the leideslords (triggers, karas, finite-sea ridges, loss, short and lake plains) and modern nival form of relief (Kuruma, Nagorno terraces, etc.), Deaded to the highest levels of the mountains (Alaskan Ridge, Rocky Mountains). In areas that have not subjected to glaciation (the inner part of Alaska), and on the arctic lowland, thermal and polygonal forms are widely represented. In the rest of the Cordiller North America, water-erosion forms dominate: valleal dismemberment - in the most moistened areas (Cordillera Canada), table forms and canyons - in arid areas (Colorado Plateau, Colombian). For desert areas (large pool, Mexican Highlands) are characterized by deanuding and eologous form of relief.
Geological structure and minerals. In tectonic terms, the Cordillera North America is a grandiose in the size of a fold-to-cover mountain structure in the northern part of the East-Pacific Mobile Belt. They experienced several phases of folding: Antler (Late Devon; 370-330 million years ago), Sonomskaya (end Perm - Middle Triass; 250-235 million years ago), Nevadskaya (late Yura; 150-140 million years ago), Sevier ( End of early chalk; 110-100 million years ago) and laramomy (chalk referee and Paleogen; 65 million years ago). The extreme Western Prostoolean part of Cordiller North America belongs to the field of unfinished alpine tectogenesis. 2 longitudinal tectonic mega zones are isolated: external (oriental) and inner (Western). The outer mega zone includes: Brooks Ridge in the North, Rocky Mountains in the central part and the East Sierra Madre Ridge in the south. In its main part (Rocky Mountains), the mega-zone is saturated with a Rannedokembry crystal foundation located east of the North American Platform (the border of the spread of the platform foundation Further to the West enters the vertex area of \u200b\u200bthe California Bay and the Yukon River Pool); The mega zone developed during Paleozoic and Mesozoic and experienced final deformations in the laramide phase of folding. Within the ridges of Brooks and Eastern Sierra Madre, the mega-zone is imposed on the Paleozoic folded structures of the Innita and Woshito-Marton systems, respectively; Its development here is limited to the mesozoa. The outer mega zone is mainly formed by the shelf carbonate and terrific deposits of the former passive outskirts of the North American continent, which are described by a system of tectonic covers, torn off the foundation and moved to the northeast and east (in the Brooks Ridge - to the north). In the western part of the Rocky Mountains, Verkhneproterozoic predominantly wreckage breeds with the seals of basalts and the horizons of glacial sediments (Tillites) accumulated into the riftogenesis stage, which preceded the formation of the passive outskirts of the ancient North American continent. The greatest width of the outer mega zone reaches in the USA, which is due to the involvement of a large portion of the North American platform in the larabian deformations. In the north of the deformed site of the platform, a series of differently detected rates of the foundation, which are highlighted for dividing their deep depressions filled with sediments of chalk and paleocene. In the southern half of the site (Colorado Plateau), there was a major blockage of the foundation, limited from the east with linear raising of southern rocky mountains and the young rift Rio Grande. On the territory of Mexico, the extreme eastern part of the external mega-zone was subjected to folded deformations in Miocene. In front of the headway, Cordiller North America is stretched by a chain of advanced deflection (filled with chalk cannozoic MOLASSI), which include pools: Kolville in Alaska (the largest and deep), Mackenzie and Alberta in Canada, Powder, Denver and Raaton in the USA, Cikontepka in Mexico .
The inner mega-zone of Cordiller North America developed from late Yura (there are relics of the oceanic cortex - the officer of this age), since the passive outskirts of North America transformed into active. For the mega-zone, an exceptionally complex internal structure with numerous zones of melange, supays and shifts that have developed in the end of the deformations that began in Perm and reached climax in chalk were characterized. The mega zone is the so-called collage (mosaic) of terrains, which arose as a result of the combat (acreication of tectonic) many dozen large and small blocks of the earth's crust of different nature and age: wreckage of intraoanic raises, bark of the seasons, volcanic island arcs, micro-continents, Abruptly differing in the structure and composition of their cuts and non-detecting interlocks. Some of Terrains experienced moving to the north along the edge of the continent for many hundreds (perhaps more than a thousand) kilometers.
After graduating from the main deformations on the fold-heading structure of Cordiller North America, interim deficiencies filled with chalk and / or Cenozoic Molasses, for example, Sentral Valley's deflection in California, a row of the West of Alaska, were superimposed. With a subduction (subduction) of the Pacific Lithosphere under the Continent North America, the formation of Jurassic Granite Batolites of the Alaskan Range, the coastal ridge, the Sierra Nevada and Peninsula and the California Peninsula, the manifestation of oligocene-miocene volcanism in the Range of Western Sierra Madre, the formation of donne acting volcanoes Aleutian island arc, Aleuta and Alaskan ridges, cascade mountains, transmexicular volcanic belt. Eastern introduction of small intrusions of granites occurred at the end of the chalk - the beginning of Paleogen only in the southern part of the rocky mountains and the Colorado Plateau. In Miocene, basalt volcanism created in the rear of the cascade mountains, creating a Colombian plateau. Cenozoa was the era rift formation, when an extensive polyprofluorine system (pools and areas of the zone) arose in the central part of the orogen) with abbreviated to 30 km and less power of the earth's crust and lithosphere, Rift Rio-Grande was formed, Rift California Bay on the continent.
The southern part of Cordiller North America (south of the valleys of the River River and Matahua, labeling a large shear-broken zone) belongs to the tectonic antil-Caribbean region.
Cordillera North America, especially their prosthean part, retain high mobility with the manifestation of intensive seismicity, which is related to the processes occurring at the transition border of the North American continent - the Pacific Ocean: a subduction (subduction) of the Pacific lithospheric plate under the north-American in Aleutian deep-sea refinery and Along the coast of Washington and Oregon (USA); Horizontal slippage of the Pacific Plate along the North American over the shear zones of Queen Charlotte and San Andreas; immersion of the East Pacific Raising (Spreading Ridge) under the North American Continent at the top of the California Gulf; The coconut plate shide (south of the California Gulf) under the North American Plate in the Central American Bile. Eastern in Cordillera North America seismic activity weakens, but does not fully fade away: seismic western, southern and eastern periphery of the Big Basin and Rift Rio Grande.
North American Cordiller is rich in minerals. Typical are copper-molybdenum-porphy special deposits. A number of ore zones and blocks are distinguished: the gold-mercury zone of the coastal ridge, the gold-copper and tungsten zone of the Sierra Nevada Ridge, the gold-silver zone of the large pool, the Uranonous block of the Colorado Plateau, the zone of the advanced ridge with the Molybdenum and Gold and Silver Rud . Known ore deposits iron, lead, zinc, nickel, as well as bauxites, phosphorites, barite, fluorite, etc. To the strip of advanced deflection and intermountain deflection and varieties of oil and natural combustible gas, coals, stone and potash salts, natural borators. .
