Abstract was made by Osipik Gennady, 7 "G" class

angarsk

Geographical position.

North America, like South America, lies in the Western Hemisphere. In terms of territory - 24.2 million square kilometers (with islands) - it is inferior to Eurasia and Africa. North America lies in the subarctic, northern, temperate and subtropical zones.

The shores of the mainland are washed by the waters of three oceans (Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic). In the south, it is connected by a narrow Isthmus of Panama with South America, through which a navigable sea channel was dug at the beginning of the 20th century. North America is separated from Eurasia by the narrow Bering Strait. In the past, on the site of the strait, there was an isthmus that connected North America with Eurasia, which determined the similarity of the flora and fauna of these continents.

From the history of the discovery of the mainland.

Long before Columbus, at the end of the 10th century, the Norman Eirik Raudi with several companions set off from Iceland to the west, reaching a previously unknown land - Greenland. Here, in the harsh conditions of the north, the Normans established settlements. For several centuries the Normans lived in the south and southwest of Greenland. Later they visited the northeastern shores of North America. At the end of the 15th century, Europeans rediscovered Newfoundland, Labrador, and then the east coast of the mainland. At the beginning of the 16th century, troops of the Spanish conquerors led by Cortez captured Mexico and some lands in Central America.

Relief and minerals.

Plains. At the base of the plains of North America lies the ancient North American Plate. As a result of the subsidence and flooding of its northern part, the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Greenland were formed. In the northeast of the continent, there is a hill where crystalline rocks of the platform (granites and gneisses) come to the surface. The Central Plains extend to the south of the upland. Here, the basement of the North American Platform is covered with sedimentary rocks. The northern part of the mainland, up to 40 degrees N, was subjected to glaciation several times (the last glaciation ended 10-11 thousand years ago): here the glaciers, retreating, left deposits of clay, sands and stones. In the western part of the North American Platform, along the Cordillera, the Great Plains stretch out in a wide strip, composed of powerful marine and continental deposits. Rivers flowing from the mountains cut the plains into deep valleys. To the south, the Central Plains pass into the Mississippi Lowland, composed of river sediments. The Mississippi Lowlands in the south merge with the coastal lowlands of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. They were formed relatively recently as a result of the submersion of these land areas and the accumulation of river sediments on the continental shelf.

Appalachian. In the east of the mainland, the Appalachian Mountains stretch.

Cordillera. Along the coast The Pacific the Cordillera mountain range extends. The Cordillera stretch along several parallel ridges. Some of them pass near the ocean, others recede far to the east. The ridges diverge especially widely in the middle part. There are deep depressions, vast plateaus and highlands covered with solidified lava. The most significant of these are the Great Basin and the Mexican Highlands.

Climate.

The reasons influencing the formation of the climate in North America.

Great extent of the mainland.

The prevailing winds (northeastern south of 30 degrees N. and westerly - in temperate latitudes).

Influence of warm and cold currents

Influence of the Pacific Ocean.

Plain terrain in the middle of the mainland (does not impede the movement of air masses).

The listed reasons determined big variety climate of North America.

Climatic zones and regions.

The Arctic belt is dominated by the Arctic air masses throughout the year. Harsh winters accompanied by frequent snowstorms, and cold summer - constant fogs, cloudy weather. The largest area of \u200b\u200bthis belt (Greenland and some other islands) is covered with glaciers.

The subarctic belt is characterized by frosty winters and moderately cool summers. The amount of precipitation is low, the snow cover is insignificant in winter. Permafrost is widespread, in summer months only a small topsoil thaws. Eastern, Inland and Western Regions temperate zone differ markedly by climate. In the east of the region, the climate is moderately continental; fogs are frequent on the coast.

In the subtropical zone, hot summers and warm winter... However, the invasions of cold air masses from the north cause short-term frosts and snowfalls. The humid climate in the east of the belt is replaced by continental in the middle and Mediterranean in the west.

In the east tropical belt the climate is tropical, humid, and in the interior of the Mexican Highlands and the California Peninsula, the climate is tropical desert.

In the subequatorial belt lies the extreme south of North America. There is a lot of rainfall throughout the year and high temperatures.

Natural areas.

