Climate zones of Africa. Natural zone: humid equatorial forests or tropical rainforest, features, climate, soils, geographical location Permanently humid forests of Africa climate

Africa is the hottest continent on planet Earth. The equator line passing through the center of the Black Continent symmetrically divides its area into different natural zones. The characteristic of the natural zones of Africa allows you to form a general idea of ​​the geographical position of Africa, about the features of the climate, soil, flora and fauna of each of the zones.

What natural areas is Africa located in?

Africa is the second largest continent on our planet. This continent is washed by two oceans and two seas from different sides. But its main feature is its symmetrical arrangement to the equator. In other words, the equator line horizontally divides the continent into two equal parts. The northern half is much wider than southern Africa. As a result, all the natural zones of Africa are located on the map from north to south in the following order:

• savannas;
• variable wet forests;
• humid evergreen equatorial forests;
• variable humid forests;
• savannas;
• tropical deserts and semi-deserts;
• subtropical evergreen hardwood forests and shrubs.

Fig.1 Natural areas of Africa

Moist equatorial forests

On both sides of the equator there is a zone of wet evergreens. equatorial forests. It occupies a rather narrow strip and is characterized by numerous precipitations. In addition, it is rich in water resources: deepest river Congo, and the coast is washed by the Gulf of Guinea.

Constant heat, numerous rainfall and high humidity have led to the formation of lush vegetation on red-yellow ferralite soils. Evergreen equatorial forests surprise with their density, impenetrability and variety of plant organisms. Their feature is versatility. It became possible due to the endless struggle for sunlight, in which not only trees, but also epiphytes and climbing vines take part.

The tsetse fly lives in the equatorial and subequatorial zones of Africa, as well as in the wooded part of the savannah. Her bite is deadly to humans, as she is a carrier of a "sleeping" disease, which is accompanied by terrible pain in the body and fever.

Rice. 2 Moist evergreen equatorial forests

Savannah

Rainfall is directly related to wealth flora. gradual reduction rainy season leads to the appearance of arid, and humid equatorial forests are gradually replaced by variable wet ones, and then turn into savannahs. The last natural zone occupies the largest area of ​​the Black Continent, and makes up about 40% of the entire continent.

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Here, the same red-brown ferrallitic soils are observed, on which various herbs, cereals, and baobabs grow mainly. Low trees and shrubs are much rarer.

A distinctive feature of the savannah is a dramatic change in appearance - juicy tones of green during the rainy season fade sharply under the scorching sun during dry periods and become brown-yellow.

Savannah is unique and rich in wildlife. A large number of birds live here: flamingos, ostriches, marabou, pelicans and others. It impresses with an abundance of herbivores: buffaloes, antelopes, elephants, zebras, giraffes, hippos, rhinos and many others. They are also food for the following predators: lions, leopards, cheetahs, jackals, hyenas, crocodiles.

Rice. 3 African Savannah

Tropical deserts and semi-deserts

In the southern part of the mainland, the Namib Desert dominates. But neither it nor any other desert in the world can compare with the greatness of the Sahara, which consists of rocky, clay and sandy deserts. The amount of precipitation per year in sugar does not exceed 50 mm. But this does not mean that these lands are lifeless. The flora and fauna is quite scarce, but it exists.

Of the plants, it should be noted such representatives as sclerophyd, succulents, acacia. The date palm grows in the oases. Animals have adapted to the dry climate. Lizards, snakes, turtles, beetles, scorpions can for a long time go without water.

In the Libyan part of the Sahara, one of the most beautiful oases in the world is located, in the center of which there is a large lake, the name of which literally translates as “Mother of Water”.

Rice. 4 Sahara Desert

Subtropical evergreen hardwood forests and shrubs

The most extreme natural zones of the African continent are subtropical evergreen hardwood forests and shrubs. They are located in the north and southwest of the mainland. They are characterized by dry, hot summers and humid, warm winter. Such a climate favored the formation of fertile brown soils, on which the Lebanese cedar, wild olive, arbutus, beech and oak grow.