Climate. Northern Districts of Cordiller North America are located in the Arctic (Brooks Ridge) and Subarctic (most of the Alaska, the northern part of Canada) belts, the territory is up to 42 ° Northern latitude on the coast (in the inner belt to 37 ° Northern latitude) - in a temperate belt, south - - In the subtropical, Mexican Highlands and California Peninsula - in tropical, south of 12 ° Northern latitude - in the subequatorial belt. On the slopes addressed to the Pacific Ocean, almost all types of climate are characterized by relatively soft oceanic features, for the inland areas - more sharp, continental. The high-rise climate explanation is observed. In the northern part of the Cordiller of North America on the coast of winter rainy, soft, summer cool and raw, with frequent fogs. The average temperatures of January, constituting from 0 to -5 ° C to the south of the Alaskan ridge, change to -30 ° C (absolute minimum -62 ° C) on the Yukon plateau; The average temperatures of July are about the same - about 15 ° C. The annual amount of precipitation in the south of Alaska (Mount Chugach, St. Ilya, Wrangel) is 3000-4000 mm (the power of snow cover up to 150 cm or more), in the area of \u200b\u200bthe Yukon Plateau - about 300 mm. In a moderate belt, cyclonic activity has been observed throughout the year. In the seaside region of Canada, the average temperature of January about 0 ° C, July 15.5 ° C. The annual precipitation amount is on the western slopes of the coast range of 6000 mm, on the internal plateau decreases to 200-400 mm. In the Rocky Mountains in winter, frost is often cold (absolute minimum -54 ° C), summer solar and dry, the average temperature of July 19-20 ° C. 600-1200 mm of precipitation falls per year.
In the subtropical belt in the southern part of the Cordiller of the United States and the northern part of the Mexican Highlands on the slopes facing the Pacific Ocean, the climate Oceanic (on the latitude of San Francisco - Mediterranean), in the inner areas - dry continental. Mid-sized temperatures increase as long-term mainland in January from 0 to 5 ° C (minimum to -17 ° C, large pool), in July from 14-17 ° C to 20-28 ° C (absolute maximum 56.7 ° C, Death Valley). On the coast of winter rainy, it is characteristic of the decrease in the annual amount of precipitation from north to south from 2000 to 350 mm. In the inner belt, dry hot summer and relatively cold, moderately wet winter. Precipitation from 100 to 400 mm per year. In the tropical belt, the southeastern part is best. The climate of the northwestern part of Mexico and the California Peninsula due to the influence of the Hawaiian Anticyclone Passat, dry all year round, on the coast - with high relative humidity and fogs. In the northern part of the belt, the average temperatures of the cold month (January) 13-14 ° C, the very warm (May) 20 ° C, in southern -, respectively, 21-23 ° C and 26-27 ° C. In the western and central regions of the northern part, the annual precipitation amount is 100-200 mm and increases to the south to 500 mm. The arid winter season with temperatures from 21 ° to 24 ° C lasts up to 6-8 months. In the southern belt drops 1500-2000 mm precipitation per year. In the subequatorial belt, average annual temperatures are 26-27 ° C. In the mountains at an altitude of 3,800 m, up to 6 ° C are lowered, in constantly wet Atlantic slopes in the year 2000-4000 mm of precipitation falls. In the eastern part, tropical hurricanes, bringing storm sediments and possess the devastating force.
Glaciation. The area of \u200b\u200bmodern glaciation Cordiller North America is 67 thousand km 2. Large differences in the latitudinal and altitude position of Cordiller North America, as well as a sharp difference in moisturizing the territory caused the uneven development of glaciation. The lowest (300-450 m) snow border is located on the Pacific slope of the mountains of South Alaska, falling to the ocean level. On the northern slopes of the mountains of Chugach and St. Ilya, the snow border is located at an altitude of 1800-1900 m, on the Alaskan ridge - from 1350-1500 m (southern slope) to 2250-2400 m (north slope). The area of \u200b\u200bglaciation in the northwestern part of the Pacific ridges is 52 thousand km 2. In the Brooks Ridge and Mackenzie Mountains, the olelition is developed only at the highest peaks. The south of the snow border takes place at an altitude of 1500-1800 m in the coastline and up to 2250 m - in the Columbia Mountains. The total area of \u200b\u200bthe oleloculation of the inner parts of Alaska and Cordiller Canada is only 15 thousand km 2. On the territory of the United States, the snow border to the south rises to 2500-3000 m in cascading and rocky mountains, up to 4000 m and more - in Sierra Nevada, up to 4500 m and more - in Mexico. The area of \u200b\u200bmodern glaciation in the United States is 0.5-0.6 thousand km 2, in Mexico - 0.01 thousand km 2. In the Cordillers of North America, all the main types of glaciers are presented: extensive ice fields and caps, foothill glaciers, or cock linens (for example, Malaspina), valley glaciers (for example, Hubbard in the coastal ridge), carot and short hanging glaciers, mostly disappearing (Sierra -Nevada). Star-shaped glaciers with numerous glacial flows are formed on volcanic vertices (for example, on the Rainier volcano).
Surface waters. Within Cordiller North America, the origins of many river systems of the mainland are located: Yukon, Mackenzie, Saskatchewan - Nelson, Missouri - Mississippi, Columbia, Fraser, Colorado, Rio Grande. The main watershed between the quiet and atlantic oceans is the eastern belt of the mountains, therefore the rivers of the pool of the Pacific Ocean are the most fulfilled. Norther 45-50 ° Northern latitude nutrition of rivers Ice and snow with a clearly pronounced spring flood. In the south, rain nutrition with a winter high in the Pacific Coast and Spring-Summer - in the interior. In the southern part of Cordiller North America, significant territories do not have drainage in the ocean and irrigated mainly by watercourses ending in the relaxed salty lakes (the largest of them is a large salt lake). In the north, fresh labets of glacial and tectonic origin (Atling, Kutena, Okanan, etc.), in the south - tectonic (Chapala, Nicaragua). Rivers Cordiller North America have tremendous hydropower potential and are widely used to produce electricity and irrigation. Large reservoirs are built on the rivers of the Yukon, Colombia, Colorado, etc.
Types of landscapes. Due to the considerable height, the high-altitude explanation of natural landscapes is clearly expressed in the entire length of Cordiller North America. At the same time, the strike of the mountain ranges in the direction perpendicular to the main flow of moisture causes significant differences between the landscapes of coastal (Pacific) and internal parts of the territory. The most large changes in the landscapes are associated with the latitudinal position of the mining system, with the transition of it from the subarctic belt to moderate, subtropical, tropical and subequatorial. In the northern part, Cordiller is distinguished by Cordillera Alaska and Canada, in the southern part - Cordillera USA, Mexico and Central America.
Cordillera Alaska. With the exception of the coast of Alaska, in Cordillera Alaska, many-member rocks are widely developed. The spectrum of high-altitude belts is represented by foothill retrase (Ferothundra) in the valleys of rivers and mountain tundra at high plateaus and slopes of the ridges in the north of Alaska. At the south-west coast, subarctic peequisic meadows are developed (Vainik, Schuchka, Opets, Differential Tools) on glezheyama and cryosa, on the slopes of the Aleutian ridge from a height of 200-300 m - shrub tundra. On the southern slopes of the Alaskan forest ridge rises to almost the snow border. The thick coniferous forests are common from the Sithhin spruce, to which the Western chamlock is mixed on the slopes of the mountains of Kenai, Chughal, the Nutan Cypress (red cedar). In the valleys of rivers flowing into the bay of Cook (for example, Matanuska), land is partially used in agriculture.
Cordillera Canada. Pacific slopes to a height of 1200-1500 m are covered with productive tall forests, in which coniferous breeds are dominated: Tui giant and folded (red cedar), West Hemlock, Sitkinskaya spruce, fir Douglas, or pseudotussuga teisset. Engelmanov spruce and alpine fir are growing above, subalpine coniferous parels are common. The soil changes from mountain bromade to mining and podzolic. In the inner areas north of 53 ° Northern latitude, caustic forests made of white, black firings and fir (balsamic, great, etc.) on podzolic soils, south (as evaporation increases) of pine forests (yellow, twisted) on gray forest The soils are replaced by a forest-steppe, in which the islands of pine forests are combined with extensive areas of dry meadows from oatmeal and nicknames, and in the southern part of the plateau, the Fraser transfers to the steppe. The high-altitude spectrum of the landscapes of Colombian mountains includes steppes, mountain coniferous forests from the fir of the giant, the pines of Waemutova, Douglasia, a fir and red, red cedar, a balsamic pine on pine pine, and subalpian meadows. Ranged mountain ranges to a height of 1800-2400 m are covered with dense mountain-taiga forests made of white, balsamic fir, banks of pine and white birch, the Golt Tundra, Snezhniks, glaciers are developed above, the subalpine meadows appear in the northern part.