In the north of the mainland, natural zones stretch in stripes from west to east, while in the middle and southern parts they are extended from north to south. Altitudinal zonation is manifested in the Cordilleras.

In terms of species composition, the flora and fauna of the north of the continent is similar to Northern Eurasia, and the south is similar to South America, which is explained by their territorial proximity and common development.

Zone of the Arctic deserts.

Greenland and most of the islands in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago are located in the Arctic desert zone. Here, in places free of snow and ice, mosses and lichens grow on poor rocky and swampy soils during the short and cool summer. Musk ox has been found in this zone since the Ice Age. The animal is covered with thick and long dark brown hair, which protects it well from the cold.

Tundra zone.

The northern coast of the mainland and the adjacent islands are occupied by the tundra zone. The southern border of the tundra in the west lies at the Arctic Circle, and as it moves to the east, it enters more southern latitudes, capturing the coast of Hudson Bay and the northern part of the Labrador Peninsula. Here, in the conditions of a short and cool summer and permafrost, tundra soils are formed, in which plant residues decompose slowly. In addition, the frozen layer prevents moisture penetration, resulting in an excess of moisture. Therefore, peat bogs are widespread in the tundra. On the tundra-gley soils in the northern part of the tundra, mosses and lichens grow, and in the southern - marsh grasses, wild rosemary shrubs, blueberry and blueberry shrubs, undersized with twisted trunks of birch, willow, alder. Arctic fox, polar wolf, caribou reindeer, ptarmigan and others are found in the North American tundra. In summer, many migratory birds come here. There are many seals and walruses in the coastal waters of the zone. On the northern coast of the mainland, there is polar bear... In the west, in the Cordilleras, the mountain tundra extends far south. To the south, woody vegetation appears more and more often, the tundra gradually passes into the forest-tundra, and then into coniferous forests or taiga.

Taiga zone.

The taiga zone stretches in a wide strip from west to east. Podzolic soils prevail here. They form in wet and cool summers, with the result that minor plant litter slowly decomposes and produces a small amount of humus (up to 2%). Under a thin layer of humus lies a whitish layer with insoluble rock elements, reminiscent of ash in color. For the color of this horizon, such soils are called podzolic. Mostly coniferous trees grow in the taiga - black spruce, balsam fir, pine, American larch; there are deciduous ones - paper birch with smooth white bark, aspen. The forests are home to predatory animals - bears, wolves, lynxes, foxes; there are deer, elk and valuable fur animals - sable, beaver, muskrat. The slopes of the Cordillera, facing the ocean, are covered with dense coniferous forests, mainly of Sitka spruce, hemlock, and Douglas fir. Forests rise along the slopes of the mountains up to 1000-1500 m, higher they thin out and pass into the mountain tundra. In the mountain forests there are bears - grizzlies, skunks, raccoons; there are many salmon fish, there are seal rookeries on the islands.

Areas of mixed and deciduous forests.

South of the zone coniferous forests there are zones of mixed and broad-leaved, as well as variably moist forests. They are located only in the eastern part of the mainland, where the climate is milder and more humid, reaching in the south to the Gulf of Mexico. Gray forest soils are widespread under mixed forests in the north, brown forest soils under broad-leaved ones, and yellow and red soils in the south under variable moisture. Mixed forests are dominated by yellow birch, sugar maple, beech, linden, white and red pine. Deciduous forests are characterized by different kinds oak, chestnut, sycamore and tulip tree.

Evergreen zone rainforest.

The evergreen rainforests in the southern Mississippi and Atlantic lowlands are composed of oak, magnolias, beeches, and dwarf palms. The trees are entwined with vines.

Forest-steppe zone.

To the west of the forest zone, less precipitation falls, and herbaceous vegetation predominates here. The forest zone passes into the forest-steppe zone with chernozem-like soils and steppes with humus-rich chernozems and chestnut soils. Steppes with tall grasses, mainly grasses, reaching a height of 1.5 m, in North America are called prairies. In river valleys and in humid, low areas, woody vegetation is found. Closer to the Cordillera, precipitation falls even less and the vegetation becomes poorer; low grasses - Gram grass (grass) and bison grass (perennial grass only 10-30 cm high) - do not cover the entire ground and grow in separate bunches.