Table of Natural Areas of Africa

This table for grade 7 in geography will help you compare the natural areas of the mainland and figure out which natural area prevails in Africa.

What have we learned?

Today we talked about the natural areas of the hottest continent on Earth - Africa. So let's call them again:

• subtropical evergreen hardwood forests and shrubs;
• tropical deserts and semi-deserts;
• savannas;
• variable-humid forests;
• moist evergreen equatorial forests.

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The article contains information about climatic zones continent. Forms an idea of ​​the features of the geographical location.

Climate zones of Africa

Characteristics continental climate are determined by the orientation of most of it in the latitudes of the equator and the tropics.

At elevated temperatures of air masses, the climatic difference of individual regions depends on the amount of precipitation and the duration of the rainy season.

Rice. 1. Zonality of climatic zones of the mainland.

Large areas of the continent regularly need moisture. The mainland is characterized by the transfer of air from the tropics by the trade winds. The height of the banks prevents the entry of wet winds.

Western territories located in the latitudes of the tropics are dominated by cool currents.

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There are seven climatic zones:

• equatorial;
• a couple of subequatorial;
• a couple of tropical;
• a couple of subtropics.

Due to Africa's location in these climatic zones, its climate is determined by its geographic location.

Rice. 2. Flora of climatic zones of the mainland.

Table "Climatic zones of Africa"

Rice. 3. Mainland fauna.

To get an idea of ​​the climatic zones in which Africa is located, it is necessary to understand that the mainland is cut by the contour of the equator. The zonation of climatic zones starts here from the equatorial one.

At zero latitude lies the wettest continental natural area. The area accounts for the maximum amount of precipitation. Over two thousand mm. in year. Then follows the subequatorial belt. Here, the level of precipitation is significantly reduced. During the calendar year, about one and a half thousand mm of precious moisture falls.

The tropical belt, among others, is a significant area of ​​​​the continent.

Regarding orientation to the hemisphere, the level of precipitation can vary: from three hundred to fifty mm. in a year.

Subtropical climate zone captures only the edge of the coast in the northern part of the mainland and the "corner" that belongs to the southern part of South Africa.

Here all year round windy and humid. AT winter period the temperature can drop by about 7°. Total number precipitation does not exceed 500 mm. in year.

What have we learned?

We found out in which climatic zones the continent lies. Determine what factors affect the climate of Africa. We learned in which climatic zone of Africa the greatest and least amount of precipitation falls.

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The geographical position, evenness of the relief contributed to the location geographical zones Africa (equatorial, subequatorial, tropical and subtropical) and natural zones twice on both sides of the equator. With a decrease in moisture north and south of the equator, the vegetation cover becomes more sparse and the vegetation more xerophytic.

In the north, there are many types of plants. In the center and in the south, the most ancient representatives of the planet's vegetation have been preserved. Among flowering plants there are up to 9 thousand endemic species. In the rich and diverse fauna (see. Nowhere in the world is there such an accumulation of large animals as in the African savannah. Elephants, giraffes, hippos, rhinos, buffaloes and other animals are found here. Feature fauna - a wealth of predators (lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, hyena dogs, jackals, etc.) and ungulates (tens of species of antelopes). Among the birds there are large ones - ostriches, vultures, marabou, crowned cranes, bustards, hornbills, crocodiles live in the rivers.

In the natural zones of Africa there are many animals and plants that are not found in others. The African savannas are characterized by the baobab, whose trunk reaches 10 m in diameter, the doom palm, the umbrella acacia, the tallest animal in the world - the giraffe, lions, and the secretary bird. In the African forest (hylaea) the great apes gorilla and chimpanzee, pygmy giraffe okapi live. In tropical deserts, there is a one-humped camel dromedary, a fennec fox, as well as the most poisonous mamba snake. Only lemurs live on.