In forest areas there are a significant proportion to forestry landscapes. In the southern parts of wide intergigurgy kitlovin - arable and pasture landscapes. Secondary pine forests after fires and logging are widespread.
Cordillera USA has a unique variety of natural landscapes. Western slopes of Pacific ridges and rocky mountains are inherent in the most complex structure of the altitude explanation. On the slopes of high ridges (advanced, Sierra Nevada), the belts of mountain pine forests are developed (pines yellow, twisted, sugar, edible), mountain fir-fir-fir forests, coniferous subalpine retrograms and alpine meadows. In the more arid southern areas of the Rocky Mountains, steppe-logging type of high-altitude explanation is developed. On the slopes descending to the Great Plains, the mountain steppes are replaced by pine forests, and at an altitude of 1800-2200 m-fir-fir (Douglas Piht, Engelmanov Spruce) forests. The lower parts of the mountain ranges facing the deserts of the internal plane, are engaged in areas of steppes from Gram, Celina, grass Mesquite, shrubs, juniper, shrub Mesquite and succulents. The bandless Western slope of the Sierra Nevada to a height of 2800 m is covered with mixed forests with the domination of pines of yellow, Douglasi, oaks (as an impurity, the sequoia is giant, or "Mamonto Tree"), above - fir and subalpiy shrubs and meadows. On the dry oriental slopes only pine-juniped palpal. In the slopes of the northern part of the coast ridges, mixed forests are common with Douglasia, Tia, Western Chamlock, a cypressive on sour mountain burze. For the southern part of the ridges are characterized by summer-dry mixed tall forests from pines, douglasia, evergreen oaks, strawberry wood on mountain brown soils. In the north-west of California near the Pacific coast, sequoia groves have been preserved. On the slopes of the most southern ridges receiving 250-350 mm precipitation per year, the chaparal is common - the formation of dubbed shrub evergreen oaks with an admixture of acacia, suma on gray-brown soils. The internal plateau is occupied by hollow semi-deserts and deserts, in the eastern, more moisture, part of the dry steppe of gram and bison grass on brown soils. At the Columbia Plateau - typical cereal steppes on ordinary chernozem. In the large pool, medieval ridges covered with pine handsets, and hollow semi-deplexes with the participation of swans, a garden tree are mosaicly alternate. In the subtropical areas in the plant cover, the creoshot bush, acacia, tree of meskit, cacti (oplation, echinocacts, column cacti ceres, agaves, yukki) are dominated in the subtropical districts in vegetable cover. The soil is predominantly brown desert-steppe, servers, salt marshes and solonts (in basins), mining and brown. Spring subtropical vegetation - pines and acacia, juniper and creoshot, mexican succulents, cereals are common on the Colorado Plateau. In the southern part of the internal Norgore, the exotic features of desert landscapes give picturesque forms of weathered sandstones in the form of arches, pedestals.
Most of the forests in the coastal ridges are cut down, agricultural and residential landscapes are dominated. In intermore valleys, irrigated plantations are concentrated (vineyards, citrus fruits) and pastures. Big California Valley is the largest area of \u200b\u200birrigated agriculture.
Cordillera Mexico. The low ridges of the northern part of Mexican Highlands and the short slopes of Western and Eastern Sierra Madre are covered with mountain coniferous-tightening forests to its internal areas. In the southeast and southern regions, wet-forest landscapes are dominated. On the rest of the territory are prevailing succulent and shrub (with a creosted bush) of the desert and semi-deserts. Mexican Highlands is the richest genetic center of the endemic Mexican flora, there are about 500 species of cacti, 140 species of agave, several types of YUKK. The onward slopes of the peripheral ridges at the foot are occupied by low-spirited prickly forests and gentlemen from Caesalpia (including Queberaho), acacia, mimosa and meskita on brown-red soils. South-22 ° Northern latitude of the southeastern wind-overed slopes of Eastern Sierra Madre and on the southern slopes of the transverse volcanic Sierra to a height of 600-1000 m, constantly wet evergreen tropical forests are growing with an abundance of fakes, palm trees, and tree ferns on yellow ferllaltic soils. Forests are distinguished by an exceptionally rich species composition of woody plants: a red tree (mahogani, or Caoba), Paleo, fragrant pepper, breadwinner, Kori, Andir, chloroform. On the slopes addressed to the saturated moisture of Passatam, the altitude of 1000-2500 m dominates the broad-sized forests from Dubov, Liquidambara, Clain, Willow, Sambukus, the tip of the tree fern and gummies in the lower tier. Trees are collapsed by Lianami and epiphyts from Begonid, Bromelle and Orchids. The tops of the slopes are occupied by coniferous-deciduous and coniferous forests from Waemut and Mexican pines and sacred fir. The Pacific slopes of the ridges and the leveled slopes of volcanoes are covered with seasonally wet winter-dry leaf-and evergreen forests of a variety of species composition. In the forests there are up to 100 types of tree species, including Kori, Carap, Crested, Mahogan, Enterolobium, Jimea, Andir, Chloroform, Kalofilaum Brazilian. In the arid inner hollows in the south of Mexican highlands, dry low-rigid deciduous and semi-repulsive tropical forests are growing. Breeds such as Cedrlen, Burser, Ipoma, Cotton Tree Seiba, Pseudobombax, Cordan, Cordan, are widespread. In the north-west of Mexican Highlands and on the California Peninsula, tropical coastal deserts are dominant with peculiar wood and shrub formations with the participation of succulents, Mesquite, Yukki, Iron Tree.
Cordillera Mexico - an area of \u200b\u200bextensive pasture cattle breeding and irrigated agriculture. On the plains and in the foothills, large forest areas are cleared under plantation sugar cane, bananas, cocoa, coffee and tropical fruits, in arid areas - cotton and agaves.
In the Cordillers of Central America, a wooded type of high-altitude explanation is clearly expressed. Prioeanic tropical and subequatorial wet and moderately wet forests prevail on abundantly moisturized northeastern slopes and seasonal-wet forests on leeward southwestern slopes. In the median belt on the slopes - mixed evergreen and coniferous forests on sially yellow-brown soils. In the basins and in the areas of coasts, savanna and gentlemen are common. In the eastern part of Central America, evergreen and semi-detective (rain) forests of complex composition - Selvas with an abundance of lian and epiphytes, palm trees, ficuses, bamboo, trees with valuable wood, rubber glasses on ferrylylit and allitated red-yellow soils. The biological diversity of forest formations is huge, there are about 5,000 types of vascular plants. The most common tree breeds - Mahogani, Akhras, Brazimum, Paleto, fragrant pepper, breadwinner, Ampelosher, Mazakill, Kori, Kalofilaum Brazilian, Castill, Terminal Amazonian. At an altitude of about 2000 m, "forests of fogs" appear from beeches, linden with thickets of tree fern and bamboo. In high ridges and volcanoes are developed high mountain meadows. Mussels prostrately prostate plains and lowland of the extreme south of Central America are covered with deciduous evergreen forests (Tambelnia, Ipomoy, Bombaks). At low sections and gentle slopes of the mountains, plantations of coffee, bananas, sugar cane, etc. prevail.