North America is located in the western hemisphere of our planet. The total area of \u200b\u200bthe mainland (including islands) is 24.2 million km 2. North America is smaller than Eurasia or Africa. It lies in the subtropical, temperate, northern and subarctic zones. The waters of the three oceans wash the mainland. All this, combined with the relief, formed the natural zones of North America. The characteristic features of each of them will be discussed below.

It should also be noted that the formation of natural zones was influenced by the gradual movement of heat from north to south. And when moving from east to west, dryness increases in the southern part of the continent. The characteristic of the natural zones of North America is reduced to the analysis of their climate, average summer and winter temperatures, and the amount of precipitation. They also pay attention to the composition of soils, the types of plants and animals that can be found in the described area.

North America: natural areas of arctic deserts and tundra

The first zone (arctic deserts) occupies most Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Greenland. A huge area occupied by glaciers is located in the east of the zone. The western part is occupied by rocky arctic deserts. Glaciers are practically lifeless space. Neither plants nor animals of the natural areas of North America live here. An exception can be made only by some types of algae. In the rocky part, in addition to algae, bacteria, mosses and lichens can be found. Also on land live lemmings - polar mice, which feed wolves and arctic foxes.

The tundra zone of the mainland is located in the subarctic climatic zone. It is quite similar to the Asian or European tundra. For soils and grounds, widespread waterlogging is characteristic, due to a small amount of precipitation and low temperatures. There are quite a few rivers, lakes and swamps in this zone. On peat-gley soils, you can find herbs such as cassiopeia, forget-me-nots, polar poppies, cotton grass. Dwarf birch, wild rosemary and willow also grow here. Huge areas are covered with lichens and mosses. Among the animals can be found wolf, arctic fox, lemmings, musk oxen and caribou deer.

Forest-tundra and taiga zones

Compared to Eurasia, the forest-tundra here is more variegated and diverse. The river valleys to the south are covered with forests. The northern border is home to spruce (white and black), mosses and lichens. In the western part you can see larch, but in Labrador - balsam fir. The forest-tundra zone stretches for 500 km.

North America, whose natural zones are mostly located in the temperate climatic zone, boasts a zone of coniferous forests, stretching from the Atlantic coast in the east and all the way to the Pacific in the west. There are many swamps here. The vegetation is mainly composed of balsam fir, white and black spruce, but paper birch, American larch and several types of pine can also be found. The trees are powerful here, their height is often 70-100 meters. Among the animals in the taiga live forest bison, American elk, several species of bears (grizzly, baribal), as well as red fox, raccoon, muskrat, skunk, beaver.

North America: natural areas of mixed and deciduous forests

The first of these zones occupies the territory of the Great Lakes. Here massifs of coniferous trees are wonderfully combined with small-leaved species (poplar, birch) and deciduous forests. The soils are brown forest and sod-podzolic. Here you can find several types of maple (silver, red, sugar), beech, oak, linden, elm, ash. Among conifers, pine, thuja, fir, larch, spruce are distinguished.

Broad-leaved (Appalachian) forests are located on the southern and southeastern sides of mixed forests. The main forest-forming species of this natural zone are oak (large-fruited, red and white), chestnut, beech, linden. Magnolias, black walnuts and hickory can be found here. The variety of vegetation is complemented by lianas, grasses and dense undergrowth. Such a wealth of deciduous forests is associated with fertile brown forest soils. As for the animal world, it has survived only in protected areas, in reserves, which North America is rich in.

Natural zones of forest-steppe and prairie

Prairies are located in the Central and Great Plains, just south of the taiga. Occupies part of the Central Plains (western). They are treeless plains covered with tall grasses and grasses. 80% of the entire plant world is small and blue bearded. The latter reaches 1.8 m in height. This is due to the chernozem-like soils of this subzone. This area has now become one of the main agricultural areas in the United States, where corn is grown. The forest-steppe subzone is located from west to east across the Great Plains. Vegetable world represented mainly by small aspen groves, meadows (fescue, wheatgrass, reed grass). The soils are meadow chernozem and gray forest soils.

Zones of steppes, deserts and semi-deserts

The steppe is rather heterogeneous. This zone receives on average up to 600 mm of annual precipitation. The black earth plains are overgrown with fescue, wheatgrass and bearded vulture. This area is almost completely plowed up and indented by ravines and gullies. The dry part of the steppes receives up to 400 mm of precipitation per year, which, together with soils with a low humus content, does not give a high yield.