Africa is the birthplace of a number of cultivated plants: oil palm, cola tree, coffee tree, castor beans, sesame, African millet, watermelons, many indoor flower plants - geraniums, aloe, gladioli, pelargonium, etc.

Zone of moist equatorial forests (giley) occupies 8% of the mainland - the basin and the coast of the Gulf of Guinea. The climate here is humid, equatorial, warm enough. Precipitation falls evenly, more than 2000 mm per year. The soils are red-yellow ferralitic, poor organic matter. A sufficient amount of heat and moisture promotes the development of vegetation. In terms of the richness of the species composition (about 25 thousand species) and the area, the humid equatorial forests of Africa are second only to the humid South America.

Forests form 4-5 tiers. Giant (up to 70 m) ficuses, oil and wine palms, ceiba, cola tree, and breadfruit grow in the upper tiers. In the lower tiers - bananas, ferns, Liberian coffee tree. Among the vines, the rubber-bearing liana landolphia and the rattan palm liana (up to 200 m in length) are interesting. This is the longest plant in the world. Red, iron, black (ebony) trees have valuable wood. There are many orchids and mosses in the forest.

There are few herbivores in the forests and fewer predators than in other natural areas. Of the ungulates, the pygmy okapi giraffe is characteristic, hiding in dense forest thickets, forest antelopes, water deer, buffalo, and hippopotamus are found. Predators are represented by wild cats, leopards, jackals. Of these, the brush-tailed porcupine and broad-tailed flying squirrels are common. Monkeys, baboons, mandrills are numerous in the forests. Great apes are represented by 2-3 species of chimpanzees and gorillas.

The transition zone between the equatorial forests and are subequatorial variable-humid forests. They border the humid equatorial forests with a narrow strip. Vegetation gradually changes under the influence of a shortening of the wet period and an intensification of the dry season as one moves away from the equator. Gradually, the equatorial forest turns into a subequatorial, mixed, deciduous-evergreen forest on red ferrallitic soils. The annual precipitation decreases to 650-1300 mm, and the dry season increases to 1-3 months. A distinctive feature of these forests is the predominance of trees of the legume family. Trees up to 25 m high shed their leaves during the dry period, a grassy cover forms under them. Subequatorial forests are located on the northern edge of the equatorial rainforests and south of the equator in the Congo.

Savannahs and woodlands occupy large areas of Africa - the marginal rises of the Congo, the Sudanese plains, the East African plateau (about 40% of the territory). These are open grassy plains with groves or individual trees. The zone of savannahs and light forests encircles humid and variable-moist forests from the Atlantic to and extends north to 17 ° N. sh. and south to 20°S. sh.

Savannahs have alternating wet and dry seasons. In the wet season in the savannah, where the rainy season lasts up to 8-9 months, lush grasses grow up to 2 m high, sometimes up to 5 m high (elephant grass). Among solid sea grasses (cereal savannah) individual trees rise: baobabs, umbrella acacia, doum palms, oil palms. During the dry season, the grasses dry up, the leaves on the trees fall off, and the savannah becomes yellow-brown. Under the savannas, special types of soils are formed - red and red-brown soils.

Depending on the duration of the wet period, savannahs are wet or tall grass, typical or dry, and deserted.

Wet, or tall grass, savannahs have an insignificant dry period (about 3-4 months), and the annual precipitation is 1500-1000 mm. This is a transitional area from forest vegetation to typical savannah. The soils, like those of the subequatorial forests, are red ferralitic. Among the cereals - elephant grass, bearded man, from trees - baobab, acacia, carob, doom palm, cotton tree (ceiba). Evergreen forests are developed along the river valleys.

Typical savannahs are developed in areas with precipitation of 750-1000 mm, the dry period lasts 5-6 months. In the north, they stretch in a continuous strip from to. In the southern hemisphere they occupy the northern part. Characterized by baobabs, acacias, fan palms, shea tree, cereals are represented by bearded man. Soils are red-brown.