Environmental problems and protected natural areas. The adverse effects of human economic activities are manifested in a significant territory of Cordiller North America and are associated with the intensive use of natural resources, primarily forest, mineral, soil, water. In the southern part of Cordiller Canada and in the West USA forests were intensively burned from the 2nd half of the 20th century. Especially suffered by planting Sitkinskaya ate, Douglasia, Sequoia. In the south of the coastal ridge and the Colombian mountains, in the cascade mountains, the cuttings are occupied not only by gentle, but also the sharp sites. Deforestation, fires, animal shootings and loss of their habitats, high recreational loads create an unfavorable ecological situation in a number of Cordiller North America. At considerable territories, accelerated erosion is manifested. There is a contamination of water sources with pesticides and nitrates. In Mexico, the deforestation speed is 0.8% per year, the highest in the Cordillers of North America erosion flush is observed. Valuable species of trees are cut down: Crested, Caoba, or Mahogan, Queberaho, Saibi, Camprea Tree, Brazilian Kalofilaum, Pine, Sacred Fir. A serious problem associated with cutting wood and petroleum pollution of the coastal water of the Gulf of Mexican Bay is the preservation of mangrove ecosystems. In the state of Arizona (USA), as well as in the Bowl of the city of Mexico City (Mexico) there is no depletion of groundwater.
The largest and most famous protected natural areas in the Cordillers of North America are Denali National Parks, "Arctic Gate", Katmai, Lake Clark (USA); Biosphere reserve Monties-Asles, Nevado-de-Toluca National Parks, Tepochetete, Popochettel-Istaxioatl, Pico de Orizaba (Mexico). The World Heritage List includes parks and reserves of the Wrangel Mountains and Mountains of St. Ilya, Cloin, Gleisher Bay, Waterton Gleisher International Park (all in the USA and Canada), Parks of Canadian Rockies (Canada), Yellowstone National Parks, Olympics, Grand Canyon, Redwood, Yosemitsky (USA), Maripos Monk Biosphere Reserve (Mexico), Rio Placano National Parks (Honduras), Daryaen, Koiba (Panama), Talamanca - La Amistad (World Biosphere Project, Costa Rica and Panama), guarded territory Guanakaste (Costa Rica).
Lit.: Vyvetsky G. N. Climates of North America. M., 1953; King F. B. Geological development of North America. M., 1961; Tamayo J. L. Geografia General de Mexico. 2nd ed. Fur., 1962. Vol. 1-4; Antipova A. V. Canada. M., 1965; Ignatiev G. M. North America. M., 1965; Thornbury W. D. Regional Geomorphology of the United States. N. Y., 1965; Earth relief. M., 1967; Saderson A. North America. M., 1979; Kraulis J. A., Gault J. The Rocky Mountains. N. Y., 1986; Wilson K. M., Hay W. W., Wold S. M. Mesozoic Evolution of Exotic Terranes and Marginal Seas, Western North America // Marine Geology. 1991. Vol. 102; Glushchikov Yu. N. Geography of mountain and polar countries. M., 1996; Gebel P. Natural heritage of mankind. M., 1999; KHAIN V. E. Tectonics of continents and oceans (year 2000). M., 2001.
T. I. Kondratieva; V. E. Khain (geological structure and minerals).
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Description and characteristics
The total length of the mountain range is more than 18 thousand km, the maximum width in North America is 1600 km, in South America - 900 km. Almost all over, she plays the role of a watershed between the basins of two outstanding oceans - the Atlantic and quiet, as well as a pronounced climatic natural border. In height, Cordillera is inferior to the palm of the championship only to Himalayas (the highest mountains in the world located between Tibetan Nagores and Ganga Plain) and mountain ranges of Central Asia. The highest peaks of Cordiller are peak McKinley (English Mount McKinley; Alaska, North America, 6193 m) and (ACONCAGUA; Argentina, South America, 6962 m).
Cordillera crosses almost all geographic belts (except Antarctic and subanctic). For the mining system, a wide variety of landscapes and a clearly pronounced high-rise explanancy are characteristic. The snow border runs at altitudes: on Alaska - 600 m, on the fiery ground - from 600 to 700 m, in Bolivia and Peru rises to 6500 m. If in the north-west of North America and in the south-east of the Andes, glaciers are designed almost to the ocean level , in the tropical belt, they wore only the highest peaks.
The mountain system is divided into 2 parts consisting of a variety of parallel ridges: Cordillera North America and Cordillera South America, called. One mountain branch passes through the Antilles, the other - the software goes into the territory of the South American mainland.
The main processes of the property, as a result of which cordillers were formed, occurred in North America from the end of the Jurassic period before the start of Paleogen, in South America - from the middle of the chalk period, actively continuing in the Cenozoic Ere. To date, the formation of the mining system has not been completed, which is confirmed by frequent earthquakes and highly intense volcanic processes. There are more than 80 acting volcanoes here, the following are most active: Katmai (English. Katmai; South n / o Alaska), Lassen-Peak (English Lassen Peak; Sev. America), Colima (Sp. Volcan de colima; Western Retro Mexico), (Volcan de Antisana; 50 km. Southeast of Quito, Ecuador), (Sp. Sangay; Ecuador), (Sp. Volcan San Pedro; North Chile), Orizaba (Sp. Pico de Orizaba ) And Popochetetet (PopocateTl) in Mexico, etc.
Relief structure
The relief of Cordiller is quite complicated, the system is divided into folded-block ridges, volcanic mountains and developing young hollows platforms (accumulative plains). Mountain folds were formed at the junction of 2 lithospheric plates, in the compression area of \u200b\u200bthe earth's crust, which is crossed by a variety of faults starting at the bottom of the ocean.
The largest relief structures of the Cordiller include: Alaskan Range (English Alaska Range; Alaska), coastal ridges (eng. Coast Ranges), Rocky Mountains (English Rocky Mountains; West USA and Canada), Colorado Plateau Plateau; West USA), cascade mountains (English Cascade Range; West North America), Sierra Nevada (Sp. Sierra Nevada; North America). The ridges are cut by deep river valleys, called canyons.
Cordillera
Andiy Cordillera, or (Cordillera de Los Andes) - the southern part of the Cordiller with a length of about 9 thousand km, they are born from the North-West, the entire South American continent. The average width of the Andes is 500 km (the maximum width: 750 km), the average height is about 4 thousand m.
Andean ridges are a giant interference watershed. The mountains of the Atlantic Ocean River, the Paraguay, Patagonia River, the Patagonia River), are taken in the mountains in the mountains.
The Andean ridges serve as the most important climatic barrier, protective territories underlying the head of the main Cordillera, from the impact of the Atlantic Ocean, and the eastern territories from Pacific influence. Mountains stretch, crossing 5 climatic belts: Equatorial, subequatorial, tropical, subtropical and moderate.
By virtue of an impressive length, individual landscaped parts of the Andes are distinguished from each other. According to the nature of the relief and climatic differences, 3 main regions are distinguished: Northern, Central and South Andes.
Andes stretched from north to south through the territory of 7 South American states: Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile. For (Drake) is the Antarctic Peninsula, which is a continuation of South American Andes.
Minerals
Cordillera is characterized by a variety of minerals, in particular, with huge reserves of ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Andes are mostly rich in non-ferrous metals, there are significant fields of tungsten, vanadium, bismuth, tin, molybdenum, lead, arsenic, zinc, antimony, etc.
The territory of Chile has large copper deposits. In the foothills of Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Venezuela there are fields of oil and gas, as well as deposits of brown coal. In the Bolivian Andes there are iron deposits, Chilean - sodium Selitra, in Colombian - underground pantry, gold, silver and emeralds.