Deserts and semi-deserts occupy the driest regions of the Columbia Plateau as well as most of the Great Basin. No more than 250 mm of precipitation falls here annually. The main vegetation on gray-brown soils is wormwood, and quinoa grows on saline soils.

Tropics and subtropics, mixed monsoon forests

The tropical zone is characterized by a lot of warmth. The change of natural zones is carried out from east to west, which is associated with different areas of moisture. Monsoon forests grow in the southeast of the subtropical zone, on red and yellow earth soils. In addition to conifers, you can see dwarf palms, evergreen oaks and bushes, magnolias intertwined with vines. Cypress grows in swamps, and sabal and pine palms grow in drier areas. It is home to a huge number of birds, turtles and alligators.

Also in North America, there is a narrow strip of hard-leaved forests and shrubs and a zone altitudinal zonality... For clarity, it is better to arrange all the information in the table, analyzing the natural areas of North America. The table will help organize the information and knowledge gained. The summarized material will also be easier to remember.

Natural zones are broad strips of the homogeneous nature of the land with similar climatic conditions... Natural areas of North America stretch in stripes from west to east and vary in latitude, and to the south - meridionally.

Due to the great elongation of the continent from south to north, the natural zones of North America (9 natural zones) are distinguished by a wide variety of flora and fauna.

Arctic deserts

Most of the Canadian Arctic Islands and Greenland.

Climate... Arctic. Temperatures below zero or close to zero prevail.

Soil... Poor, rocky and swampy.

Vegetation... Mostly mosses and lichens.

Animal world ... Musk ox.

Tundra

North coast of the mainland with adjacent islands. To the east is the Hudson Bay coast and the northern part of the Labrador Peninsula.

Climate... Subarctic (partly arctic) prevails.

Soil... Tundra - gley, with excess moisture.

Vegetation... In the northern part - mosses, lichens; in the southern part there are marsh grasses, blueberries and bilberries, wild rosemary bushes, low-growing willows, birches, alder. To the south, woody vegetation appears.

Animal world... Arctic wolf, caribou reindeer, arctic fox, ptarmigan and some others. Variety of migratory birds. In coastal waters there are seals and walruses. On the north coast there is a polar bear.

Taiga

It stretches in a wide strip from east to west. Difficult coniferous forests.

Climate... Moderate (with increased moisture).

Soils. Podzolic plants predominate.

Vegetation... Mainly conifers - balsam fir, black spruce, pine, sequoias, American larch. Hardwoods - paper birch, aspen. On the slopes of the Cordillera - Sitka spruce, Douglas fir.

Animal world... Wolves, bears, deer and elk, foxes, lynxes, sables, beavers, muskrat. In mountain forests - skunks, bears (grizzlies), raccoons. In the rivers there are salmon fish. On the islands there are seal rookeries.

Mixed and deciduous forests

South of the tundra zone. (Variably moist forests prevail in the eastern part of the North American mainland).

Climate... Moderate, turning into subtropical.

Soil... Gray forest, brown forest, yellow soils and red soils.

Vegetation... In mixed forests - sugar maple, yellow birch, white and red pine, linden, beech. In deciduous forests - different types oaks, sycamore, chestnut, tulip tree.

Animal world... Wapiti deer, bears (grizzly), moose, lynx, wolves, wolverines, raccoons, hares, foxes.

Evergreen rainforest

In the south, the Atlantic and Mississippi and lowlands.

Climate... Subtropical.

Soil... Gray - brown, brown.

Vegetation... Oaks, magnolias, beeches, dwarf palms. The trees are entwined with vines.

Animal world... Diverse.

Forest-steppe

Treeless plains west of the forested area. (They are called prairies in North America.)

Climate... Subtropical.

Soil... Chernozems: podzolized and leached. Chestnut, forest gray.

Vegetation... High perennial grasses: wheat grass, feather grass, etc. In the river valleys there is woody vegetation. Near the Cordillera there are low grasses (gram grass and bison grass).

Animal world... Diverse and rich.

Desert and semi-desert zone

Much of the California coast, the Mexican Highlands, and the Cordillera interior plateaus.