Deserted savannas have less rainfall (up to 500 mm), the dry season lasts 7-9 months. They have a sparse grass cover, and acacias predominate among shrubs. These savannahs on red-brown soils stretch in a narrow strip from the coast to the Somali peninsula. In the south, they are widely developed in the basin.

African savannahs are rich in food resources. There are more than 40 species of herbivorous ungulates here, antelopes are especially numerous (kudu, eland, pygmy antelopes). The largest of them is the wildebeest. Giraffes survived mainly in national parks. Zebras are common in the savannas. In some places they are domesticated and replace horses (not susceptible to tsetse bites). Herbivores are accompanied by numerous predators: lions, cheetahs, leopards, jackals, hyenas. Endangered animals include the black and white rhino and the African elephant. Birds are numerous: African ostriches, guinea fowls, francolins, marabou, weavers, secretary bird, lapwings, herons, pelicans. In terms of the number of species of flora and fauna per unit area, the savannahs of Africa are unmatched.

Savannas are relatively favorable for tropical farming. Significant areas of the savannas are plowed up, cotton, peanut, corn, tobacco, sorghum, and rice are cultivated.

North and south of the savannas are tropical semi-deserts and deserts occupying 33% of the mainland. it is distinguished by a very low amount of precipitation (no more than 100 mm per year), scanty xerophytic.

Semi-deserts are a transitional area between savannahs and tropical ones, where the amount of precipitation does not exceed 250-300 mm. A narrow strip in shrub-grass (acacia, tamarisk, tough cereals). AT South Africa semi-deserts are developed in the interior of the Kalahari. The southern semi-deserts are characterized by succulents (aloe, spurge, wild watermelons). During the rainy period, irises, lilies, amaryllis bloom.

AT North Africa occupies vast areas with precipitation up to 100 mm, in South Africa the Namib Desert stretches in a narrow strip along the western coast, in the south is the Kalahari Desert. According to vegetation, the deserts are grass-shrub, shrub and succulent.

The vegetation of the Sahara is represented by individual bunches of cereals and thorny shrubs. From cereals, wild millet is common, from shrubs and semi-shrubs - dwarf saxaul, camel thorn, acacia, jujube, euphorbia, ephedra. Solyanka and wormwood grow on saline soils. Around shotts - tamarisks. For southern deserts characteristic of succulent plants appearance resembling stones. In the Namib Desert, a kind of relic plant is common - majestic velvichia (stump plant) - the lowest tree on Earth (up to 50 cm tall with long fleshy leaves 8-9 m long). There are aloe, euphorbia, wild watermelons, bush acacias.

Typical desert soils are gray soils. In those parts of the Sahara, where groundwater is close to the surface of the earth, oases are formed. All the economic activities of people are concentrated here; grapes, pomegranate, barley, millet, and wheat are grown. The main plant of the oases is the date palm.

The fauna of semi-deserts and deserts is poor. In the Sahara, among large animals, antelopes are found, wild cats, fennec fox. Jerboas, gerbils, various reptiles, scorpions, phalanxes live in the sands.

Tropical rainforest natural area found on the island of Madagascar and in the Dragon Mountains. It is characterized by ironwood, rubber and rosewood trees.

transition zone between tropical deserts and subtropical evergreen forests and shrublands are subtropical semi-deserts and desert steppes. In Africa, they occupy the interior regions of the Atlas and Cape mountains, the Karoo plateau, and the Libyan-Egyptian coast to 30°N. sh. The vegetation is very sparse. In North Africa, these are cereals, xerophytic trees, shrubs and shrubs, in South Africa - succulents, bulbous, tuberous plants.

Zone subtropical evergreen hardwood forests and shrubs represented on the northern slopes of the Atlas Mountains and in the west of the Cape Mountains.

The forests of the Atlas Mountains form cork and holm oaks, Aleppo pine, Atlas cedar with an undergrowth of evergreen shrubs. Maquis is widespread - impenetrable thickets of hard-leaved evergreen shrubs and low trees (myrtle, oleander, pistachio, strawberry tree, laurel). Typical brown soils form here. In the Cape Mountains, vegetation is represented by Cape olive, silver tree, African walnut.

