The inhabitants of subtropical hard-leaved forests and shrubs have adapted to the climatic conditions of this natural zone. Animals are most active in spring and autumn, when the combination of humidity and temperature is most favorable.
Among mammals, some ungulates are found in Mediterranean hard-leaved forests and shrubs, for example mountain sheep - mouflon, doe, civet predators(genetta, ichneumon), small cats.
Bears survive in the Pyrenees, the mountains of Morocco and the Balkan Peninsula.
In the eucalyptus forests of Australia you can meet the marsupial bear koala. He lives in the trees and is nocturnal sedentary lifestyle life.
Birds are numerous and varied: blue magpies, sparrows, canary finches (the ancestors of the house canary), warblers, mockingbirds, wheatears, etc. Of the waterfowl, the marbled teal is typical. Vultures and vultures- an integral part of the Mediterranean mountain landscape. Black vulture and griffon vulture are widespread.
Of the many species of turtles, the Greek one is the most famous. The southern Mediterranean is home to chameleons, many geckos, agamidae, and true lizards. Among snakes, snakes and snakes are especially common.
Meet and Poisonous snakes- viper, rhinoceros, viper, efa, cobra. The world of Mediterranean insects is unusually rich: butterflies - cavaliers, whites, satyrs; lots of beetles, termites and scorpions.
Temperate broadleaf forests.
They occupy eastern North America, Central Europe; also form high-altitude zones in the Carpathians, Crimea and In addition, individual pockets of broad-leaved forests are found in the Russian Far East, Chile, New Zealand and in the center of Japan, in Northern China.
They occupy an area between mixed forests in the north and steppes, Mediterranean or subtropical vegetation in the south.
European broadleaf forests— endangered forest ecosystems. Broad-leaved forests grow in areas with a humid to moderately humid climate, characterized by an even distribution of precipitation (400 to 600 mm) throughout the year and relatively high temperatures. The average temperature in January is -8...0 °C, and in July +20...+24 °C.
The upper tier in these forests is occupied by oak, beech, hornbeam and linden. IN Europe meet ash, maple, elm. The undergrowth is formed by shrubs - hazel, warty euonymus, and forest honeysuckle. The dense and tall herbaceous cover of European broad-leaved forests is dominated by chickweed, green grass, hoofweed, lungwort, woodruff, hairy sedge, and spring ephemeroids: corydalis, anemone, snowdrop, scilla, goose onion, etc.
IN North America In this zone, species of oaks grow that are characteristic only of this continent. The deciduous forests of the Southern Hemisphere are dominated by southern beech.
Modern broad-leaved and coniferous-deciduous forests formed five to seven thousand years ago, when the planet warmed and broad-leaved tree species were able to move far to the north. In subsequent millennia, the climate became colder and the area of broad-leaved forests gradually decreased.
Fauna broad-leaved forests are represented by ungulates, predators, rodents, insectivores, and chiropterans. They are distributed predominantly in those forests where living conditions are least modified by humans. Moose, red and sika deer, roe deer, fallow deer, and wild boar live here. Wolves, foxes, martens, hori, stoats and weasels represent a group of predators in deciduous forests. Among the rodents there are beavers, nutria, muskrats, squirrels, minks, and raccoons. The forests are inhabited by rats and mice, moles, hedgehogs, shrews, as well as various types of snakes, lizards and marsh turtles.
The birds of broad-leaved forests are diverse. Most of them belong to the order of passerines - finches, starlings, tits, swallows, flycatchers, warblers, larks, etc. Other birds also live here: crows, jackdaws, magpies, rooks, woodpeckers, crossbills, as well as large birds- hazel grouse and black grouse. Among the predators there are hawks, harriers, owls, owls and eagle owls. The swamps are home to waders, cranes, herons, various species of ducks, geese and seagulls.
In the broad-leaved forests of Eurasia, many animals have become rare and are under human protection. The bison and the Ussuri tiger are listed in the Red Book.
Temperate mixed forests.
Within temperate zone there are several types mixed forests: coniferous-deciduous forest; secondary small-leaved forest with an admixture of coniferous or broad-leaved trees and mixed forest consisting of evergreen and deciduous tree species. In the subtropics, mainly laurel-leaved and coniferous trees grow in mixed forests.
In Eurasia zone coniferous-deciduous forests distributed south of the taiga zone. Quite wide in the west, it gradually narrows towards the east. Small areas of mixed forests occur in Kamchatka and south Far East. IN North America such forests occupy vast areas in the eastern part of the temperate climate zone, near Great Lakes.
In the Southern Hemisphere mixed forests grow in New Zealand and Tasmania. The mixed forest zone is characterized by a climate with cold, snowy winters and warm summer. Winter temperatures in maritime areas temperate climate positive, and as they move away from the oceans, C drops to -10 °C. The amount of precipitation (400-1000 mm per year) is not much greater than evaporation.
Mixed forests are distinguished by clearly visible layers. The upper tree layer is occupied by tall pines and spruces, and below grow oaks, lindens, maples, birches, and elms. Under the shrub layer formed by raspberries, viburnum, rose hips, and hawthorn, shrubs, herbs, mosses and lichens grow.
Coniferous-small-leaved forests, consisting of birch, aspen, and alder, represent intermediate forests in the process of coniferous forest formation.
Within the mixed forest zone, there are also treeless spaces. High treeless plains with fertile gray forest soils are called opole. They are found in the south of the taiga and in the zones of mixed and deciduous forests of the East European Plain.
Polesie - low treeless plains, composed of sandy deposits of melted glacial waters, are common in eastern Poland, Polesie, in the Meshchera Lowland and are often swampy.
In the south of the Russian Far East, where within the temperate climate zone they dominate seasonal winds- monsoons, mixed and broad-leaved forests grow, called Ussuri taiga . They are characterized by a more complex layered structure and a huge variety of plant and animal species.
In mixed forests North America of coniferous trees are often found white and red pine, and from deciduous - birch, sugar maple, American ash, linden, beech, elm.
Animal world similar to the fauna of the taiga and the deciduous forest zone. Foxes, hares, hedgehogs and wild boars are found even in well-developed forests near Moscow, and moose sometimes go out onto roads and on the outskirts of villages. There are a lot of squirrels not only in forests, but also in city parks. Along the banks of rivers in quiet places, further away from populated areas, you can see beaver lodges. Mixed forests are also home to bears, wolves, martens, badgers, and a diverse world of birds.
The territory of this natural zone has long been developed by humans and is quite densely populated. Mixed forests have long been subject to severe deforestation and fires. They are best preserved in North America and the Far East, while in Eurasia they are used for field and pasture land.
Taiga.
This forest zone is located within the temperate climate in the north North America and on northern Eurasia. There are two types of taiga: light-coniferous and dark-coniferous.
Light coniferous taiga- These are pine and larch forests, the sparse crown of which allows the sun's rays to reach the ground. Pine forests, having an extensive root system, have acquired the ability to use nutrients from marginal soils. This feature of the root system of these forests allows them to grow in areas with permafrost. The shrub layer of the light-coniferous taiga consists of alder, dwarf birch, polar willow, and berry bushes. Mosses and lichens are located under this layer. This is the main food of reindeer. This type of taiga is common in Eastern Siberia.
Dark coniferous taiga- these are forests represented by species with dark, evergreen needles. These forests consist of numerous types spruce, fir, Siberian pine (cedar). Dark-coniferous taiga, unlike light-coniferous taiga, has no undergrowth, since its trees are tightly closed with crowns, and it is gloomy in these forests. The lower tier consists of shrubs with hard leaves (lingonberries) and dense ferns. This type of taiga is common in European part of Russia and Western Siberia.
The unique flora of these taiga species is explained by differences in the climate of the territories: average annual temperatures and the amount of precipitation. The seasons are clearly distinguished.
Animal world The taiga zone of Eurasia is very rich. Both large predators live here - brown bear, wolf, lynx, fox, and smaller predators - otter, mink, marten, wolverine, sable, weasel, ermine.
Brown bears are typical inhabitants of vast forests, not only taiga, but also mixed forests. There are 125-150 thousand brown bears in the world, two thirds of which live in the Russian Federation. The sizes and colors of the subspecies of brown bears (Kamchatka, Kodiak, grizzly, European brown) are different. Some brown bears reach three meters in height and weigh more than 700 kg.
During the year, bears travel from 230 to 260 kilometers in search of food, and with the approach of winter they return to their dens. Wolves are common in many areas of Europe, Asia and North America. They are found in the steppe, desert, mixed forests and taiga. The body length of the largest individuals reaches 160 cm and weight 80 kg. Mostly wolves are gray, but tundra wolves are usually somewhat lighter, and desert wolves are grayish-red. These ruthless predators are distinguished by their developed intelligence.
Lynx is found in the taiga zone from Scandinavia to the coast Pacific Ocean. The taiga forests of Siberia are inhabited by the Siberian chipmunk, a typical representative of the chipmunk genus, which is also found in Northern Mongolia, China and Japan. The body length of this funny animal is about 15 cm, and the length of its fluffy tail is 10 cm. On the back and sides, there are 5 longitudinal dark stripes on a light gray or reddish background, characteristic of all chipmunks. The color of squirrels depends on their habitat. In the Siberian taiga they are reddish or copper-gray with a blue tint, and in European forests they are brown or red-red.
Many taiga animals survive the long, cold and snowy winter in a state of suspended animation (invertebrates) or hibernation (brown bear, chipmunk), and many bird species migrate to other regions. Passerines, woodpeckers, and grouse—grouse, hazel grouse, and grouse—permanently live in taiga forests.
Taiga North America has a milder climate, so species composition There are more diverse animals there.
Tropical forests.
They are located along the east Central America, in the Caribbean islands, on the island of Madagascar, in eastern Australia and in southeast Asia. The existence of forests in this dry and hot climate is possible thanks to the heavy rainfall that the monsoons bring from the oceans in summer. Depending on the degree of moisture, tropical forests are divided into permanently wet and seasonally wet forests.
In terms of their species diversity of flora and fauna, tropical rainforests are close to equatorial forests. These forests contain many palm trees, evergreen oaks, and tree ferns. There are many lianas and epiphytes of orchids and ferns. The tropical forests of Australia differ from others in their relative poverty of species composition. There are few palm trees here, but eucalyptus, laurels, ficus, and legumes are often found.
The fauna of the equatorial forests is similar to the fauna of the forests of this belt..
Forests of the subequatorial belt.
These are deciduous evergreen forests, which are located along the eastern edge of South America, along the coast of Indochina, and in northeastern Australia. There are clearly two seasons here: dry and wet, the duration of which is about 200 days. In summer, equatorial air masses dominate here, and in winter, dry tropical air masses dominate, which leads to the falling of leaves from the trees.
The air temperature is constantly high, +20-30°C. Precipitation decrease from 2000 mm to 200 mm per year. This leads to a lengthening of the dry period and to the replacement of evergreen, permanently moist forests by seasonally moist deciduous ones. Most deciduous trees do not lose all their leaves, but a few species remain completely bare.