Cordillera: Climate
Northern Andes. The northern part of the Andes belongs to the northern hemisphere to the alternation of dry and wet seasons. Rainy season - from May to November. Caribbean Andes are at the junction of tropical and subequatorial belts, here the tropical climate with a small amount of precipitation dominates all year round.
For the equatorial belt, the abundance of precipitation is characterized and almost complete absence of seasonal temperature fluctuations, for example, in (Quito - the capital of Ecuador) fluctuations in average monthly temperatures per year is about 0.4 ° C. It is clearly expressed here a high-rise explanation: in the bottom of the mountains - the climate is hot and wet with almost daily precipitation, many swamps are found in lowlands. With increasing height, the amount of precipitation decreases, but the massiveness of the snow cover increases. From a height of 2.5 - 3 thousand meters. Daily temperature fluctuations increase (up to 20 ° C). At altitudes 3.5 - 3.8 thousand m. The average daily temperatures are about + 10 ° C. Even above - the climate is dry, harsh, with frequent snowfall; With positive daytime temperatures, strong frosts occur at night. Above 4.5 thousand meters - the zone of eternal snow.
Central Andes. It is possible to note the obvious asymmetry in the distribution of precipitation: Eastern Andean slopes are moistened significantly more intense than Western. To the west of the chain, the main Cordillera climate is deserted, very few rivers, in this part of the Andes stretches (Span. Desierto de Atacama), the most dry place on the planet. Sections of the desert rises to 3 thousand m above y / m. Low oases are mainly located in the valleys of small rivers that feed on the water from the melting of mountain glaciers. The average and coastal temperature range of coastal zones ranges from + 24 ° C (in the north) to + 19 ° C (in the south); Middle Union - from + 19 ° C (in the north) to + 13 ° C (in the south). Above 3 thousand meters of precipitation is also not enough, the invasions of cold winds are noted, then temperatures are lowered to -20 ° C. The medium temperature is not higher than + 15 ° C.
At minor altitudes are fraught with fog. The climate is very severe, the average annual temperatures do not rise above + 10 ° C. Great has a mitigating effect on the climate of the adjacent area.
South Andes. For Chilean-Argentinian Andes is characterized by subtropical climate, summer is dry here, winter wet. As the continentality of the climate is removed from the ocean, seasonal temperature fluctuations increase.
When promoting south, the subtropical climate of the Western slopes is gradually moving into a moderate oceanic climate. Powerful Western cyclones bring a huge amount of rainfall on the coast - more than two hundred days of the year they are walking rains, here are thick fogs, the sea is constantly a storm. The eastern slopes of arid western, average summer temperatures on the Western mountain slopes range from + 10 ° C to + 15 ° C.
In the most southern tip of the Andes (fiery ground), the climate is very wet, formed by powerful south-west winds. Most of the year, precipitation falls out, more often in the form of drizzling rains; During the year, low temperatures predominate with very minor seasonal oscillations.
Vegetation
An impressive height, a pronounced difference in moisturizing the western and eastern slopes of the Mountains - all this causes a large variety of the green cover of the Andes, here usually distinguish 3 altitude belts:
- Thierra Caliente (Sp. Tierra Caliente - "Hot Land"), lower forest belt in the mountains of the Central (up to 800 m) and South America (up to 1500 m);
- Tierra Fria (Up. Tierra Fria - "Cold Earth"), upper forest belt in Central and South America, from 1700-2000 m. (In low latitudes) to 3500 m (under the equator);
- Tierra Elido (Span. Tierra Helado - Frosty Land), high-mountain belt (between 3500-3800 and 4500-4800 m) with a harsh climate.
IN Venezuelan Andakh Shrubs and deciduous forests grow. The lower slopes ("Tierra Calchente") from the northwestern to the central Andes are covered with wet tropical (equatorial) and mixed forests for which various palm trees, banana and cocoa trees, ficuses, etc. are characterized.
In the belt "Tierra Fria" the nature of the vegetation varies noticeably: for this zone, tree-like fern, bamboo, chinnaya tree, Koki shrubs are typical. Between 3000 and 3800 m. Shrubs and low-spirited trees grow: lyanov and epiphytes, tree ferns, myrth, herase and evergreen oaks are common. Even above, it grows mainly xerophytic vegetation, moss marshes and lifeless stony rocks are located. Above 4500 m stretches the belt of ice and eternal snow.
South, in subtropics Chilean And. Evergreen shrubs prevail. The alpine plateau in the north is covered with wet equatorial meadows - (Pramo), in Peruvian Andakh And in the east of Tierra Helado - the dry mountain-tropical cereal steppes Hulk (Hulk. Hulk), on the Pacific West Coast - deserted vegetation, in the Atakama desert - numerous succulent epiphyts and cacti. Between 3000 m. And 4500 m. Semi-desert vegetation prevails (dry Pune): dwarf shrubs, lichen, cereal and cacti. The east of the main Cordillera drops a large amount of rainfall, there is a steppe vegetation with sacriform shrubs and various cereals: Kickl, Ticachak, Wein.
Tropical forests (chinnaya tree, palm trees) rise through the wet slopes of East Cordillera up to 1500 m, moving into low-speed evergreen forests (bamboo, ferns, lianas); And above 3000 m. - In the alpine steppes. A typical representative of the Flora of the Andean Highguard (it is found up to 4500 m.) Is Polypis (Polylepis, a family of rosy) - this plant is common in Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Chile and Ecuador.
In the middle part of the Chilean Andes today, mountain slopes are practically creeps today, there are only individual groves consisting of pines, araucaria, beaks, eucalyptus and plane fees.
The slopes of the Patagonian Andes are covered with subarctic multi-tiered forests from high trees and evergreen shrubs; In the forests there are a lot of lian, moss and lichens. Mixed forests are south, in which magnolias, beech, tree, fern, coniferous and bamboo grow. Eastern Patagonian Andes. Powered in the main beech forests. For the extreme south of the Patagonian slopes, tundra vegetation is characteristic.
Mixed forests from high-ranid deciduous and evergreen trees (calane and southern beats) occupy a narrow coastal strip in the west of the Andean ridges of the fire land; Almost immediately over the border of the forest stretches the snow belt. In the east, the subnutrctic alpine meadows and peatlands are common.
Animal world
Anda fauna is characteristic of a large number of endemic species. Alpaca and Lama inhabited in the mountains (the local population uses representatives of these species to obtain meat and wool, as well as cooked animals), various types of monkeys, deer Pudi, relic-eyed bear and Gaemal (endemics) Guanaco, Vicunya, Livets, Azarov Fox, Summer opossum, chinchilla, amusing and rodent degu. In the south, they live: Magellanova Dog, Blue Fox, Tuko-Tuco (endemic rodent) and others.
A variety of birds in abundance dwell in the "foggy forests" (Tropical wet forests of Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru and the North-West of Argentina), among them - Hummingbirds, which can be found even at the heights of more than 4 thousand m. Endemic condor dwells at altitudes Up to 7 thousand m. Some species of animals, such as chinchillas (which in the XIX - early XX centuries. Uncontrollably exterminated for the sake of valuable skins), as well as Titicac whistles and bellish chance, dwelling only in the vicinity of Lake Titicaca (Piticaca), Today are on the verge of extinction.
The feature of the animal world of the Andes is a wide species diversity of amphibians (about 1000 species). About 600 types of mammals live in the Andean Mountains (13% of which - endemics), over 1.7 thousand species of birds (33.6% - endemics) and up to 500 species of freshwater fish (of which 34.5% - endemic) .