In the extreme southeast of Africa, where the humid subtropical climate, grow lush mixed subtropical forests, represented by evergreen deciduous and coniferous species with an abundance of epiphytes. Zonal subtropical forests are red soils. The fauna of the northern subtropics is represented by European and African species. The northern subtropical forests are inhabited by red deer, mountain gazelle, mouflon, jungle cat, jackals, Algerian fox, wild rabbits, tailless narrow-nosed monkey magot, canaries and eagles are widely represented among birds, and in the south - earthen wolf, jumping antelope, meerkats.

The natural zones of Africa are located symmetrically with respect to the equator. Northern and - "dry". Deserts and semi-deserts prevail here, the outskirts are occupied by cruel-leaved forests and shrubs. Central (equatorial) Africa is “humid”, humid equatorial and variable-humid subequatorial forests grow there. North and south of Central Africa and in the elevated East - savannas and woodlands.

Equatorial rainforests

This is a natural (geographical) zone stretching along the equator with some shift to the south from 8° north latitude. up to 11°S The climate is hot and humid. All year round, average air temperatures are 24-28 C. The seasons are not expressed. Drops out at least 1500 mm precipitation, since this is an area of ​​low pressure (see Fig. Atmosphere pressure), and on the coast the amount of precipitation increases to 10,000 mm. Precipitation falls evenly throughout the year.

Such climatic conditions of this zone contribute to the development of lush evergreen vegetation with a complex layered structure of the forest. The trees here have little branching. They have disc-shaped roots, large leathery leaves, tree trunks rise like columns and spread their thick crown only at the top. The shiny, as if varnished surface of the leaves saves them from excessive evaporation and burns from the scorching sun, from the impact of rain jets during heavy showers. In plants of the lower tier, the leaves, on the contrary, are thin and delicate.

The equatorial forests of South America are called selva (port. - forest). This zone here occupies much larger areas than in Africa. The selva is wetter than the African equatorial forests, richer in plant and animal species.

The soils under the forest canopy are red-yellow, ferrolitic (containing aluminum and iron).

The equatorial forest is the birthplace of many valuable plants such as the oil palm, from which palm oil is obtained. The wood of many trees is used to make furniture and in large numbers exported. These can be attributed ebony, the wood of which is black or dark green. Many plants of the equatorial forests provide not only valuable wood, but also fruits, juice, bark for use in technology and medicine.
Elements of equatorial forests penetrate into the tropics along the coast of Central America, to Madagascar.

The main share of equatorial forests is located in Africa and South America, but they are also found in Eurasia, mainly on the islands. As a result of significant deforestation, the area under them is sharply reduced.

equatorial forests

Moist evergreen forests are located in narrow bands and patches along the equator. "Green Hell" - this is what many travelers of past centuries called these places, who had to be here. High multi-tiered forests stand like a solid wall, under the dense crowns of which darkness constantly reigns, monstrous humidity, constant high temperature, there is no change of seasons, downpours regularly fall in an almost continuous stream of water. The forests of the equator are also called permanent rainforests. The traveler Alexander Humboldt called them "hylaea" (from the Greek hyle - forest - approx. from geoglobus.ru). Most likely, this is what the humid forests of the Carboniferous period looked like with giant ferns and horsetails. Subequatorial forests are distinguished by the fact that among the evergreens there are also those that shed their leaves for several weeks a year.

Life in the rainforest is located "vertically" - plants and animals occupied different "high-rise floors" of this wonderful world adapting to its conditions. In such forests there can be up to five such levels.

The upper floors are at a height of up to 45 m and do not have a closed cover. As a rule, the wood of these trees is the most durable. Below, at a height of 18-20 m, there are tiers of plants and trees that form a continuous closed canopy and almost do not let the sunlight down to the ground. The rarer lower belt is located at a height of about 10 m. Shrubs and herbs grow even lower, such as pineapples and bananas, ferns. Tall trees have thickened overgrown roots (they are called plank-shaped), helping the gigantic plant maintain a strong connection with the soil.