Climate... Moderate (arid).

Soil... Brown and gray desert.

Vegetation... Black wormwood; on salt licks - quinoa solyanka; thorny shrubs, cacti.

Abstract was made by Osipik Gennady, 7 "G" class

G. Angarsk

Geographical position.

North America, like South America, lies in the Western Hemisphere. In terms of territory - 24.2 million square kilometers (with islands) - it is inferior to Eurasia and Africa. North America lies in the subarctic, northern, temperate and subtropical zones.

The shores of the mainland are washed by the waters of three oceans (Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic). In the south, it is connected by the narrow Isthmus of Panama with South America, through which a navigable sea channel was dug at the beginning of the 20th century. North America is separated from Eurasia by the narrow Bering Strait. In the past, on the site of the strait, there was an isthmus that connected North America with Eurasia, which determined the similarity of the flora and fauna of these continents.

From the history of the discovery of the mainland.

Long before Columbus, at the end of the 10th century, the Norman Eirik Raudi with several companions set off from Iceland to the west, reaching a previously unknown land - Greenland. Here, in the harsh conditions of the north, the Normans established settlements. For several centuries the Normans lived in the south and southwest of Greenland. Later they visited the northeastern shores of North America. At the end of the 15th century, Europeans rediscovered Newfoundland, Labrador, and then the east coast of the mainland. At the beginning of the 16th century, troops of the Spanish conquerors led by Cortez captured Mexico and some lands in Central America.

Relief and minerals.

Plains. At the base of the plains of North America lies the ancient North American Plate. As a result of the subsidence and flooding of its northern part, the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Greenland were formed. In the northeast of the mainland, there is a hill where crystalline rocks of the platform (granites and gneisses) come to the surface. The Central Plains extend to the south of the upland. Here the basement of the North American Platform is covered with sedimentary rocks. The northern part of the mainland, up to 40 degrees N, was subjected to glaciation several times (the last glaciation ended 10-11 thousand years ago): here the glaciers, retreating, left deposits of clay, sands and stones. In the western part of the North American Platform, along the Cordillera, the Great Plains stretched in a wide strip, composed of powerful marine and continental deposits. Rivers flowing from the mountains cut the plains into deep valleys. To the south, the Central Plains pass into the Mississippi Lowland, composed of river sediments. The Mississippi Lowlands in the south merge with the coastal lowlands of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. They were formed relatively recently as a result of the submersion of these land areas and the accumulation of river sediments on the continental shelf.

Appalachian. In the east of the mainland, the Appalachian Mountains stretch.

Cordillera. The Cordillera mountain system stretches along the Pacific coast. The Cordillera stretch along several parallel ridges. Some of them pass near the ocean, others recede far to the east. The ridges diverge especially widely in the middle part. There are deep depressions, vast plateaus and highlands covered with solidified lava. The most significant of these are the Great Basin and the Mexican Highlands.

Climate.

The reasons influencing the formation of the climate in North America.

Great extent of the mainland.

Prevailing winds (northeastern south of 30 degrees N. and westerly in temperate latitudes).

Influence of warm and cold currents

Influence of the Pacific Ocean.

Plain terrain in the middle of the mainland (does not impede the movement of air masses).

These reasons have determined the great diversity of the climate in North America.

Climatic zones and regions.

The Arctic belt is dominated by the Arctic air masses throughout the year. Severe winters are accompanied by frequent snowstorms, and cold summers are accompanied by constant fogs and cloudy weather. The largest area of \u200b\u200bthis belt (Greenland and some other islands) is covered with glaciers.

The subarctic belt is characterized by frosty winters and moderately cool summers. The amount of precipitation is low, the snow cover is insignificant in winter. Permafrost is widespread, and only a small topsoil thaws in the summer months. The eastern, inner and western regions of the temperate zone differ markedly in climate. In the east of the region, the climate is moderately continental; fogs are frequent on the coast.

The subtropical zone has hot summers and warm winters. However, the invasions of cold air masses from the north cause short-term frosts and snowfalls. The humid climate in the east of the belt is replaced by continental in the middle and Mediterranean in the west.

In the east of the tropical belt, the climate is tropical, humid, and in the interior of the Mexican Highlands and on the California Peninsula, the climate is tropical desert.