Cordillera - This is the largest mountain system of the world.
what kind of mainland are mountains Alps, Andes, Cordillera, Ural, Scandinavian, Himalayas, Appach
It is located on the west coast of North and South America. That is, it is divided into two approximately equal parts. For this reason, sometimes the southern part of it, Andes, are called the longest mountain system (9000 km). This is partly true, because Andes like a separate object, and the truth has a greater length.
Description of the Cordillery Mountains
The length of the Cordiller is about 18 thousand km. Approximately 9 thousand km per each of its parts - they are almost equal.
But if we talk about the size as a whole, the northern part is larger - it is wider (up to 1600 km). But the south is a higher - 6962 meters at the highest point (Mount Akonkagua). In the north part of the Cordiller, the height reaches 6190 meters (Mount Denali), which is also quite a lot.
In general, at the height of this mining system among the leaders, although far from the first place.
As cordillers extend to huge distances, they lie in almost all geographic belts.
And this means that the conditions here are the most diverse. However, something similar is observed throughout the length of the mountains - glaciation. Even in the hottest climatic belts on the mountains there are snow caps (due to the relatively large height of the mountains). The total area of \u200b\u200bglaciation is 90 thousand km2.
Verses Cordiller
At least the highest points of the mining system and are located on six thousand meters, the average height of the mountains is 3-4 km. Although, the relief of this geological object is very diverse, so the designation of the height is quite conditional.
The highest peaks of the mountain system are:
- - Mount Akonkagua (extinct volcano) - 6962 meters.
- - Mount Denali (Mac-Kinley) - 6190 meters.
- - Okhos del Salado (the largest volcano of the world) - 6891 meters.
- - Monte-Pissis - 6792 meters.
- - Lewulaylyako (active volcano) - 6739 meters
- - Tupungato (active volcano) - 6565 meters.
- - Orizab Volcano - 5700 meters.
- - The system consists of a large amount of mountain arcs, which already gives some kind of uniqueness to Cordillera.
You can also note the presence of mountain ranges and kitelins, forming the increase and lowering of the relief - it is very interesting.
- - In Cordillera, there is quite high volcanic activity.
True, it is not about spewing volcanoes.
- - There are large stocks of non-ferrous and black metals in the mountains, as well as oil and brown coal.
- - Thanks to a large number of climatic belts, the roast world of the Cordiller is very diverse.
Andes or Andiy Cordillera (Cordillera de Los Andes) is the longest and one of the highest mountains of the Earth, restricting from the north and west of all southern America.
Andes mountain range rise in the West of South America and stretches at 6400 km from north to south.
Mountain Cordillera - the longest mountain system in the world
Only in one Ecuador 18 mountains rise above 4500 meters above sea level. To the west of the Andes - a narrow strip of the shore of the Pacific Ocean. On the eastern slopes take the beginning of the Amazon's tributaries, the main river of South America.
It is here before the appearance of Spanish conquistadors in the 1530s bloomed the great civilizations of Chimu and Incans, which only in the 1820s were able to free themselves from the domination of Spain.
Today, there are four independent states - Columbia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.
They live as descendants of European settlers and Indians, such as Aimar and Kechua. The official language of these countries is Spanish.
The area is rich in natural resources and timber, but many people work for a very low fee. Here they grow corn, sugar cane, bananas, coffee, potatoes and grain, which is called Quinoa.
Where is and how to get there
Address: South America, Andiy Cordillera
Andes in South America on the map
GPS coordinates:-20.923594, -69.658586
Cordillera (Spanish Cordillera, literally mountainous areas), the largest and largest in the world, which is not the same in the world, is a mining system. The Cordillera Mountain System is also one of the highest mountain systems subordinated only by Himalayan and Mountain Systems of Central Asia.
Geography of the Cordillere Mining System
Cordillera extend from the Arctic coast on Alaska (66 ° S.Sh.
) In the north-west of North America along the Western Coast of North and South America, in most southern shores of the fiery land (56 °) south of South America. Cordillera on the road traveling through a number of countries on both continents: Canada, USA, Mexico, Central America, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile.
The length of the mountain system Cordillero is more than 18,000 kilometers. The highest point is located in South America, on the top of the Akonkagua mountain at an altitude of 6,960 m above sea level, and the highest peak in North America reaches the tops of Cordillera on Mac-Kinley Mountain (Alaska), reaching a height of 6193 m. Cordillers form a huge barrier between The quiet ocean and the eastern parts of the two continents. Cordillera are excellent watercourses between the two oceans, the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans, as well as the climatic limit between countries on both sides of the mining system.
The entire mountain system of the Cordillera is divided into two parts corresponding to the districts of two continents: Cordillero North America and Cordillero from South America or Andes. The whole mountain system consists of several parallel crests adjacent to the coating of internal tiles and plains (in North America - Yukon, Fraser, Colombia, B.
Swimming pool, Colorado, Mexican; in South Peru and Central America). In North America, three parallel mountain areas are pronounced, one of them (rocky mountains) and extends east of the Plateau Square, another system, in mountainous areas is carried out directly to the west of this area (in Alaska Range Canada Mountain Coast, Cascade Mountains, Sierra Nevada, etc.), and the third mountain area system passes along the coast of the Pacific Ocean, partly on the coastal islands.
They come to Central America, Cordillera gradually fall and divided into two branches. One branch is located in the east near the Antille Islands, the other crosses Panama's experiencies and enters the continent of South America.
Andes (Cordillers in South America) in the northern and central parts consist of four, and on the other hand, two parallel rib systems are separated by a deep longitudinal deepening or intergonshore plateau.
The highest peaks are the ridges of Cordillera in the central part of the Andes, where the height of individual vertices reaches more than 6700 m (Akonkagua, 6960 m, Oios del Salado, 6880 m, Sakham, 6780 m, Llullailllaco, 6723 m).
The width of the mountain range varies significantly, so in North America the width of the Cordillera mountain range reaches 1600 km, reaching only 900 km on the southern continent, which is almost the fifth.
The main orogo processes due to any of the Cordiller began in North America in the Jurassic period, in South America (where most of the Paleozoic Structure of the Paleozoic Herrinist) - at the end of the Cretaceous period and are closely related to the formation of mountain ranges on other continents (see
Alpine laying). Education processes are actively continuing in Cenozoa. These processes largely determine the main orographic elements.
Cordillers folded structures are closely connected with the mountains of Northeast Asia and Antarctica. After the last observations of the design of Cordillera, it is still far from completion, confirming this remark, shows quite common, and sometimes very devastating earthquakes and intense volcanism, often lead to serious injury and victims, both between people and animals.
The active areas of Cordillera have more than 80 acting volcanoes, the most active Katmaya, Lassen Peak Colima Antisana, Sangai, San Pedro, Chile Volcanoes and others. Quaternary ice, especially north of 44 ° C, plays an important role in the formation of Cordillera. sh. And south of 40 ° Yu.Sh.
Where is Cordillera?
sh. Cordillera are rich in minerals. Here I remove important deposits of copper (especially rich deposits in Chile), zinc, lead, molybdenum, tungsten, gold, silver, platinum, tin, butter, etc.
Climate of the Cordillera Mountain System
Because of the high length from the north to the south, the strong decay of the relief and the high height of the mountain, the result is the exceptional variety of natural conditions in the Cordillera mining system.
Cordillera lie in almost all geographic areas of the world (except for the Antarctic and subpensar belt).
Cordillera climate is very diverse and varies greatly depending on the width of the landscape, height and exposure of the slopes.