What plants grow in equatorial forests?

Such plants are called "epiphytes", i.e. living at a distance. Such, for example, orchids. Their exquisite flowers with an intoxicating aroma are nothing more than an attempt, in a fierce competitive struggle, to attract insects and birds for pollination and thereby support their later life. In the depths of the forest, in constant dampness, the largest flower on the planet, Rafflesia Arnoldi, blooms, exuding a heavy smell of rotting meat. Its flower reaches a diameter of 1 m.

Under conditions of warm and humid climate the decomposition of dead plants occurs very quickly. From the resulting nutrient composition, substances are taken for the life of the gilea plant.

The rainforests of South America are called "selva". According to its species composition (the number of plant species is 2500-3000), the Amazon selva ranks first in the world. Not much, but still inferior to her African equatorial forests. The land in the rain forest is the realm of mosses, mushrooms, algae, plants with broad leaves that catch and retain moisture, insects, including poisonous ones. To survive in the selva, travelers need knowledge local residents who build houses on stilts sleep in hammocks.

All habitual life concentrated "between heaven and earth", on the wide branches of trees intertwined with lianas. Among such landscapes flow the most deep rivers of our planet - the Amazon in the selva of South America, the Congo in Africa, the Brahmaputra in Southeast Asia.

Selva of the Amazon, as well as the equatorial forests of the Congo, Guinea, Uganda, the forests of the equatorial islands of Oceania, going to the sea coasts, create amazing natural communities- mangrove forests. The aerial roots of plants in such a forest are in themselves impenetrable thickets. Numerous aerial roots trap every opportunity to get air, making their way from wet sand and liquid mud, and at high tides - from sea ​​water. The width of such a mangrove border can reach 10-20 meters.

The equatorial forests of our planet are often called its lungs. Indeed, a huge number of hylaea trees emit such an amount of oxygen into the atmosphere that their reduction threatens humanity with a significant deterioration in the composition of the air. Partially rain forests already brought together. In their place, man cultivates various crops, including coffee, oil and rubber palms.

Flora and fauna Tropical Africa

The vegetation in Africa is rich and varied. Its nature is determined by the amount of precipitation and the duration of the wet season due to the flat relief and the position of the mainland between the tropics. In the equatorial climatic zone, evergreen multi-layered forests rich in species grow. Herbaceous vegetation predominates in subequatorial belts. In tropical zones, vegetation is poor in species, sparse or absent altogether.

Equatorial climate zone

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Plants of equatorial forests. Features and meaning

Plants of equatorial forests cannot but arouse increased interest not only among specialists, but also among ordinary inquisitive travelers from all over the world. And there is nothing surprising in this.

Agree, many of us tend to visit overseas countries precisely for the sake of these exotic representatives of the flora. For example, the plants of the equatorial forests of South America or Africa are very different from those herbs, flowers, trees and shrubs that we are used to seeing outside the window of our hometown. They look, smell and bloom completely differently, which means they cause mixed emotions. They want to take a closer look, touch and photograph.

Plants of the equatorial forests is a topic that can be talked about indefinitely. This article is aimed at acquainting readers with the most characteristic properties and living conditions of these representatives of the world of flora.

general information

First of all, let's try to define such a concept as humid equatorial forests. Plants whose habitats are regions with a pronounced equatorial, subequatorial and tropical climate inhabit this species natural zone. It is worth paying attention to the fact that in this case, not only herbs, but also numerous trees and shrubs can be attributed to various kinds of representatives of the flora.

At first glance, it's hard to even imagine, but there is up to 2000 or even 10,000 mm of precipitation per year.

These land areas are characterized by huge biodiversity, it is here that 2/3 of all plants and animals of our planet live. By the way, not everyone knows that millions of species are still not described.