Mixed (monsoon) forests of the subtropical zone.
They are located in the southeastern United States. These are the wettest of all subtropical zones. Characterized by the absence of a dry period. Annual quantity There is more precipitation than evaporation. Maximum amount Precipitation usually falls in the summer, due to the influence of the monsoons, which bring moisture from the oceans; winter is relatively dry and cool. Inland waters are quite rich, groundwater predominantly fresh, shallow-lying.
Tall mixed forests grow here. Their species composition may vary depending on soil conditions. In the forests you can find subtropical species of pines, magnolias, camphor laurel, and camellia. Swamp cypress forests are common on the flooded coasts of Florida (USA) and in the lowlands of Mississippi.
The mixed forest zone of the subtropical zone has long been developed by humans.
In subequatorial latitudes(Brazilian and Guiana Highlands, Orinoco Lowland, Central Africa to the north, east and south of the Congo Basin, Hindustan, Indochina and Northern Australia) the main natural zone is savannas and woodlands. The climate is subequatorial (high temperatures, alternating wet and dry seasons).
Savannah - a sea of grass with rare islands of trees with umbrella crowns. Vast areas of these amazing natural communities are located in Africa, although there are savannas in South America, Australia, and India. Distinctive feature Savannas have alternating dry and wet seasons, which take about six months, replacing each other. Significantly influence the climate of savannas monsoon winds bringing seasonal rains.
Because these landscapes are located between the very wet natural zones of equatorial forests and the very dry zones of deserts, they are constantly influenced by both. But moisture is not present in savannas long enough for multi-tiered forests to grow there, and dry “winter periods” of 2-3 months do not allow the savanna to turn into a harsh desert.
The annual rhythm of life in savannas is associated with climatic conditions. During the wet period, the riot of grass vegetation reaches its maximum - the entire space occupied by savannahs turns into a living carpet of forbs. The picture is broken only by stocky, low trees - acacias and baobabs in Africa, fan palms in Madagascar, cacti in South America, and bottle trees and eucalyptus in Australia.
When the monsoon leaves, and its place is taken by dry tropical air, cereals and shrubs are very susceptible to fire, which often burns large areas. As a result, savannah vegetation has acquired modern features: an abundance of fire-resistant trees with thick bark, like baobabs, a wide distribution of plants with powerful root systems . Savanna zones are quite extensive, so the vegetation on their southern and northern borders is somewhat different.
Savannas bordering the desert zone in the north of the zone in Africa are rich in drought-resistant low grasses, milkweeds, aloe and acacia trees with highly branched roots. To the south they are replaced by moisture-loving plants, and along the banks of rivers the savannah zone is expanded into gallery forests with evergreen shrubs and vines, similar to humid equatorial forests. The Rift Valley of East Africa contains the most large lakes mainland - Victoria, Nyasa, Lakes Rudolf and Albert, Tanganyika.
Savannahs on their banks alternate with wetlands where papyrus and reeds grow. The African savannas are home to many famous nature reserves and National parks. One of the most famous - Serengeti, located in Tanzania. Part of its territory is occupied by the crater highlands - a famous plateau with ancient craters of extinct volcanoes, one of which is Ngorongoro has an area of about 800 thousand hectares!
Savannahs of South America traditionally called "llanos" And " campus". They differ from typical African savannas in the large number of shrubs and thickets of cacti.
Australian savannas and eucalyptus woodlands of the bush frame the central desert zone of this continent. Streams (creeks) that dry up in winter can turn into lakes and swamps during the wet summer period.
Appearance African savannah often called “park” for the alternation of “lawns” - areas with forbs - and “groves” - small groups of trees with umbrella crowns, picturesquely “scattered” among the lawns. The main inhabitants of African savannas are numerous ungulates. Herds of antelopes, zebras, gazelles, and buffalos trample and eat grass vegetation, preventing shrubs from settling. It is thanks to them that savannas have their “park” appearance.
Numerous birds live in the swampy lowlands and near lakes - cranes, flamingos, marabou, pigeons, and various waterfowl. The largest bird currently living on Earth is African ostrich. He cannot fly, but when running he reaches speeds of up to 70 km/h - faster than a passenger train! Many birds, such as South American vultures, feed on carrion and the remains of predators. This is what they do hyenas. However, a pack of hyenas can get their own lunch, even win it from lions or other predators.
Some of the most famous insects savannas - huge ants termites. Their cone-shaped tall structures are an integral part of the savannah landscape.
The largest savannah animal is African elephant. It differs from its Indian relative in the size and shape of its ears. African giant elephant up to four meters tall and weighing up to ten tons. Giraffe- Savannah decoration. He is distinguished by his graceful gait and amazing Long neck, which no other representative of the animal world can boast of.
The height of the giraffe reaches 6 m. Translated from Latin, the name of the giraffe sounds like “camel-leopard”. big cat cheetah- the fastest predator on the planet. It can reach a speed of 110 km per hour. When running, a cheetah relies not on three, but only on two paws - this explains its seemingly flying movements. a lion- the king of animals, reigns in the savannah.
Kangaroo- a marsupial animal that, in addition to savannas and woodlands Australia, is not found anywhere else in the world. In these places there are generally numerous marsupial animals, but the kangaroo is the largest of them
Hard-leaved evergreen forests Hard-leaved forests, subtropical evergreen forests mainly of xerophilous, hard-leaved species. The tree canopy is single-tiered, with a dense undergrowth of evergreen shrubs. The tree trunks are covered with a thick crust or cork, the crowns are wide; the leaves have a sclerophyllous structure (see Sclerophytes) and often turn into leaf spines. Hard-leaved forests are common in the subtropical zone on all continents (about 3% of the total forest area). They are most typical in the Mediterranean, where they are represented by forests of evergreen oaks and other hard-leaved species (myrtle, mastic tree, wild olive, etc.). As a result of logging, fires, and intensive grazing, hard-leaved forests are replaced by hard-leaved shrubs (maquis, garigue in the Mediterranean, chaparral in California, scrub in Australia). The classic area of distribution of hard-leaved forests and shrubs is the Mediterranean, the vegetation of which is at the same time extremely strongly modified by man. However, the main ecological features of communities of this type are best studied here. The uniqueness of the climatic conditions of this region lies in the discrepancy between the warm and wet periods in time; winters are wet and cool, with possible invasion of cold masses and temperatures dropping to negative, summers are dry with high air temperatures. This favors the dominance of evergreen trees and shrubs, which belong to a unique group of sclerophytes. They are characterized by the presence of a crust or plug on the trunks, the beginning of branching at a low height, and wide crowns.
Hard-leaved evergreen forests Hard-leaved and evergreen forests are a natural zone typical of the subtropical climate zone. Since the belt is the most favorable for human habitation, this natural zone has undergone the most significant transformations and has not been preserved in many areas of the planet. Hard-leaved forests are characteristic of the Mediterranean coast of Africa and Europe, South Australia, as well as the western coast of the subtropics of South and North America. Hardleaf forests occupy 3% of the planet's forests. The zone is located along the coasts of the seas and oceans; there is a sufficient amount of precipitation, usually from 500 to 1000 mm per year, most of it falls in winter. Due to sufficient moisture, the forests remain green all year round and do not shed their leaves, however, their leaves are hard and powerful. integumentary tissues, preventing excessive evaporation of water and, most importantly, preventing tissues from overheating in the bright sun; in some plants, the leaves are turned into spines. In Australia, these forests are represented by eucalyptus trees, in Europe by evergreen oaks. The climate zone is Africa, Australia, and North America.
Hard-leaved evergreen forests SUBTROPICAL HIGH-LEAF FORESTS AND SHRUBS Hard-leaved forests and shrubs are widely represented in the Mediterranean and Australia. Here, evergreen trees and shrubs dominate, belonging to a peculiar group of sclerophytes, which are characterized by a wide crown, a thick crust or plug on the trunk, and hard leaves that persist for several years. The leaves are often pubescent underneath and have a matte gray-green color, often covered with a shiny waxy coating and contain essential oils - all these are devices to reduce evaporation. The roots of many trees, for example holm oak, penetrate through cracks in rocks to a depth of 1020 m. On the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, even 34 thousand years ago, evergreen hard-leaved forests grew with a predominance of different types of oak (holm and cork, up to 20 m high). Human activity has made these forests very rare. Now, where there are no crops or plantations, shrub communities known as maquis have developed and represent the first stage of forest degradation. Such communities include shrubs and trees that are resistant to the effects of logging and fires. Particularly characteristic are heathers, strawberry trees, and in the Eastern Mediterranean wild olive, carob, myrtle, and pistachio. Shrubs are often intertwined with climbing plants, often thorny. Maquis is subjected to felling, destroyed by fires, and in its place garigue communities of low-growing shrubs and drought-resistant plants develop herbaceous plants. They are dominated by kermes oak, growing in the form of bushes up to 1.5 m high. Communities of this type amaze with the abundance of representatives of the families Lamiaceae, legumes, Rosaceae, etc., which secrete essential oils. On the rockiest and poorest soils, garigue consists of low-growing, thorny plants. In Australia, forests are composed of several species of eucalyptus. The so-called grass trees from the lily family, which are fire-resistant species, are unique. Australian scrub communities are also formed by eucalyptus and casuarina. Subtropical forests and shrubs border on one side with tropical seasonal dry forests, savannas and deserts, and on the other with temperate forests, so the species composition of animals is in many ways similar to the fauna of neighboring regions. shadows. This occurs due to the grazing of herbivorous mammals and the activity of rodents, which eat a significant part of the grasses and loosen the soil. They dig holes up to 23 m deep, and ejections of earth to the surface form numerous mounds. Marmots and gophers are an integral component of the existence of steppe ecosystems.
Hard-leaved evergreen forests Currently, steppes and prairies are mostly plowed and occupied by agricultural crops (this is especially true for the relatively wet meadow steppes and forest-steppes of Eurasia, and the tall grass prairies of North America). Animals of the steppes, prairies and pampas adapt to a rather harsh regime of temperature and humidity. Most of them are forced to limit their activity mainly to spring, to a lesser extent autumn period. During the cold winter they fall into suspended animation, and during summer droughts they reduce activity, remaining in a state of so-called semi-rest. Small vertebrates such as lizards, snakes, and some rodents hibernate during the winter, large mammals move to more southern areas with mild winters, and most birds make seasonal migrations. An open landscape (the absence of trees and shrubs) requires a search for shelter, so animals spend a certain part of their lives underground. Moreover, there is plenty of plant food such as rhizomes, tubers, and bulbs in the soil of the steppes. Many rodents, such as gophers, dig complex and deep burrows. Large settlements of the common marmot, or boibak, have been preserved in the steppe. Prairie dogs, which resemble small marmots in appearance, are common on the prairies of North America. Their colonies sometimes unite several thousand animals. In the South American pampa, a large rodent, the plain viscacha, from the chinchilla family, leads a similar lifestyle.