The boundaries of cordillers are strongly wetted in temperate and lower belts (Western slopes) in equatorial areas and sub-screen (possibly eastern trails). Internal plains have a strong continental climate, and in subtropical and tropical stripes, they differ exceptional aridness. Large parts of the plateau, internal depression and the slopes of reefs, especially in tropical stripes, occupy stages, halves and deserts.
Highly moisturized border chains of mountains are covered with dense forests. In moderate zones of coniferous forests (in the north) and mixed forests of evergreen beecles and coniferous rocks (in the south), closer to the equator, are mixed (deciduous and evergreen) subtropical and tropical forests. On wet slopes of reefs of equatorial, sub-screen and subtropical strips, complex spectra of high strips, from the gills to eternal snow. The snowy border lies on Alaska at an altitude of 600 m above sea level, from 500 to 700 m on the fiery ground, and in Bolivia and in the south of Peru rises to 6000-6500 m.
In Alaska and in the south of Chile, the glaciers go down to the ocean, and in the hot zone only the highest peaks cover.
Despite the fact that few people live in significant territories, the vulnerable nature of the region has been disrupted that are difficult to restore.
At Alaska, 13 national parks were created, where typical natural complexes are protected, as well as local species of animals - mountain ram, deer caribou, black bear (Baribal) and Grizzly.
Cordillera Canada and North-West USA
This part of the Cordillers system has a relatively small height of mountains and relative narrow. It includes the coastal ridge of Canada, the inner plateau Fraser, Colombian and Rocky Mountains to about 48 ° C. sh. The most western orotectonic zone here goes to the islands. Only in the south the region expands, since this zone "returns" to the mainland. The southern border passes through the northern outskirts of the Big Basin and the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Young folded ridges of the coastal zone are fragmented and lowered. Intergorentic valleys are flooded with sea and are straits and narrow long bays, deeply quenched into the land. The coastal ridge continues the Nevadia zone, but its height is less than Alaskan (2000-3000 meters, in the south - up to 4000 meters). It is dissected and treated with glaciers. The coast carries a fjord character here.
Some total reduction in the mountains of the region compared to other parts of Cordiller is presumably explained by the large area of \u200b\u200bglaciation, both ancient and modern. It is possible that the earth bark here seems to be bombed under the weight of ice. The internal plateau is composed of lavva covers reaching power up to 1,200 meters. They are high (800-1500 meters), but narrow, expand only to the south (Colombian plateau - up to several hundred kilometers). Rivers, cutting the plateau, form canyons. Rocky mountains consist of a number of longitudinal ridges up to 4000 meters high separated by valleys and cool to the east. Raben filled with glacial sediments stretches along the western slopes, "" moat of rocky mountains. It is assumed that this is the continuation of the average and oceanic rift.
The amount of precipitation decreases from the west to the East (total for Cordiller pattern). The ocean coast receives 2000-3000 mm per year. Maximum - winter, snow cover in the mountains reaches medium power up to 6-9 m. Summer is cool, cloudy. The climate is the same as on the Alaska coast, only a little warmer.
Here, as on the coast of Alaska, grow "rain" coniferous forests from Sitkinskaya ate, douglasia, western chemlock, etc. with dense undergrowth, epiphytic mshami, fern.
Continentality features manifest on the inner plateau: little precipitation (300-400 mm), temperature amplitudes grow. In the north there are places of taiga on podzolic soils, replacing south of forest-steppe and stepma. At the extreme south, hide appear. The slopes of the rocky mountains are covered with pine forests and shrubs, and the valleys of the flasks.
In Cordillers, Canada has a large number of mountain glaciers of various types.
The region is rich in minerals, both ore (copper, iron, lead, zinc, silver, gold), and nonmetallic, such as stone coal. Forest resources are used, hydropotential rivers. Tourism is developed, especially in the mountains of British Columbia. For the protection of nature, a number of national parks were created - Jasper, Banff, Gleisher, and others.
Cordillera South-West USA
The physico-geographical country is located approximately between 48 ° and 32 ° C. sh. In the widest and most important variety of natural conditions of the Cordillers mountain system. The region experienced a general lift in Paleogen-Neogen, which was accompanied by discharges, denudation, greater erosion dismemberment.
Here are the most well noticeable to the manifestation of faults in the places of the Mainland (North American) and Oceanic (Pacific) bark. Prettyly clearly visible zones of the depth dive of the oceanic cortex under the mainland in the California area, where there is a huge gap in coastal sites. San Andreas Rift is stretched in the north-western direction by almost 900 km. It exists from housework, very active now.
Three structural-morphological zones are clearly traced: the axis, the most ancient - Nevadia, in the east of Lararamis, in the West - the young Cenozoic coastal ridges, the development of which continues to the present.
Modern climatic conditions are characterized by a large contrast, which is associated with the position in two climatic belts (moderate and subtropical), significant height amplitudes, the presence of mountain barriers on the path of marine air masses.
Areas on the annual amount of precipitation up to 100 mm and maximum temperatures up to + 57 ° C (death valley) are adjacent to the mountains, where the annual amounts of precipitation up to 2000 mm and even in the summer negative temperatures are dominated (the top sections of the Sierra Nevada). In the West, this is a climate of the Mediterranean type. In the other parts of the region in climatic conditions, continentality features appear.
Various parts of the region differ significantly in all components of nature.
Eastern (Lararamis) structures of rocky mountains are often referred to as a continental watershed with heights of 1800 m and above.
The ridges are anticline folds that have the Precambrian kernels. Some of them are elongated in the overall direction of the entire mining system from the North-West to the southeast (advanced ridge, Sangre de Cristo, etc.), but there are ridges and other orientation, sometimes even subshir. Between them, extensive plain plots were formed connecting the great plains with a large pool - the so-called "parks". They are composed by the sedimentary strata of Paleozoic-Mesozoic age. The vertex areas were covered by Wisconsin's glaciation, retained the triggers and punishes. Fir-fir-fir and pine forests, the bottoms of the "parks" are common on the slopes of the mountains. In the south and on the slopes of the mountains rose steppes and semi-deserts.
In the northeast, the Yellowstone Plateau (Yellowstone "is located in English means" yellow stone ") with a paleogenic case and young lavva covers that have a power of more than 1000 meters.
It is known as one of the largest land areas with geysers and thermal sources. Under powerful lava cover (300-600 meters), forests of the ancient deploys are buried. There are often their petrified trunks (there is a cut with 12 layers of the petrified forest, filled with volcanic ashes). In 1872, a Yellowstone National Park was founded here (an area of \u200b\u200babout 900 thousand hectares, located at a height of 2100 m to 3,400 meters). On the territory of the park 200 aquatic thermal and mud sources, about 300 geysers. Here "works" the greatest geyser is an excilore with a griffon diameter of 8-10 meters, which throws water to 100 meters up. Mineral precipitate forms geiserite of various shades - blue, purple, pink, etc. rich in the animal world of the park - Bison (their number compared to the beginning of the century increased 20 times and is several hundred heads), the type of brown bear - Grizzly, Coyote, Fox, skuns, badger, large predator Puma and 150 species of permanent birds. Park visit is regulated. The park is divided into zones, each of which solves certain tasks: there is a zone of strict security, where no influence of a person is allowed, the "controlled" zone (for the preservation of natural landscapes), the area of \u200b\u200borganized tourism and the tourist-administrative area (campings, car park, cafe , administrative buildings).
In the inside of the physico-geographical country to the west of the Rocky Mountains there is the largest inner Highlands - a large pool and a Colorado Plateau.
The large pool has undergone a complex education history: Paleozoic and Mesozoic folding formation, mesozoic sedimentation, intensive deformation of structures.