In the subequatorial belt lies the extreme south of North America. There is a lot of rainfall and high temperatures throughout the year.

Natural areas.

In the north of the mainland, natural zones stretch in stripes from west to east, while in the middle and southern parts they stretch from north to south. Altitudinal zonation is manifested in the Cordilleras.

In terms of species composition, the flora and fauna of the north of the continent is similar to Northern Eurasia, and the south is similar to South America, which is explained by their territorial proximity and common development.

Zone of the Arctic deserts.

Greenland and most of the islands in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago are located in the Arctic desert zone. Here, in places free of snow and ice, mosses and lichens grow on poor rocky and swampy soils during the short and cool summer. Musk ox has been found in this zone since the Ice Age. The animal is covered with thick and long dark brown hair, which protects it well from the cold.

Tundra zone.

The northern coast of the mainland and the adjacent islands are occupied by the tundra zone. The southern border of the tundra in the west lies at the Arctic Circle, and as it moves to the east, it enters more southerly latitudes, capturing the coast of Hudson Bay and the northern part of the Labrador Peninsula. Here, in the conditions of a short and cool summer and permafrost, tundra soils are formed, in which plant residues decompose slowly. In addition, the frozen layer prevents moisture penetration, resulting in an excess of moisture. Therefore, peat bogs are widespread in the tundra. On the tundra-gley soils in the northern part of the tundra, mosses and lichens grow, and in the southern part, marsh grasses, wild rosemary shrubs, blueberry and blueberry shrubs, undersized with twisted trunks of birch, willow, and alder grow. Arctic fox, polar wolf, caribou reindeer, ptarmigan and others are found in the North American tundra. In summer, many migratory birds come here. There are many seals and walruses in the coastal waters of the zone. On the northern coast of the mainland, a polar bear is found. In the west, in the Cordilleras, the mountain tundra extends far south. To the south, woody vegetation appears more and more often, the tundra gradually turns into forest-tundra, and then into coniferous forests or taiga.

Taiga zone.

The taiga zone extends in a wide strip from west to east. Podzolic soils prevail here. They are formed in wet and cool summers, as a result of which insignificant plant litter slowly decomposes and gives a small amount of humus (up to 2%). Under a thin layer of humus lies a whitish layer with insoluble rock elements, reminiscent of ash in color. For the color of this horizon, such soils are called podzolic. Mostly coniferous trees grow in the taiga - black spruce, balsam fir, pine, American larch; there are deciduous ones - paper birch with smooth white bark, aspen. In the forests there are predatory animals - bears, wolves, lynxes, foxes; there are deer, elk and valuable fur animals - sable, beaver, muskrat. The slopes of the Cordillera, facing the ocean, are clad in dense coniferous forests, mainly of Sitka spruce, hemlock, Douglas fir. Forests rise along the slopes of the mountains up to 1000-1500 m, higher they thin out and pass into the mountain tundra. In the mountain forests there are bears - grizzlies, skunks, raccoons; there are many salmon fish in the rivers, on the islands there are seal rookeries.

Areas of mixed and deciduous forests.

To the south of the coniferous forest zone, there are zones of mixed and broad-leaved, as well as variably moist forests. They are located only in the eastern part of the mainland, where the climate is milder and more humid, reaching in the south to the Gulf of Mexico. Gray forest soils are widespread under mixed forests in the north, brown forest soils under broad-leaved ones, and yellow and red soils in the south under variable moisture. Mixed forests are dominated by yellow birch, sugar maple, beech, linden, white and red pine. Deciduous forests are characterized by various types of oak, chestnut, plane tree and tulip tree.

Zone of evergreen tropical forests.

The evergreen rainforests in the southern Mississippi and Atlantic lowlands are composed of oak, magnolias, beeches, and dwarf palms. The trees are entwined with vines.

Forest-steppe zone.

To the west of the forest zone, less precipitation falls, and herbaceous vegetation predominates here. The forest zone passes into the forest-steppe zone with chernozem-like soils and steppes with humus-rich chernozems and chestnut soils. Steppes with tall grasses, mainly grasses, reaching a height of 1.5 m, in North America are called prairies. In river valleys and in humid, low areas, woody vegetation is found. Closer to the Cordillera, precipitation falls even less and the vegetation becomes poorer; low grasses - Gram grass (grass) and bison grass (perennial grass only 10-30 cm high) - do not cover the entire ground and grow in separate bunches.