Hard-leaved evergreen forests In the Southern Hemisphere, the pampas, as well as dry grass-semi-shrub communities of Patagonia, located in the wind shadow of the Andes, are most often considered only as a semblance of steppes, their original analogues, which are characterized by the bush form of grasses and year-round growth of grasses (since there is no period with negative temperatures and there is no snow). The common mole vole lives in the steppes of Eurasia, a small rodent with small eyes, up to 15 cm long, armed with powerful incisors that protrude in front of the lips. With these incisors, the mole vole can dig underground passages without opening its mouth, which prevents earth from getting into it. The Altai and Mongolian steppes are inhabited by the zokor, a larger rodent, up to 25 cm long. Its eyes are also poorly developed, but it has powerful front paws and huge claws, which it uses to dig holes.
Hard-leaved evergreen forests In the prairies, gopher rodents lead an underground lifestyle. They have small eyes short tail and powerful incisors protruding in front of the lips. They dig a main burrow, a gallery up to 140 m long, from which numerous side burrows branch off. In the South American pump there is a similar ecological niche occupied by tuco-tuco rodents from a special family of ctenomiids, which dig complex branched burrows with nesting chambers and storage chambers. Members of the colony call to each other with loud cries of “tuko-tuko”, clearly audible from underground. In the steppes of Eurasia several centuries ago one could see herds of wild aurochs, saiga antelope, wild tarpan horses, and steppe bison grazing. These ungulates not only consumed plants together with other phytophages, but also actively loosened and fertilized the soil. On the North American prairies, where ungulates are not so diverse, the main species was the bison. Thousands of herds of these wild bulls grazed on the prairies until the arrival of Europeans armed firearms. The bison population has now been restored, numbers in the thousands, and occupies unplowed prairie areas on the northwestern edges of the species' primary range.
Hard-leaved evergreen forests The pampa is home to completely different large consumers of herbs: characteristic appearance humpless camel Lanako from the order Callus-footed. Guanacos make seasonal migrations: tetom to watering places and green pastures, in winter to areas with mild, snowless weather. Carnivorous animals of the steppes and prairies have a wide choice of food: from small insects and their larvae to rodents, birds and ungulates. The ground layer is inhabited by predatory ants (although in the steppe zone there are also many seed-eating ants), jumping beetles from the ground beetle family, and solitary burrowing wasps that hunt various invertebrates. Small birds of prey of the steppes (kestrel, falcon) consume mainly locust insects and beetles. Large feathered predators hunt rodents according to their size: from voles and ground squirrels to marmots and prairie dogs. Harriers, buzzards, and steppe eagle live in the steppes of Eurasia. On the prairies, the most common bird is the American kestrel. It feeds mainly on locusts and other insects. Both in the prairies and in the pampa, you can occasionally see the now almost exterminated fork-tailed kite. The predatory mammals of the prairies are the coyote, the black-footed ferret, the long-tailed weasel, in the Pampas the pampas fox, the maned wolf, the Patagonian weasel, and in the steppes the wolf, fox, ermine, and polecat. Carnivorous mammals feed mainly on rodents.
Red deer Red deer (Cervus elaphus) is a mammal of the deer family of the artiodactyl order. Quite a large animal (weighing up to 300 kg). Red deer Photo: Elliott Neep Description of the species Red deer (Cervus elaphus) is a mammal of the deer family of the artiodactyl order. A fairly large animal (weighing up to 300 kg) with a slender build. Adult males have branched horns with five or more branches on each horn. Females are hornless. The ears are large and oval. The tail is short. Newborn animals have a spotted body color; in adult representatives, spotting is absent or weakly expressed. On the back of the thighs, near the tail, there is a light-colored field, the “tail mirror,” which helps these animals not to lose sight of each other in a dense forest. In a red deer, the mirror extends above the tail and has a rusty tint. The horns of adult males are large, with numerous branches. The eyes glow red or orange at night. Deer are very beautiful animals Elliott Neep History of discovery Deer appeared at the beginning of the Pliocene (about 10 million years ago). Some species of the Old World migrated from Asia to America along the isthmus located on the site of the modern Bering Strait. During the Pleistocene era, i.e. about 1 million years ago, the huge “deer” Cervalces was found in North America, and in Europe at that time the big-horned deer Megaloceros was common, which was 1.8 m high and with an antler span of up to 3.3 m. In the British Isles this the animal was contemporary primitive man. Classification The Deer family (Cervidae) includes four genera: the genus Cervus, the genus Capreolus, the genus Alces and the genus Rangifer. The genus Deer (Cervus) includes three species in Russia: red deer (Cervus elaphus), sika deer (Cervus nippon) and fallow deer (Cervus dama). Red deer combines many subspecies: Caucasian deer, European deer, deer, Bukhara deer, wapiti, wapiti. Subspecies of red deer have different sizes. For example, large deer and wapiti weigh more than 300 kg and reach a body length of more than 2.5 m with a height at the withers of 130 - 160 cm, and a small Bukhara deer weighs less than one hundred kilograms and has a body length of 75 - 90 cm. Subspecies and shape may differ horns Thus, European deer have a large number of branches, and deer do not have a crown, but the antler itself is very massive and produces 6–7 branches.
Appearance Male red deer have very large branched antlers of three types: Central European, maral and hangul. In European deer, the number of shoots is large due to the branching of the end of the horn, where the so-called crown is formed. The horns of deer do not form a crown, but the trunk of their horns is very powerful, thick and produces 6 - 7 branches, of which the largest is the 4th, and at the place where it originates the trunk of the horn bends back and down. The Bukhara deer and other subspecies from Central Asia have relatively simple antlers, usually with five tines, and set more or less straight. The fur color of the red deer is grayish-brownish-yellow. The summer fur of adult animals is spotless; The “mirror” is large and rises to the croup above the base of the tail. The horns of adult males have at least five branches, and in many individuals a crown forms at the top of the horn. The sizes of deer belonging to different subspecies vary. In deer and wapiti, the body length reaches 250 - 265 cm, height at the withers 135 - 155 cm and weight 300 - 340 kg, while the Bukhara deer has a body length of only 78 - 86 cm, height at the withers 56 - 60 cm and weight 75 – 100 kg. Red deer in one of the US parks Elliott Neep Distribution Red deer live in many places around the world. Its range is quite large. This animal can be found throughout the territory Western Europe, in Algeria and Morocco, in Southern Scandinavia, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Tibet, in Southeast China. Cervus elaphus is most widespread in North America. These animals are found in Australia and New Zealand, Argentina and Chile, where they were introduced and perfectly acclimatized. In Europe, deer have chosen oak forests and light beech forests. In the Caucasus in the summer, these animals most often live in the upper part of the forest belt, where there are many tall grass glades. In the Altai and Sayan Mountains, deer prefer overgrown burnt areas or the upper reaches of forests, from where they overlook alpine meadows. In Sikhote-Alin, the favorite habitats of wapiti are oak forests, clearings, and mountain meadows. The Bukhara deer lives along the banks of rivers, where poplar groves, thickets of thorny bushes and reeds form. In North America, wapiti are found primarily in mountainous areas, preferring areas where forests alternate with open areas.
Life in nature Deer living on the plains lead a sedentary lifestyle, keeping in herds of 10 or more animals in relatively small areas of 300 - 400 hectares. Those living in the mountains make long seasonal journeys, sometimes covering distances of 50 and even 150 km. The transition to wintering areas with little snow occurs gradually and usually lasts one and a half to two months. And in May, when the snow rapidly melts in the mountains, the deer return. In the heat Central Asia the animals go to the desert border for the night. Noble deer. Wildlife ER Post B extreme heat deer climb into the water. They graze intermittently, alternating feeding with rest, arranging beds among the grass, often on the edges. In winter, animals lift and somewhat rake the snow - a warm hole is obtained. A mixed herd of deer is most often headed by an old female, around whom her children of different ages gather. Typically, the size of such herds does not exceed 4–6 heads. In the spring, the herds disperse. In autumn, the male collects a harem. After the rutting period, calves and juveniles join the group of adult females. This type of herd already numbers 10 or even 30 heads. Calving occurs in the second half of May - early June. By this time, the females separate from the mixed herd and climb into the thickets, most often along the banks of rivers and streams. Typically, one or two calves are born. A newborn calf weighs about 10 kg. It grows very quickly up to six months, then growth slows down, and upon reaching the age of six it stops altogether. The antlers of males begin to develop from the age of 1, so that by the autumn of the second year the young deer is decorated with ossified “matches” - antlers without processes. In April, the first horns are shed and new ones develop, with 3–4 shoots. In subsequent years, the size of the horns and the number of processes on them increase. The most developed and heaviest antlers are found on deer aged 10–12 years. In deer, the weight of antlers is 7–10 kg, in Caucasian deer – 7–8 kg, while Bukhara deer are lighter and weaker. Red deer feed mainly on grass, leaves and shoots of trees, mushrooms, lichens and reeds. However, they do not disdain bitter wormwood, and even such poisonous plants, like belladonna and aconite. In need of salt, deer willingly go to salt licks. If in captivity deer can live up to thirty years, then in natural conditions their life, as a rule, lasts 12 – 14 years. Females live significantly longer than males. Relationships with humans Red deer are of great economic importance. Deer, for example, are bred on special farms in Altai and Sayan to produce antlers. Although cutting them is very painful, the animal quickly recovers from the operation and, in the absence of horned rivals, can even take part in reproduction. Unfortunately, poaching of red deer for antlers has led to its disappearance from many areas. Therefore, in many places red deer are protected as rare. Thanks to the efforts of enthusiasts, the number of these animals is increasing. Interesting facts The image of a red deer is used in heraldry, for example, this animal is present on the coats of arms of Odintsovo near Moscow and Belarusian Grodno. The species “red deer” is listed in the Red Book. The red deer can be seen at the Moscow Zoo. Currently, deer are numerous in the Voronezh and Khopersky reserves, and in Tambov region These animals were exterminated back in the 90s. XX century The weight of deer horns can reach 24 kg.
Fallow deer Lifestyle[edit | edit original text]edit original text Female fallow deer The lifestyle of the European fallow deer resembles that of the red deer, but it is somewhat more unpretentious and sticks mainly to pine groves and park-like landscapes. She is less timid and cautious, but is not inferior to the red deer in speed and agility. The fallow deer is a ruminant and exclusively herbivore. Their food consists of grass and tree leaves. Sometimes they tear off tree bark, but do not cause as much damage to the forest as red deer. At this time, males trumpet loudly, calling females and emphasizing the rights to their habitat. Strong males establish themselves in the habitat by digging shallow holes in the ground for lying down, from which they trumpet even in a lying position. Females move in small groups and search for areas of the strongest deer. However, unlike the red deer, the male does not herd them and does not prevent them from leaving their range. From mid-June to the end of July, after a 32-week pregnancy, females separate from the group and give birth to cubs, most often one, occasionally two. Milk feeding lasts about 4 months. Young animals reach sexual maturity at the age of two to three years. In general, their life expectancy reaches 30 years. Newborn cubs sometimes become victims of foxes, wild boars and ravens.