The modern relief was formed in Cenozoa under the influence of the discharges of the submeridional strike along the rift between the rocky mountains and the Sierra Nevada mountain massif. The chip material filled the intermountain depressions. In the northwest, active volcanism manifested itself. Currently, a relevance with numerous internal heartless depressions has a large scatter of absolute heights - from 1500-2000 meters to -85 meters (death valley). This is the result of powerful vertical movements.
Due to the barrier role of cascade mountains and Sierra Nevada, who prevent the transfer of the Pacific air masses, the climate with well-pronounced devices of continentality.
The annual precipitation amount here does not exceed 90-100 mm. The result of dry climate is the weak development of the river network, which does not have a runoff in the ocean. There is no removal of products of destruction beyond the basin, so the debris material bits and levels the mountain relief.
Within the highland of a hundred relic lakes - a big salty (the rest of Bonnevil Lake, most of which was lowered by the r. Snake).
Soil-vegetation cover and animal world are typical for deserts and semi-desert temperate and subtropical belts. America has a different appearance than the desert Eurasia.
Along with the Solonchak and Stony Deserts, there are sites with a clear seasonality, when the spring is brightly flowing with ephemers. In the southern part of the pool, "Radnatseli" was formed from cacti (up to 10 meters high) and YUKK. Pines and juniper with steppe herbs grow on the slopes of the ridges. Sonor's desert painted in Arizona. Hilly plain is made by sedimentary rocks and has island volcanic mountains. The desert is settled with many types of cacti, including giant tree-like Svorou. Volcanic mountains that overgrown with this plant seem to be removed covered with rare forest, devoid of small branches and leaves. The age of cacti is dozens and hundreds of years, the height is 10-12 meters, the thickness of the trunk is up to 70 cm, the coyotes and many poisonous snakes live under them. In addition to cacti in Sonor, other xerophyte plants are growing, which can carry not only drought, but also extremely high air and soil temperatures. Diverse and interesting animal world of the desert.
Plateau Colorado - the area of \u200b\u200bthe horizontal occurrence of the puffer breed of various lithological composition. Highly raised structural plain (more than 3,500 meters) framed by Coustami.
A deep-embedded river network created canyons with steep slopes, on which all the levels of the plateau of the rocks of different color are naked. On the outskirts of the plateau, volcanic rocks are widely represented in the form of intrusions and laccolites. The main watercourse is r. Colorado, which cut the plateau by creating the Grand Canyon. The main canyon has a winding shape, its depth of 1800 m, the maximum width to 25 km, the length of more than 300 km.
West of the internal plateau are located Nevadia structures - Sierra Nevada Mountains. This is a large block structure (a grinding boulder with comb-shafts), blocks are tilted to the West, there are battles at the base. Cascade mountains are a vivid example of a volcanic ridge with a number of active volcanoes. Folded structures within their limits are blocked by Cenozoic lavs, and high (some above 4000 m) volcanic cones are planned. Among them are also very active: in the 80s. XX century Saint Helens Volcano everacted two years in a row, there were many human victims. There are also extinct, but showing post-taxing activities.
The vegetation of the mountains is typically american.
Here in the valley r. Merset (Yosemite Valley) has been preserved (Park) from a secooydron giant. For large sizes (the height of many trees reaches 80-100 meters) and for bending, as the mammoth tissue, they were called mammoth trees. In the Nizhny Yarusa Mountains - Chaparal (American variety of McWis).
Coastal ridges - low (up to 2400 meters) Pacific structures are separated from the Nevadia structures by Willamett and California valleys. This is the result of subduction with the latest formation of shifts and faults, such as, for example, San Andreas.
This felt shows special activity. The blocks of the earth's crust at high speed are shifted horizontally relative to each other. The process is accompanied by severe earthquakes. For example, in 1992, 150 km from Los Angeles in the Mojava desert occurred an earthquake, during which over 10 days more than 5,000 jolts were registered. Large cities are suffering from underground jackets - San Francisco was very destroyed in 1906, in Los Angeles, the impulses of 7-8 points were in 1971.
Climate here is a subtropical with a wet warm winter (up to 10 ° C) and dry summer. On the coast, the summer is cool (mid-July temperatures about 15 ° C): affects the influence of air masses with the northern component and cold flow. When driving deep into the mainland, summer becomes significantly warmer (20-22 ° C). The annual precipitation amount is 500-600 mm with a winter maximum. The lower tier of the mountains occupies an analogue of the Mediterranean Macvis - Chaparal (thickets of shrub oak, deciduous and evergreen, 1.5-2 meters high, less often - 3 meters, on brown, above 600 meters - stony soils). In the south - overgrown acacia, cacti, YUKK. In the upper tiers, coniferous forests are dominated from Sitkinsky ate, douglasia, pines, sequel.
National parks are located on the northern sections of Western slopes, where forests are taken from sequoia evergreen (mahogany). Redwood National Park is north of San Francisco, in the valley of the river. Redwood Creek. Sequoia is the highest and most ancient trees, along with Mammoth trees from the same family. Sequoia grows up to 2000 years. The phytomass millennial sequoia is more than 4000 thousand c / ha (1% needle, the rest of the barrel and branches), the yield of business wood is 10 thousand m 3 / hectare. Trees are not afraid of fires.
Of all the regions of North America, Cordillera South-West US is allocated by a variety of natural attractions that attract tourists from all over the world.
In addition to recreational, this region has good agroclimatic and land resources. In the Big California Valley, the natural vegetation of dry hollow steppes and semi-desert is completely replaced by cultural. On the lands irrigated by the waters flowing from the mountains of rivers, a variety of subtropical cultures are grown. On the coast of the Pacific, gigantic urban agglomerations related to high-speed highways were formed. From Richmond, Auckland, San Francisco to Los Angeles, including the famous Hollywood, the solid urban development stretches.
The acute problem is pollution: all harmful emissions remain at the surface of the Earth, since the considerable part of the year the anticyclonal mode and downstream air currents are dominated. Functors.
Again and again I reread the favorite book "Children of Captain Grant." I love her heroes, worrying with them their difficulties and adversity. But most of all I love the part of the journey of the heroes of the Cordillera mountains. What are these Mountains and where are they located?
Where are the mountains of Cordillera
Mountain Cordillera - This is one of the largest mining systems of the Earth, It has prottening about 18 thousand kilometers. Their feature is a huge variety of natural conditions, which makes these mountains unique. Located they're in North and South America. South American Cordillerathese are called Andes. Mountains stretch through the following countries:
Above the cordiller only Himalayas. There are in the mountains active volcanoes And there is a high probability of earthquakes. Cordillera North America shared three belts. Eastern belt call another belt of rocky mountains because consists It is predominantly out high massive ridges. Inner belt comprises plateau and Nagoryev. Here exist so wide tectonic depressions,in which there are floodplains of rivers. Although there are high ridges. IN Western belt Include: pacific ridges; Coastal belts and belts of intermountain lakes.
Mountain chain of North Ameriki. include:
- lowlands;
- plateau;
- sea bays and straits;
- coastal chains;
- mountain coastal islands.
Animal world
Depending on climate, height and other climatic conditions, The animal and vegetable world of Cordiller is very different. Here are common coniferous forests. The height of trees sometimes reaches more than 80 meters. Among them: spruce,cypressian,fir,white and black spruce,huge thuja (red cedar),birch.
There is also a lot of mukhov and Fern. Trees like sequoia Located somewhat south. You can meet various types evergreen oak.
The main predator of the mountains is the famous Grizzly bear. Distributed foxes, wolves, lynos, elk, deer. In the southern regions there are lizards and snakes. But today Animal world in all its glorycan be found only inreserves. For example, bison and vilorogs live only there.
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