Desert and semi-desert zone.

Semi-deserts and deserts occupy much of the inland Cordillera Highlands, the Mexican Highlands, and the California coast. Here, on gray and brown soils, there are thorny shrubs, cacti and wormwood, and on saline soils - hodgepodge.

Savannah and evergreen forest zones.

In Central America and on the slopes of the Caribbean Sea, there are zones of savannah and evergreen forests.

Abstract “North America. Natural areas. Population". - the third largest continent, the area of \u200b\u200bwhich is 20.36 million km2 - completely located in the Northern Hemisphere.

Natural areas.

Arctic desert zone occupies most of Greenland and the islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Long polar winter, temperatures below -40 ° С, strong winds make living conditions harsh. Modern glaciation is developed here - this is an almost lifeless territory. On the ledges of bedrock rocks, you can observe scarce vegetation - mosses, crusty lichens. Among animals, polar bears, wolves, foxes, musk oxen are common.

Tundra and forest-tundra zone occupies the southern parts of the islands and the north of the mainland, including half of Labrador Island. The tundra is significantly waterlogged. Sedges, saxifrage, dandelions, and polar poppies grow on boggy and tundra-gley soils. The species composition of the animal world is not rich - Arctic foxes, lemmings, reindeer. The forest tundra stretches from the Labrador Peninsula to the Mackenzie Mountains. Woody vegetation appears here - black and white spruce, balsam fir, birch, aspen. The animal world is presented brown bears, Arctic foxes, red foxes, there are also muskrats, martens, minks, beavers.

Taiga zone located in the north of the temperate climatic zone. American taiga resembles Eurasian taiga, but richer species composition... The above-mentioned tundra species are joined by larch and pine trees. The so-called Pacific taiga is part of the oceanic coniferous forests. Hemlock, thuja, and the mighty Sitka spruce prevail here. Among the animals there are grizzly bears, Sithin deer, skunk, and Pacific raccoon.

Mixed forest zone in the Great Lakes region it is represented by lindens, oaks, elms, numerous types of maples, ash trees, thujas.

Broadleaf forest in the Appalachian region grows on brown forest soils. The plant composition includes beech, sycamore, chestnut, linden. Among the animals there are the Virginia opossum, porcupine, and bison.

In the west, deciduous forests are bordered by tall grass steppes, or prairie, on chernozem-like soils. They are currently plowed up.

In the subtropical belt, natural zones change from east to west; their formation is associated with differences in moisture. Grow in the east wet evergreen mixed forests , to the west are the prairies, in the interior of the Cordillera - semi-desert and desert zone .

Within the tropical and subequatorial belts, savannah on the high plateaus of Central America, and on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico - rainforest.

Population

The bulk of the population of North America are immigrants from different countries Europe, mainly from the UK. it uS Americans and Anglo-Canadiansthey speak english language... Descendants of French immigrants to Canada speak French.

The indigenous population of the mainland - indians and Eskimos... These peoples belong to the American branch of the Mongoloid race. Scientists have established that the Indians and Eskimos are from Eurasia. Indians are more numerous (about 15 million). The bulk of the tribes were concentrated in southern Mexico ( aztecs, Mayans), where it formed its own states, distinguished by a relatively developed economy and culture. With the arrival of the colonialists, the fate of the Indians was tragic: they were exterminated, driven from fertile lands, they were dying from diseases brought by Europeans.

In the XVII-XVIII centuries. for work on plantations in North America brought from Africa blacks... They were sold into slavery to planters.

The population of North America is about 480 million people... The most populated is the southern half of the mainland. The population density is high in the eastern part. This part of North America has the most big cities: New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Montreal, etc.

The most developed country in the world is located in North America - United States of America... To the north of the main territory of the United States lies another large country - Canada, and to the south - Mexico. In Central America and on the islands of the Caribbean there are several small states: Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Jamaica, etc. The Republic of Cuba is located on the island of Cuba and the small islands adjacent to it.

Lesson summary “North America. Natural areas. Population".