Phylum Chordata > class mammals > infraclass placental > order Lagomorpha > family Lagoraceae] mammal, representative of the genus Rabbits, k" title="Wild rabbit European or wild rabbit (from the Latin Oryctolagus cuniculus) [animal kingdom > phylum Chordata > class mammals > placental infraclass > order Lagomorpha > lagofamily] mammal, representative of the genus rabbits, to" class="link_thumb"> 18 !} Wild rabbit European or wild rabbit (from the Latin Oryctolagus cuniculus) [animal kingdom > phylum chordates > class mammals > infraclass placentals > order lagomorphs > family lagomorphs] a mammal, a representative of the genus of rabbits, which is of Southern European origin. This particular species of rabbit is the only one that was domesticated on a large scale and is the predecessor of the entire modern variety of 8 breeds of rabbits. But there is also an unsuccessful experience of domesticating a wild rabbit, for example, when they tried to domesticate it in the unique ecosystem of Australia, this led to an environmental disaster. The wild rabbit was domesticated during the Roman Empire, and is still a game animal raised for meat and fur. Externally, a wild rabbit is a small animal that is similar to a hare, but only smaller in size. The body length of representatives of this species of rabbits ranges from 31 to 45 cm. Body weight can reach 1.3-2.5 kg. The length of the ears is 6-7.2 cm. Hind legs quite small compared to other types of hares. The body color of a wild rabbit is brownish-gray, slightly reddish in some parts. The tips of the ears and tail are always darkish in color, and the belly, on the contrary, is white or light gray. Molting in wild rabbits occurs quite quickly but is not very noticeable; the spring shedding lasts from mid-March to the end of May, and the autumn molt from September to November. The habitat of wild rabbits is quite wide, the largest population is concentrated in the countries of Central, Southern Europe and North Africa. There have been attempts to acclimatize the wild rabbit in North and South America, as well as Australia; it cannot be said that they were successful, but even today representatives of this species of rabbit can be found in these parts of the world. The habitat of wild rabbits also varies significantly; they can live in almost all types of terrain (although they avoid dense forests) and are absolutely not afraid of approaching settlements and can live even in mountainous regions (but do not rise above 600 m above sea level). The daily activity of a wild rabbit depends on the degree of danger to which it is exposed; the safer it feels, the more active it is during the day. The habitat area that would be sufficient for a wild rabbit is limited to 0.5-20 hectares. Unlike other species of hares, they dig quite large and deep burrows (the largest of them can reach 45 m in length, 2-3 m in depth and have 4-8 exits). And another difference between the wild rabbit and other species is that they do not lead a solitary lifestyle, but live in families that consist of 8-10 individuals. There is a complex hierarchical structure throughout the life of wild rabbits. In search of food, wild rabbits do not move more than 100 m from their burrows, so their diet cannot be called too varied. In summer, it is dominated by leaves and roots of herbaceous plants, and in winter, bark and branches of trees, the remains of plants that they dig out from under the snow. Wild rabbits reproduce quite often, 2-6 times, each time the hare brings 2-12 rabbits. Pregnancy takes days, i.e. a year the female brings rabbits. At birth, the baby rabbits weigh only 100 g, are not covered in fur at all, and are blind. Their eyes open only on the 10th day of life, and on the 25th day they can already feed on their own, although the female does not stop feeding them milk for the first four weeks. They reach sexual maturity at 5-6 months. The maximum lifespan of wild rabbits is years, although most do not live to be three years old. phylum of chordates > class of mammals > infraclass of placentals > order Lagomorpha > family of lagomorphs] mammal, representative of the genus rabbits, k"> phylum of chordates > class of mammals > infraclass of placentals > order of lagomorphs > family of lagomorphs] mammal, representative of the genus of rabbits, which has the South European origin. This particular species of rabbit is the only one that was domesticated on a large scale and is the predecessor of the entire modern diversity of 8 breeds of rabbits. But there is also an unsuccessful experience of domesticating a wild rabbit, for example, when they tried to domesticate it in the original ecosystem of Australia, this led to an environmental disaster. The wild rabbit was domesticated during the Roman Empire, and is still a game animal that is raised for meat and fur. Externally, the wild rabbit is a small animal that is similar to a hare, but only smaller in size. The body length of representatives of this species of rabbits ranges from 31 up to 45 cm. Body weight can reach 1.3-2.5 kg. The length of the ears is 6-7.2 cm. The hind legs are quite small, compared to other types of hares. The body color of a wild rabbit is brownish-gray, slightly reddish in some parts. The tips of the ears and tail are always darkish in color, and the belly, on the contrary, is white or light gray. Molting in wild rabbits occurs quite quickly but is not very noticeable; the spring shedding lasts from mid-March to the end of May, and the autumn molt from September to November. The habitat of wild rabbits is quite wide, the largest population is concentrated in the countries of Central, Southern Europe and North Africa. There have been attempts to acclimatize the wild rabbit in North and South America, as well as Australia; it cannot be said that they were successful, but even today representatives of this species of rabbit can be found in these parts of the world. The habitat of wild rabbits also varies significantly, they can live in almost all types of terrain (although they avoid dense forests), are absolutely not afraid of approaching populated areas and can even live in mountainous regions (but do not rise above 600 m above sea level). The daily activity of a wild rabbit depends on the degree of danger to which it is exposed; the safer it feels, the more active it is during the day. The habitat area that would be sufficient for a wild rabbit is limited to 0.5-20 hectares. Unlike other species of hares, they dig quite large and deep burrows (the largest of them can reach 45 m in length, 2-3 m in depth and have 4-8 exits). And another difference between the wild rabbit and other species is that they do not lead a solitary lifestyle, but live in families that consist of 8-10 individuals. There is a complex hierarchical structure throughout the life of wild rabbits. In search of food, wild rabbits do not move more than 100 m from their burrows, so their diet cannot be called too varied. In summer, it is dominated by leaves and roots of herbaceous plants, and in winter, bark and branches of trees, the remains of plants that they dig out from under the snow. Wild rabbits reproduce quite often, 2-6 times, each time the hare brings 2-12 rabbits. Pregnancy takes 28-33 days, i.e. the female brings 20-30 rabbits per year. At birth, the baby rabbits weigh only 40-50 g, are not covered in fur at all and are blind. Their eyes open only on the 10th day of life, and on the 25th day they can already feed on their own, although the female does not stop feeding them milk for the first four weeks. They reach sexual maturity at 5-6 months. The maximum lifespan of wild rabbits is 12-15 years, although most of them do not live to be three years old."> phylum of chordates > class of mammals > infraclass of placentals > order of lagomorphs > family of lagomorphs] mammal, representative of the genus rabbits, k" title="(! LANG:Wild rabbit European or wild rabbit (from the Latin Oryctolagus cuniculus) [animal kingdom > phylum chordata > class mammals > infraclass placentals > order lagomorphs > family lagoraceae] mammal, representative of the genus rabbits, to"> title="Wild rabbit European or wild rabbit (from the Latin Oryctolagus cuniculus) [animal kingdom > phylum chordates > class mammals > infraclass placentals > order lagomorphs > family lagoraceae] mammal, representative of the genus rabbits, to"> !}
Tailless monkey Magot The fact is that in the very south of the Iberian Peninsula the rock of Gibraltar rises, adjacent to it is a narrow sandy isthmus - without it, the rock would turn into an island. For almost 10 centuries (from 711 to 1602) this place belonged to the Moors; in the 17th century it passed to Spain, and a century later, in 1704, British troops recaptured this strategically important piece of land. Since then, Gibraltar has lived and prospered under the British flag. The climate in this place is not the same as in Foggy Albion. The warm sea and bright sun do not surprise anyone in this region. Even tailless macaques, which do not live anywhere else in Europe outside the zoo. And here they feel great. In addition, the magot is the only species of macaque that does not live in Asia. This animal is also called the Barbary, or barbary, macaque. Magoths have thick, reddish-yellow fur, a slender body, height - about 80 centimeters, weight - up to 15 kilograms. These are indicators of males, females are much smaller. The fur of these monkeys is able to protect them from quite severe colds - these creatures can survive even ten degrees of frost. The teeth of these cute monkeys are simply terrifying - huge and sharp. Looks like their lunch isn't bananas and oranges! Magots feed on roots, fruits, buds, shoots, seeds various plants- life on the wooded cliffs has taught them not to pick too much food. They do not disdain insects and small animals, which they manage to catch under (and between) stones. In the middle of the 20th century, the number of Magoths in Europe began to decline sharply; they disappeared in Spain, and only about two dozen individuals remained in Gibraltar. But they were taken under the protection not of anyone, but of the British Navy itself. The welfare of macaques is critically important to the military - according to local belief, as long as at least one monkey lives on Gibraltar, it will remain British. Such a politically significant person! Unfortunately, the macaque macaque is now a rare animal. Colonies of Magoths are so few in number that these monkeys are listed in the International Red Book. A female magota usually gives birth to one, rarely two, cubs per year. And for a whole year the little monkey clings to the fur of its mother, who constantly looks after the little rogue. Magots remain young until they are 4 years old, and then they themselves can give birth to offspring.
Canaries Canaries are birds of the finch family. In nature, a common bird in the Canary Islands, Azores and Madeira Island. In the 15th century it was brought to Europe and domesticated. Many breeds of decorative and beautifully singing canaries have been bred. The wild canary (Serinus canaria) is a small bird (body length cm). The plumage of the male is grayish-green with dark longitudinal streaks, and greenish-yellow on the abdomen. The female's plumage is dull gray. The indigenous habitats are apparently mountain forests. However, the bird has fully adapted to life in the cultural landscape and settles in gardens, parks, hedges, etc. The canary is a migratory bird in its homeland and only in the south does it lead a sedentary lifestyle. It feeds mainly on small seeds, tender greens and juicy figs. He loves to swim. Birds fly in flocks to the water to drink and swim, while they heavily wet their plumage. Nests are made in trees. There are 3-5 eggs in a clutch. The female incubates. The male usually sits at the ends of branches and sings throughout the nesting period. The song of a wild canary is pleasant, but poorer and less sonorous than that of a domestic canary. Wild forms, compared to domestic ones, do not have such a variety of colors and singing. The birds got their name from the name of the group of Canary Islands, from where they were exported by Spanish colonialists. These islands were a center for canary fishing and exportation, although wild canaries were also found on Madeira Island and the Cape Verde Islands. Four hundred years ago, canaries did not have the variety of shapes, colors and songs for which their domestic descendants are famous. The unpretentiousness of the canary and the fashion for overseas curiosities made this bird very popular at one time among Spanish youth. Having such a bird was considered a sign of good manners. The singers were paid huge amounts of money. Thanks to the rapid development of navigation, the fame of these birds soon reached many European countries. But for centuries the canary was still a rare bird in Europe and was highly valued. Only wealthy people could buy it. Gradually, people of various classes and professions began to breed canaries. The ability to adopt the songs of other birds, the comparative ease of breeding and maintenance have made the canary a favorite of humans. Particular interest in the canary arose after yellow-colored individuals appeared in the offspring of birds of the usual green color. This transformation, associated with a change in living conditions, occurred almost simultaneously in many European countries in the 17th century. This gave impetus to the development of breeding work. A great variety of different breeds and color forms have been developed. Among them there are white, yellow and variegated canaries, canaries of normal build and birds with disproportionately high legs with special feather collars. Lovers different countries They select canaries according to their tastes. The British managed to develop varieties of original shapes and colors, for example, “humpbacked”, orange-red with dark green wings (nervous), giant Manchester. Dark canaries with a brownish-greenish color are birds that have retained the coloring of a wild canary. They are strong, hardy, and sing well. Some fans, however, consider their singing too loud. Bright yellow “saffron” canaries are the result of an admixture of blood from colored canaries. They are fertile, but weaker than dark ones and less capable of singing. Pied canaries were bred by Russian canary breeders by mating green and lemon birds. They are hardy and good singers. Russian and German canary breeders prefer large light yellow (whitish) canaries.
In Germany, the center of canary breeding was Adreasberg on the Harz. The famous Harz or Tyrolean canaries became famous for their pipe melody, echoing Tyrolean songs. Birds were taught this type of singing using pipes and organs. The secret of breeding and training canaries has been passed down from generation to generation. The canary was brought to Russia from Germany in the 17th century. In Russia, until 1917, canary breeding was one of the very significant sources of side income for the population. Canary breeding was practiced in such regions as Smolensk, Tula, Kaluga, Bryansk, Nizhny Novgorod, and Ivanovo. The village of Pavlovo in the Nizhny Novgorod province and the Polotnyany Plant in Kaluga region and the small district towns of the Bryansk province of Starodub, Surazh and Novozybkov. They bred hundreds and thousands of canaries and sold them at Nizhny Novgorod, Kaluga, Smolensk and other fairs. They were bought mainly by Iranians, as well as residents of Central Asia and Transcaucasia. For a long time, a canary or other feathered pet could be seen both in the log hut of a rural “poultry farm” and in the city apartment of an amateur. Yesterday's Russian peasants, cut off from their fields, wanted the canary's singing to remind them of their native nature, and they realized this dream by creating a canary with a peculiar oatmeal melody. The song of the Russian canary sounds the melancholy trills of the bunting, the sonorous perky knees of the great tit, the flute whistles of the sandpiper, the silvery tints of the wood lark and other famous singers. Learning to sing the oatmeal began at a young age; they tried to keep the chicks so that they did not hear sounds that could spoil the singing. There were special cage schools for them, where they were placed at two or three months of age. Here, isolated from each other, the birds could without interference learn the singing of the old canary teacher. At the same time, those who were too loud were immediately rejected. apartment Eagle The nests of the hawk eagle are located on inaccessible rocks, which allows this rare predator to successfully nest in fairly crowded places, near villages or busy roads. The relatively long legs of the hawk eagle, equipped with long and thin claws, and the speed and maneuverability of its flight allow this rare predator to specialize in hunting birds. Crested eagle - inhabitant of mountain tropical and subtropical forests South-East Asia. In Russia, only a few random flights of these exotic birds have been recorded to the south of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, where the eagles most likely arrived from Japan. This is where the closest places of their regular habitat are located. Even in places where imperial birds are widely inhabited, their nests are located no closer than two to three kilometers from each other, and to see one eagle, you need to walk on average about 10 km through the desert. This is due to the eternal shortage of large saxaul trees that can support an eagle's nest and are located not too far from rich hunting grounds with an abundance of hares, gophers and gerbils. The clutch of the Imperial Eagle consists of two white eggs with brown spots. Both parents participate in its incubation, which lasts about 43 days. At the age of two months or a little later, the eaglets fly out of the nest, but remain with the adults for several months. Pygmy Eagles - typical migratory birds. They return to their nesting sites in pairs in mid-April. At the end of April or beginning of May, the female lays 2 eggs and incubates them for days. The Lesser Spotted Eagle and the Pygmy Eagle do not build their own nests, but occupy the old buildings of buzzards and kites, which prefer to be built anew every year. There are cases when dwarf eagles drove buzzards straight from their nests, throwing away their eggs. The Imperial Eagle differs from the Golden Eagle by its bright white “epaulettes” - areas of white plumage on the shoulders that form a sharp contrast with the main dark brown plumage of the bird. Mostly “elderly” birds, whose age is more than seven or eight years old, flaunt this outfit. However, in some populations when favorable conditions When there is no shortage of food and trees suitable for nesting, relatively young birds, completely covered with dark brown feathers and without characteristic markings on the shoulders, are included in the breeding in large numbers. Most often, burial grounds build nests on saxaul branches at a height of 1.5-2.5 m from the ground surface. The nests are very massive and represent very spacious platforms made of different-sized branches. The rare eagle's home in the desert is ignored by enterprising Indian sparrows: dozens of pairs settle right in the thickness of the building in the cracks and voids between the branches, other pairs build their spherical nests in the neighborhood. The sparrow colony is a source of incredible noise and commotion all day long, and one can only marvel at the endurance and patience of the burial grounds, who, as if nothing had happened, live in this “communal apartment” instead of restoring order by chopping all the neighbors into cabbages.
Savannas are an area where running birds are distributed: the ostrich in Africa, the rhea in America, the emu in Australia, the cassowary in New Guinea. Large flocks are formed by granivores: weavers and squirrels.
Termites infest dense adobe buildings in savannas. In addition to termites, ants and locusts are also abundant among insects. Desert and migratory locusts form into wandering swarms. The tsetse fly, which lives in damp gallery, along river beds, and forests of African savannas, is a carrier of the causative agent of human sleeping sickness and revolvers– diseases of cattle that are usually fatal. Lots of amphibians, lizards and snakes.
The fauna of the savannas, especially large herbivores, in all its richness and diversity has been preserved only in protected areas. This primarily applies to large herbivores. Almost all savannas, with the exception of arable lands, are used as pastures. Intensive grazing often leads to To degradation vegetation cover, which accelerates in dry years. These same years are also characterized by the mass death of herbivores. Fires are a controversial anthropogenic environmental factor. Their beneficial effect on grass cover is manifested, according to UNESCO, with precipitation of more than 700 mm per year. With less rainfall in burnt areas, plant growth slows down and fires contribute to further degradation of the grass cover. Irreversible changes in vegetation cover lead to desertification of savannas, especially dry and thorny ones. The main task in the field of nature conservation is related to the prevention of further destruction of vegetation.
Evergreen subtropical hard-leaved forests and shrubs. The transition of biome formations from the tropical to the temperate zone between 30 and 40 s. and Yu. w. happens gradually. In the domestic biogeographical literature, this transition corresponds to subtropical regions; in the foreign literature, to moderately warm regions.
In general, the subtropical zone is characterized by a wide variety of climatic conditions, expressed in the peculiarities of moisture in the western (Mediterranean), inland and eastern (monsoon) sectors. Desert formations are developed in arid inland regions. In the western sectors of the continents there is a Mediterranean type of climate, the uniqueness of which lies in the discrepancy between the wet and warm periods. The average annual precipitation (on the plains) is 300–400 mm, the majority of which falls in winter. Winters are warm, the average temperature in January is usually not lower than 4 °C. Summers are hot and dry, the average temperature in July is above 19 °C. Under these conditions, Mediterranean hard-leaved plants were formed plant communities. Their main area of distribution, in addition to the European-African Mediterranean, includes Australia, southern Africa, the middle part of Chile in South America and California in North America.
In the eastern sectors of continents with a humid subtropical climate (precipitation is more than 1000 mm per year, and it falls mainly in the warm season) laurel or laurel leaves, forests and conifers replacing them. The main areas of distribution of these forests are East Asia, southeastern North America (Florida and adjacent lowland areas), the east coast of Australia and South America. In South America, the boundary between them and tropical forests is unclear.
It should be noted that laurel, less xerophilic, and rigid-leaved, more xerophilic, forests and shrubs do not differ so significantly as to classify them as different classes of formations (Voronov, 1987). In addition, the moisture conditions in the area of their distribution with rugged relief determined the various combinations of these communities.
The main area of distribution of hard-leaved forests and shrubs is the Mediterranean - a territory developed by ancient civilizations. Grazing by goats and sheep, fires and land exploitation have led to the almost complete destruction of natural vegetation cover and soil erosion. Climax (stable, not degraded) communities were represented here evergreen rigid-leaved forests with dominance of the genus oak. In the western Mediterranean, with sufficient rainfall on various parent species, the common tree species was holm oak– sclerophyte up to 20 m high. The shrub layer included low-growing trees and shrubs: with amshit, strawberry tree, phyllirea, evergreen viburnum, pistachio and many others. The grass and moss cover was sparse. For the very poor acidic soils forests grew from cork oak. In eastern Greece and on the Anatolian coast of the Mediterranean Sea (Taurida), holm oak forests were replaced by forests of kermes oak. In warmer parts of the Mediterranean, oak stands were replaced by stands of wild olive (wild olive tree), pistachio lentiscus and ceratonia, and argan in southwestern Morocco. The mountainous regions were characterized by coniferous forests of European fir, real cedar(Lebanon and Atlas Mountains) and black pine. On the plains, on sandy soils, pine trees grew ( Italian or Pine, Aleppo and seaside).
As a result of deforestation, various shrub communities have emerged in the Mediterranean. The first stage of forest degradation appears to be maquis– shrub community with separate standing trees resistant to fire (pyrophyte) and logging. Its species composition is formed by a variety of shrubby plants of the undergrowth of degraded oak forests: various types of Erica, cistus, strawberry tree, myrtle, pistachio, wild olive, carob tree, etc. The bushes are often intertwined with climbing, often thorny plants - sarsaparilla, multi-colored blackberry, evergreen rose, etc. The abundance of thorny and climbing plants makes the maquis difficult to pass.
In place of the reduced maquis, a formation develops gariga– communities of low-growing shrubs, subshrubs and xerophilous herbaceous plants. Low-growing (up to 1.5 m) thickets of kermes oak dominate, which is not eaten by livestock and quickly covers new territories after fires and logging. Representatives of the Lamiaceae, Leguminosae and Rosaceae families are abundant in garigue and produce essential oils. Typical plants include pistachio, juniper, lavender, sage, thyme, rosemary, cistus, etc. Gariga has various local names, for example in Spain - “ tomillars».
The next formation, formed in place of the degraded maquis, is freegan, the vegetation cover of which is extremely sparse. Often this rocky heaths. Gradually, all plants eaten by livestock disappear from the vegetation cover; for this reason, geophytes (asphodelus), poisonous (euphorbia) and prickly (astragalus, Asteraceae) plants predominate in the composition of freegana.
On the California Peninsula, the distribution of hard-leaved vegetation, forest formations and stages of their degradation are very similar to the communities of the Mediterranean. The forests are formed by evergreen oaks with thorny leaves (up to 20 m in height), mixed with deciduous oaks, strawberry trees and local species of castanopsis. When degraded they become cups similar to maquis and called in this area chaparral.
In the hard-leaved forests and shrubs of central Chile (formation mattarl) the indigenous vegetation also underwent significant changes, especially after the development of this territory by Europeans.
In southern Africa, rigid-leaved formations largely coincide with the Cape floristic region, which determines their entire unique floristic composition. The local name for these formations is "fynbos" ("fynbos"). In appearance, ecology and structure they resemble maquis. Fynbos contains only one tree - silver, sometimes olive, numerous species predominate heather and legumes.
In Australia, rigid-leaved formations are difficult to separate from neighboring forest, semi-desert and savanna communities due to the absolute dominance of the eucalyptus and acacia genera. The eucalyptus forests of this formation are very light in color with a rich undergrowth of legumes, myrtaceae and proteaceae. The hard-leaved subtropical shrubs of the continent are called “scrub” (“scrub”, “shrub”), which looks like a maquis. Depending on the moisture conditions, they are distinguished: in more humid areas - brigelow scrub with dominance of pure thickets of large trees (up to 15 m) acacia sickle-shaped with an admixture of bottlewood; in arid areas - mulga-scrub, formed by thickets short(not higher than 6 m) acacia mulga, and mali-scrub, dominated by shrubby eucalyptus trees. On the poorest, predominantly sandy soils, low-growing (up to 0.75 m) heath-type shrub thickets develop, dominated by proteaceae (genus Banksia) and casuarina.
For laurel moist forests There is no single name for the subtropical zone in the biogeographical literature. They are often called temperate evergreen rain forests. The originality of these forests is associated with the family of laurel, magnolia, tea, etc. They are characterized by a single leaf blade, leathery leaves of a light green color. All laurel trees, with rare exceptions, are evergreen, less often deciduous, aromatic trees and shrubs. The bark, wood, foliage, flowers and fruits of many species are fragrant.
East Asian laurel forests, which in addition to magnolia, camellia and abundant representatives of the laurel family include oaks and beeches, in the foothills they are replaced by forests mainly of local pine species. In North America, laurel forests are dominated by evergreen oaks with cabbage palm, or sabalya palm-shaped. Among the formations of laurel and hard-leaved North American forests, forests from sequoia evergreen along the river banks and river terraces of California. On the slopes of the Sierra Nevada and Coast Range they include pseudo hemlock, hemlock and fir. In Florida coniferous forests in waterlogged areas, the main role is played by swamp cypress- one of the few giant (more than 100 m high) trees.
The rainforests of Australia are formed mainly by species of paleotropical flora; in the southern regions, eucalyptus and nothofagus dominate. Coniferous species are represented by the following species: agathis (cowrie)- gymnosperms of the Southern Hemisphere. In South America, on the western outskirts, laurel-type forests are dominated by evergreen tree species from the magnolia and laurel families with the participation of nothophagus; conifers are typical Allerze (Fitzroya) and Libocedrus. In the east of the continent there are coniferous forests from araucaria.
In laurel-type forests, especially in Tasmania and New Zealand, tree ferns are widespread, and extra-storey vegetation is present and quite often abundant (vines and epiphytes).
Forests of this type, like hard-leaved forests, have experienced irreversible human influence, and the primary natural vegetation has disappeared in many areas.
The uniqueness of the animal world of evergreen forests and shrubs of the subtropical zone lies in the fact that small ungulates predominate among the consumers of plant mass. In the Mediterranean it is bearded, or bezoar, goat(the ancestor of domestic goats, which destroyed all tree and shrub vegetation in many places) and the small mountain sheep mouflon, in chaparral North America - black-tailed mule deer, in South America - very rare small Pudu deer, in Australia - possums, wallaby (tree kangaroo) and kangaroo rats. The wild boar lives in Mediterranean forests, and in the forests of the Western Hemisphere - collared peccary. The abundance of acorns, nuts and coniferous seeds serves as food for numerous sleepyheads, squirrels, wood mice (Eastern Hemisphere) and hamsters (Western Hemisphere). Representatives of the family are common among predatory animals mustelids- badger, weasel. The wolf, jackal and forest cat, vivetta, and genetta, severely exterminated by humans, are rarely found.
Among the granivorous birds, the dominant families are the finches (chaffinch, goldfinch, linnet, grosbeak, greenfinch, canary finch), buntings (buntings, juncos, etc.) and larks (crested and steppe larks). Common insectivorous birds include warblers, tits, thrushes, nightingales, and bee-eaters; among raptors, small falcons (hobbies, steppe kestrels, alet), red kites, etc.
Amphibians are represented by frogs and toads. From temperate latitudes, newts and salamanders, tree frogs live in the tree layer. Snakes and lizards are common, among which the most notable is the pearl lizard, up to 75 cm long (western Mediterranean).
Terrestrial arthropods include ants, poisonous spiders ( tarantulas), scorpions, scolopendras and scutigers.
As noted, forest and shrub formations of the subtropical zone have undergone significant, largely devastating, human influence. They were replaced by vineyards (Dry and Wet Champagne), citrus plantations, olives and crops of various crops. Centuries of exploitation of natural resources, industrialization, urbanization, and the tourism boom (especially in the Mediterranean) have caused many acute environmental problems. They are associated with the destruction of natural vegetation and wildlife, soil erosion and increasing air and water pollution. Preservation of surviving islands of natural vegetation is one of the urgent tasks for nature conservation in the subtropics.
Tropical woodlands, thorny bushes and deciduous seasonal wet forests. This type of biome is characteristic of the tropical zone with climatic conditions in which the dry period lasts from 1 to 6 months a year. There are different opinions about the amount of precipitation that ensures its existence. Typically, annual precipitation amounts from 800 to 3000 mm are reported. The series tropical open forests - thorny shrubs - deciduous seasonal wet forests reflects increasing rainfall, a shortening of the dry season and a more even distribution of rainfall.
In terms of species, the most diverse tropical xerophilous sparse forests, moving into communities thorny bushes. They are formed by either deciduous or evergreen tree species and shrubs, mostly thorny. The duration of the dry period is 9 months a year. Annual precipitation is less than 800 mm, but can vary from 500 to 2000 mm.
In South America this tree and shrub community is known as "caatinga"(white or northern forest). Caatinga can be arboreal, arboreal, or shrubby. Low-growing (up to 12 m) stocky trees are called " kebracho” (“break the axe”), among them are Aspidosperma and Shinopsis. In addition, caatinga is characterized by bottle-shaped trees with swollen, barrel-shaped spiny trunks from the genus Chorisia, ceiba and cavanillecia. Most trees and shrubs have dense wood (such as torresia and astronium). The tree stand includes cereus cacti and tree spurge. Prickly pear cacti and, in places, dwarf palms and acacias are abundant. Woody caatinga contains many epiphytes, especially from the family bromeliads(tillandsia) and liana (vanilla). The extraordinary diversity of thorny bush communities in South America also includes Monte cactus bushes(dominated by cacti, agaves and acacias), kampos limpos(thorny bush communities) and Campos of the Cerrados(dry grassy areas).
Tropical woodlands and shrubs are also diverse in Africa. Of these, savannah forests of baobab and acacia in East Africa should be noted. South of the equator, the most notable are the miombo forest with the forest-dominant Bragystegia ( miombo) and forest mopane with mopane forest former. On the Somali Peninsula, a variety of savannah open forest "orchards" is formed by representatives of the genus terminalia and combretum with edible fruits. Among the thorny shrub plants of the African savannas, commiphora ( myrrh or balsam tree),incense tree, El Salvador, candelabra spurge, capers and acacia. There is a doom palm. Grasses dominate the grass cover everywhere.
Also diverse are the woodlands and thorny bush communities of Tropical Asia. In Australia they are represented by sparse eucalyptus forests and acacia thickets.
Deciduous seasonally wet forests- These are semi-evergreen forests in which the upper tree layer is formed by deciduous species, and the lower layers are dominated by evergreen plants. Periodicity in plant development is associated with the simultaneous shedding of leaves and the appearance of new leaves. Depending on moisture, this community transitions into tropical woodlands and thorny bushes, as well as tropical rainforests . In particular, in the eastern part of the Malay Archipelago, on the Hindustan and Indochina peninsulas, monsoon forests are developed, very similar to tropical rainforests. Dominant tree species – teak and sal, reaching a height of 40 m. The remaining forest-forming species are much lower (10–20 m). The tree canopy is not closed. In monsoon forests, during the dry season, most trees are bare of leaves. There are many lianas and epiphytes, but less than in humid equatorial forests.
A sharp change in wet and dry periods determines the seasonal dynamics of the species composition and animal population of tropical open forests, thorny bushes and deciduous seasonally wet forests. The animal population is similar to the inhabitants of tropical rainforests and subtropical communities. In zoocenoses, depending on the season, one group or another dominates. In general, the role of ungulates is great (in Australia they are replaced kangaroo and wallaby), rodents, locusts, terrestrial mollusks, birds - weavers (Africa) and buntings (South America). Termite structures occupy from 0.1 to 30% of the soil surface. The problems associated with the protection of the floristic identity and animal population of a given biome are the same as in the subtropics. First of all, this is the prevention of vegetation degradation, preservation of species diversity and regulation of animal numbers.
Tropical rain monsoon and equatorial forests. Wet, or rain, forests are common in three main areas: 1) the Amazon and Orinoco basins in South America; 2) the basins of the Congo, Niger and Zambezi in Central and Western Africa and the island of Madagascar; 3) Indo-Malayan region, the islands of Borneo and New Guinea. They grow in tropical and equatorial zones with optimal temperature and humidity for tree growth. The annual precipitation reaches 5000 mm, the maximum is 12500 mm. Average monthly temperatures change by 1-2, and their daily temperatures - by 7-12°. The absolute maximum temperature is 36, the absolute minimum is –18 °C (Congo Basin). The humid tropics are in a zone of active cyclonic activity. Hurricanes cause great damage to forests on the eastern edges of continents. Inside the forests, a climate (phytoclimate) prevails, which differs from the climate above the crowns. It is characterized by a significant decrease in illumination, a more uniform variation in daily humidity and temperature, as well as a peculiar wind regime. A significant portion of precipitation is retained by the crowns. High temperature and humidity promote weathering of parent rock silicates and leaching of bases and silica. Residual products are represented by iron and aluminum oxides. The soils (red, red-yellow) are ferralitic, depleted of nitrogen and other nutrients. Due to the rapid destruction of forest litter and thin litter (up to 2 cm), humus does not accumulate in the soil. The soils are acidic. Every nutritional element is involved in the biological cycle. Swamp soils are widespread in waterlogged areas.
Lianas (vanilla) have developed significantly, having various devices for attaching to support trees (hooks, tendrils, supporting roots and climbing stems). The length of the vines is up to 60 m, some of them (rattan palm) reach 300 m. Epiphytes are abundant, belonging to ferns, orchids, aroids, and in America - bromeliads. Among the epiphytes, strangling ficuses are notable.
Tropical forests are home to 50% of all species of plants and animals on Earth, 80% of all species of insects and 90% of primates (Bankivsky chickens and bull anoa were first domesticated here; the ancestor of primates, the marten-like tupaya, was preserved).
Due to the great diversity of species, it is difficult to list all forest-forming trees, but some of them should be named. In the tropical and equatorial forests of Africa they grow kaya (mahogany),brazilwood, entandophragma, lovoa, ocumea, ebony (black), coffee tree, cola, oil and sago palms, cycads, representatives of the podocarp, mulberry (ficus), aroid (philodendron, monstera) families, ironwood, dracaena and many others. Asia is inhabited by astonishing Koompasia (its height reaches 90 m), Shorea, Vatika, Dipterocarpus, Hopea, Dryobalanops, pandanus, sweet nutmeg, cinnamon tree, tree fern, ficus banyan, representatives of the families Sopotaceae, Sumacaceae, etc.
Amazonian rainforests - gilei (selvas) presented in several types. In the forest this(non-flooded) the most common species are Caesalpiniaceae (Elizabetha, Eperua, Heterostemon, Dimorphophandra), Mimosaaceae (Dinicia, Parkia), Bromeliadaceae, Orchids, Muscataceae, Euphorbiaceae, Kutraaceae, Laurelaceae, Sopotaceae and cacti. Hevea brasiliensis, bertolecia (Brazil nut), sweetenia and mahogany (pau brazil), from vines - abuta, strychnos (source of strychnine), deris, bauhinia, endata. In the forest Varzeya(regularly flooded) Humboldt willow, tessaria, ceiba(kapok tree), mora, balsa, cyclopea, chocolate tree (cocoa),culabas tree, mauricia palm. For the forest Igapo(swampy) are characterized by representatives of the families Caesalpiniaceae and Mimosa.
In humid equatorial forests, in contrast to temperate forests, significantly most of animals live in the upper layers of vegetation. The animal population is extremely diverse. Constantly high humidity, favorable temperatures and an abundance of green food have led to the fact that, for example, gili have no equal in the number of species and life forms of animals, although they are all thermo- and hygrophilic. The diverse and rich vegetation cover provides animals with many ecological niches and shelters.
Ungulates are few in number. In the African forest these are brush-eared and forest pigs, bongo antelope, pygmy hippopotamus, African deer and several species duikers, dwarf giraffe okapi. A large herbivorous animal, the lowland tapir, lives in South America. Here you can also find white-bearded peccaries and small spoked-horned deer - mazam. Large rodents are common capybara, paca and agouti. Large predators are represented by cats: jaguar, ocelot and oncilla(Amazonia), leopard(Africa and South Asia) and clouded leopard(South Asia). In the tropics of the Old World, genets, nandinias, mongooses and civets from the viverrid family. Monkeys live in trees: colobus monkeys and monkeys (Africa), howler monkeys (South America), langurs, gibbons and orangutans (South Asia). The gorilla lives in the ground layer of the tropical rainforests of Africa.
The birds are extremely diverse. The rainforests of all continents are home to barbells and owls. Consumers of fruits in the African rain forests are turacos (banana eaters) and hornbills, in the Amazonian gilae - toucans, and craxes and hoatzins are also found here. Big-legged chickens are distant relatives crux inhabit the forests of Northern Australia. There are a variety of pigeons and parrots. Many small bright birds feeding on the nectar of flowers - sunbirds(tropics of the Old World) and hummingbird(Amazonia). Breeds in caves in northern South America Guajaro. Kingfishers are widespread in all regions, momots, bee-eaters, trogons.
The ground layer is inhabited by large snakes that hunt rodents, a variety of reptiles and amphibians, as well as small ungulates. Among them, the largest is the anaconda (up to 2 m), living in the reservoirs of the Amazon. Many different tree snakes. Chameleons are found in abundance, geckos, frogs, iguanas.
Insects include cockroaches, crickets, bees, flies and butterflies. The leading herbivorous group is formed by termites and ants, which, in turn, serve as food for anteaters (South America) and pangolins, or lizards (Africa and Tropical Asia).
Area of tropical rainforests in Africa since the beginning of the 20th century. is contracting with increasing speed. They are being replaced by plantations of chocolate trees, coconut trees, mangoes, hevea trees and other crops. Currently, African rainforests occupy no more than 40% of their original area. The last virgin forest in the Amazon is also threatened with destruction. Along the Trans-Amazonian Highway, some areas, even those close to the river, have turned into desert. Tropical rainforests are damaged not only by deforestation, but also by the slash-and-burn farming system, which is especially common in Central Africa. The soils of tropical forests under an archaic farming system lose their poor fertility in 2-3 years, and the developed lands are abandoned. In their place, jungles appear - dense, impenetrable thickets of trees and shrubs (in the foothills of the Himalayas - terai). Destruction of evergreen tropical forests on the planet that carry out photosynthesis all year round, can lead to global changes in the biosphere.
From intrazonal communities of the equatorial and tropical zones It should be noted mangrove forests, or mangroves, growing in the tidal zone. They are concentrated along the flat eastern coasts of Africa, Madagascar, the Seychelles and Mascarene Islands, along the coasts of South Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the Atlantic coasts of Africa, Central and South America, and are also found on the Pacific coast of America.
Evergreen shrubs are an excellent choice for original landscape design, because they can brightly decorate the area of your dacha. By planting them, you will achieve an amazing effect that will invariably delight you all year round. Shrubs will enhance any garden, giving it atmosphere and sophistication. They look advantageous in the summer, becoming an excellent background for vegetation, and in winter they look especially luxurious in combination with snow-white nature.
Before you get acquainted with the shrubs most suitable for your dacha, we will tell you about this vegetation and its growing conditions in more detail.
Evergreen forests and hard-leaved plants: types, growing conditions
The zone of evergreen vegetation (hard-leaved forests) extends to the southern peninsulas of Europe.
Today their secondary forms predominate:
- maquis formations;
- freegana;
- shiblyak;
- garriga.
They are evergreen due to the special Mediterranean climatic conditions and low temperatures prevailing in the places where they grow. In summer, the climate is dry, therefore they belong to the xerophytic group. A number of plants are rich in essential oils, and some of them have leaf blades of modest size.
Broad-leaved forests are represented by varieties of oak (cork and holm), capable of reaching twenty meters in height. In the eastern part of the Mediterranean you can find other varieties of the mighty tree, such as Macedonian and Valon.
The Pyrenees are famous for the fact that a unique plant of its kind grows on its territory - the chamerox, a European palm. The sandy soil and limestone give birth to a rare species of pine called pine.
Forests and shrub formations: main characteristics
Maquis (see photo) is a formation of secondary origin, growing in a humid Mediterranean climate. Its ranks include hard-leaved and low-growing trees; they can reach a height of one and a half to four meters.
Plants are distinguished by closed crowns and dense foliage. The main growing area is forests in mountainous areas near the sea. Hard-leaved plants can often injure, because they are famous for their prickliness. There are two main types of the Maquis Formation: Greek and Italian.
The Greek shrub formation includes:
- rosemary;
- tree heathers;
- Linden;
- juniper.
Italian thickets include:
- cistus;
- I blow oak;
- laurel;
- thyme;
- lavandula.
Garriga (see photo) is a formation representing shrub forests, characterized by low growth (reaching no more than half a meter in height). It is distributed in areas with a dry climate.
This formation is distinguished by the fact that it most often grows on degraded soil located in close proximity to limestone, which is famous for its moisture-absorbing properties.
Garriga is represented by the following rigid-leaved plants:
- rosemary;
- gorse;
- thyme (tomillary).
The vegetation of such a formation can visually resemble a soft pillow.
Frigana (see photo) - in many ways similar to the garrigue formation. Distributed in the eastern Mediterranean, but the largest population of the vegetation in question is observed in Greece. Conditioned this fact The climate of this country: the climate is continental, which contributes to comfortable forest growth. Freegana vegetation is not characterized by a closed cover, covering the territory in fragments, “spots”, growing from sandy soil and soil.
Hard-leaved freegans are represented by the following plants:
- sharpened;
- spurge;
- ocantholimon.
Shibljak (see photo) - a formation of this type is very widespread in the northeastern part of the Balkans, whose forests are covered by subtropical and temperate conditions. Shibljak is famous for its unique combination of evergreen and deciduous vegetation, with the latter clearly predominant.
This formation includes:
- scrub oak;
- picker;
- holding a tree;
- rose hip.
Shrubs not suitable for central Russia
- Buddleya. Alas, this shrub blooms at the end of July - beginning of August. Inflorescences appear on the shoots of this year, as a result of which their further frostbite occurs;
- Boxwood, which is a southern vegetation that miraculously survived in our climatic conditions, is also not suitable. The problem with boxwood is that every year the plant is subject to freezing above the snow cover, while under its cover it is able to overwinter (although not without losses). If you really want to see it on the territory of your dacha, be prepared to regularly trim the boxwood - only in this way can it take root in these conditions;
- Keria japonica is another representative that is unable to grow comfortably in this climate zone. Beautiful vegetation, known for its diversity and bright leaves, is unable to survive the winter with dignity - its shoots are catastrophically frozen. There is practically no way to save;
- Even such a plant as the bean plant does not relate to our cold weather. However, it is worth noting that Czech and Hungarian seedlings are winter-hardy;
- Large-leaved hydrangea - you can easily grow it if you live in the area in question. But only in indoor conditions;
- You shouldn’t try your luck with hybrid rhododendrons. Most often they are delivered from the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, which have much milder conditions. Of course, even among this variety you can find those that can survive our winter months. But you definitely shouldn’t expect large-scale flowering - even in the above-mentioned countries with a gentle climate, rhododendron buds freeze over in winter. If you still insist on this type of vegetation, give preference to wild varieties.
For central Russia
The range of choices suitable for this area is quite extensive:
- coniferous vegetation (if, pine, thuja, juniper);
- Mahonia;
- wild varieties of rhododendrons;
- cotoneaster of all varieties;
- Fortune's euonymus.
We recommend planting a plant that belongs to the deciduous category – mahonia. In addition to its attractive visual component, it is resistant to low temperatures, requiring cover with spruce branches only for the winter and early spring. In another way that ensures long life in the cold and its protection from freezing, it is planted not in an open area (i.e., surrounded by other vegetation).
Geographical position
Natural area evergreen forests and shrubs are located on the Mediterranean coast, in Australia, Africa, and North America.
It was formed in a subtropical climate, with strong moisture in the cool winter and heat in the summer. Fertile brown lands were formed in the forest area. The regime and precipitation have a great influence on the flora and fauna in these natural zones.
Rice. 1. Hard-leaved forests are located along the sea coasts.
The geographical location of this natural complex determined the characteristic features of the local flora and fauna. In the south, hardleaf forests border vast deserts, savannas and tropics, while to the north there are temperate forests. As a result, the flora and fauna of evergreen forests have become a kind of symbiosis of neighboring natural zones.
Animal world
The fauna of hard-leaved forests is in many ways similar to forests of the temperate and tropical zones. Also on the territory of this zone live endemics - representatives of the animal world that can only be found in the wild in a specific region.
Rice. 2. Koala is a representative of Australian forests.
Marmots, gophers, turtles, chameleons, various snakes and lizards are widespread in evergreen forests. There are also wild goats, hares, jackals, porcupines, the European genet - a small predator that looks very similar to an ordinary cat, and even tailless macaques.
Vegetable world
Hardleaf forests are widespread on the planet, but their greatest concentration is on the Australian continent and the Mediterranean. The trees in this zone are characterized by the following features:
- very wide crowns;
- branching almost from the ground;
- hard leaf blades;
- waxy covering of foliage;
- deep immersion of roots into the soil (sometimes up to 20 m);
- high content of essential oils;
- the presence of a plug or bark on the trunk.
The species composition of hard-leaved forests was formed a very long time ago. On the territory of this natural area you can find varieties of cork and holm oak, which grew on the coasts several thousand years ago.
Rice. 3. Cork oak.
Supreme Intelligence (632008)
The zone of evergreen hard-leaved forests and shrubs (Mediterranean) occupies the Mediterranean region.
The Mediterranean type of climate predominates, the uniqueness of which lies in the discrepancy between the wet and warm periods. The average annual precipitation on the plains is 300-400 mm (in the mountains up to 3000 mm), the majority of which falls in winter. Winters are warm, the average temperature in January is not lower than 4 C. Summers are hot and dry, average temperature in July above 19 C.
Under these conditions, Mediterranean hard-leaved plant communities formed on brown soils. In the mountains, brown soils give way to brown forest soils.
r /> The Mediterranean is a territory developed by ancient civilizations. Grazing by goats and sheep, fires and land exploitation have led to the almost complete destruction of natural vegetation cover and soil erosion. In the western Mediterranean, with sufficient rainfall on various source rocks, a common rock was holm oak sclerophyte up to 20 m high. The shrub layer included low-growing trees and shrubs: boxwood, strawberry tree, phyllyria, evergreen viburnum, pistachio and many others. The grass and moss cover was sparse. Cork oak forests grew on very poor acidic soils. In eastern Greece and on the Anatolian coast of the Mediterranean Sea, holm oak forests were replaced by kermes oak forests. In warmer parts of the Mediterranean, oak stands were replaced by stands of wild olive (wild olive tree), pistachio lentiscus and ceratonia. The mountainous regions were characterized by forests of European fir, cedar (Lebanon), and black pine. Pines (Italian, Aleppo and maritime) grew on the sandy soils of the plains. As a result of deforestation, various shrub communities have long arisen in the Mediterranean. The first stage of forest degradation is apparently represented by a maquis shrub community with isolated trees resistant to fires and deforestation. Its species composition is formed by a variety of shrubby plants of the undergrowth of degraded oak forests: various types of Erica, cistus, strawberry tree, myrtle, pistachio, wild olive, carob tree, etc. In the lower belt of the Mediterranean mountains, including western Transcaucasia, subtropical evergreen laurel, or bay leaves, are common , forests named after the predominant species of various laurel species.
The fauna of the Mediterranean is diverse and greatly depleted by human activity. Among the consumers of plant matter, small-sized ungulates predominate: the bearded or bezoar goat (the ancestor of domestic goats, which in many places destroyed all tree and shrub vegetation) and the small mountain mouflon sheep. There are fallow deer and red deer. The most common predators are the jackal, fox, ferret, otter, etc. Many birds that live on higher altitudes spend the winter here. northern territories Europe. Amphibians are represented by frogs and toads; newts and salamanders penetrate from temperate latitudes into shady and humid habitats; tree frogs live in the tree layer. Snakes and lizards are common, among which the pearl lizard, up to 75 cm long (western Mediterranean), is notable. There are many arthropods: beetles, spiders, scorpions, etc. Forest and shrub formations of the Mediterranean have undergone significant, largely devastating, human influence. They were replaced by vineyards, plantations of citrus fruits, olives and crops of various agricultural crops. Centuries of operation natural resources, industrialization, urbanization, tourism boom have caused many environmental problems. They are associated with the destruction of natural vegetation and wildlife, soil erosion and air and water pollution. Preservation of the surviving islands of natural vegetation is one of the urgent tasks of subtropical nature conservation.
Evergreen shrubs are an excellent choice for original landscape design, because they can brightly decorate the area of your dacha. By planting them, you will achieve an amazing effect that will invariably delight you all year round. Shrubs will enhance any garden, giving it atmosphere and sophistication. They look advantageous in the summer, becoming an excellent background for vegetation, and in winter they look especially luxurious in combination with snow-white nature.
Before you get acquainted with the shrubs most suitable for your dacha, we will tell you about this vegetation and its growing conditions in more detail.
The zone of evergreen vegetation (hard-leaved forests) extends to the southern peninsulas of Europe.
Today their secondary forms predominate:
- maquis formations;
- freegana;
- shiblyak;
- garriga.
They are evergreen due to the special Mediterranean climatic conditions and low temperatures prevailing in the places where they grow. In summer, the climate is dry, therefore they belong to the xerophytic group. A number of plants are rich in essential oils, and some of them have leaf blades of modest size.
Broad-leaved forests are represented by varieties of oak (cork and holm), capable of reaching twenty meters in height. In the eastern part of the Mediterranean you can find other varieties of the mighty tree, such as Macedonian and Valon.
The Pyrenees are famous for the fact that a unique plant of its kind grows on its territory - the chamerox, a European palm. The sandy soil and limestone give birth to a rare species of pine called pine.
Forests and shrub formations: main characteristics
Maquis (see photo) is a formation of secondary origin, growing in a humid Mediterranean climate. Its ranks include hard-leaved and low-growing trees; they can reach a height of one and a half to four meters.
Plants are distinguished by closed crowns and dense foliage. The main growing area is forests in mountainous areas near the sea. Hard-leaved plants can often injure, because they are famous for their prickliness. There are two main types of the Maquis Formation: Greek and Italian.
The Greek shrub formation includes:
- rosemary;
- tree heathers;
- Linden;
- juniper.
Italian thickets include:
- cistus;
- I blow oak;
- laurel;
- thyme;
- lavandula.
Garriga (see photo) is a formation representing shrub forests, characterized by low growth (reaching no more than half a meter in height). It is distributed in areas with a dry climate.
This formation is distinguished by the fact that it most often grows on degraded soil located in close proximity to limestone, which is famous for its moisture-absorbing properties.
Garriga is represented by the following rigid-leaved plants:
- rosemary;
- gorse;
- thyme (tomillary).
The vegetation of such a formation can visually resemble a soft pillow.
Frigana (see photo) - in many ways similar to the garrigue formation. Distributed in the eastern Mediterranean, but the largest population of the vegetation in question is observed in Greece. This fact is due to the climate of this country: the climate is continental, which contributes to comfortable forest growth. Freegana vegetation is not characterized by a closed cover, covering the territory in fragments, “spots”, growing from sandy soil and soil.
Hard-leaved freegans are represented by the following plants:
- sharpened;
- spurge;
- ocantholimon.
Shibljak (see photo) - a formation of this type is very widespread in the northeastern part of the Balkans, whose forests are covered by subtropical and temperate conditions. Shibljak is famous for its unique combination of evergreen and deciduous vegetation, with the latter clearly predominant.
This formation includes:
- scrub oak;
- picker;
- holding a tree;
- rose hip.
Shrubs not suitable for central Russia
- Buddleya. Alas, this shrub blooms at the end of July - beginning of August. Inflorescences appear on the shoots of this year, as a result of which their further frostbite occurs;
- Boxwood, which is a southern vegetation that miraculously survived in our climatic conditions, is also not suitable. The problem with boxwood is that every year the plant is subject to freezing above the snow cover, while under its cover it is able to overwinter (although not without losses). If you really want to see it on the territory of your dacha, be prepared to regularly trim the boxwood - only in this way can it take root in these conditions;
- Keria japonica is another representative that is unable to grow comfortably in this climate zone. Beautiful vegetation, known for its diversity and bright leaves, is unable to survive the winter with dignity - its shoots are catastrophically frozen. There is practically no way to save;
- Even such a plant as the bean plant does not relate to our cold weather. However, it is worth noting that Czech and Hungarian seedlings are winter-hardy;
- Large-leaved hydrangea - you can easily grow it if you live in the area in question. But only in indoor conditions;
- You shouldn’t try your luck with hybrid rhododendrons. Most often they are delivered from the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, which have much milder conditions. Of course, even among this variety you can find those that can survive our winter months. But you definitely shouldn’t expect large-scale flowering - even in the above-mentioned countries with a gentle climate, rhododendron buds freeze over in winter. If you still insist on this type of vegetation, give preference to wild varieties.
For central Russia
The range of choices suitable for this area is quite extensive:
- coniferous vegetation (if, pine, thuja, juniper);
- Mahonia;
- wild varieties of rhododendrons;
- cotoneaster of all varieties;
- Fortune's euonymus.
We recommend planting a plant that belongs to the deciduous category – mahonia. In addition to its attractive visual component, it is resistant to low temperatures, requiring cover with spruce branches only for the winter and early spring. Another way to ensure long life in cold weather and its protection from freezing is to plant it not in an open area (i.e., surrounded by other vegetation).
How to usefully decorate your dacha?
An excellent solution would be to create a hedge (see photo). This method of planting is becoming increasingly popular for dacha owners and owners of private households who are not indifferent not only to the appearance of their garden territory, but also to its safety.
The main advantage of this solution is that the shrubs quickly take root and are very unpretentious.
Growth occurs at a rapid pace, as a result of which the bushes are woven into a fence or building.
What plants are best to use to create a living fence in the country:
- Japanese holly is characterized by increased cold tolerance and has small oval leaves. Visually, holly is somewhat reminiscent of boxwood, which, in turn, is not famous for its frost resistance. It reaches a height of more than a meter. To achieve the best results, it is recommended to plant the English variety (it has small, sharp leaves).
- Kalmia broadifolia is unpretentious in care, can easily survive low temperatures and is famous for its rapid growth rate. Kalmia blooms on late spring. But it’s worth remembering that he doesn’t like haircuts.
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