On the lower tier in tropical rainforests, there is not enough light, but the undergrowth, as a rule, is weak, so a person can easily move along it. However, in the event that for some reason the deciduous canopy is absent or weakened, the lower tier can quickly become covered with impenetrable thickets of vines and intricately woven trees. This is called the jungle.

The climate of the equatorial forest

Animals and plants of the equatorial forests, as we have already said, are diverse. This is due to the prevailing climate, which means that we need to talk about it in more detail.

This zone stretches along the equator with a shift to the south. The average year-round temperature is 24-28 degrees. The climate is quite hot and humid, although the seasons are implicitly expressed.

This area belongs to the area of ​​low pressure, and precipitation here falls evenly throughout the year. Such climatic conditions contribute to the development of evergreen vegetation, which is characterized by the so-called complex structure of the forest.

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The flora of the equatorial territories of the planet

As a rule, moist evergreen forests, located in narrow stripes or peculiar spots along the equator, are diverse and have a huge number of species. It is difficult to imagine that today there are more than a thousand of them only in the Congo Basin and on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea.

Plants of the equatorial forests of the upper tier are represented by giant ficuses and palm trees, of which there are over 200 species. In the lower ones, mainly bananas and tree ferns grow.

Most large plants often entwined with vines, blooming orchids. By the way, it is worth noting that sometimes in the equatorial forests there are up to six tiers. Among the plants there are also epiphytes - mosses, lichens, ferns.

But in the depths of the forest you can meet largest flower of our planet - Rafflesia Arnoldi, the transverse diameter of which reaches 1 meter.

Fauna of the equatorial forest

It is unlikely that anyone will be surprised if we note that the fauna of the equatorial forests, first of all, is rich in monkeys. Monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas, howler monkeys and bonobos are especially common and in huge numbers.

Of the land inhabitants, you can often meet small ungulates, for example, in Africa, tourists often admire okapi, African deer and other unusual animals. The most common predators of the selva of South America, of course, are the jaguar and puma. But in the African tropics, the owners are fast leopards and huge tigers.

Due to the humid environmental conditions, many frogs, lizards and insects live in the equatorial forests. The most common birds are hummingbirds, parrots and toucans.

As for reptiles, who does not know about the pythons of Africa and Asia or the anaconda from the Amazon jungle? In addition, poisonous snakes, alligators, caimans and other no less dangerous representatives of the fauna are common in the equatorial forests.

What will happen if the plants of the equatorial forests are destroyed?

During the deforestation of the equatorial forest, a person, sometimes without realizing it, destroys the habitat of many animals and takes away food from termites. Besides, given forest also restrains the onset of deserts that are destructive to all living things.

But that's not all. The fact is that humid equatorial forests, although they occupy a relatively small part of the Earth, are the so-called green lungs of our planet. It is here that about 1/3 of the Earth's oxygen is produced, so the destruction of the equatorial forest will cause irreversible environmental consequences, including an increase in the content carbon dioxide. The latter, in turn, will increase average temperature, will increase the likelihood of glacier melting, which means that it will entail the subsequent flooding of many fertile lands.

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Polish names: features and meaning

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These interesting plants, so eagerly bred for the beauty of their originally built flowers, and familiar to all, also belong predominantly to the tropics. Most often they come across in the mountains. equatorial belt; there you can always find a few representatives of innumerable forms of orchids. They grow along trunks, branches, along branching branches, developing especially magnificently on fallen trunks, covering rocks and cliffs from top to bottom; some, like our northern species, grow on the ground between other herbs. Many trees, the bark of which is especially conducive to the growth of orchids, are completely covered with them and thus form, as it were, natural orchid gardens. Some orchids are particularly fond of the rotted petioles of palm leaves and tree ferns. Many grow most readily near the water, while others, on the contrary, need air and the light of high tree tops. Everyone knows the original diversity of the structure of orchids and the beautiful colors of their flowers, but our richest orchid collections do not give any complete idea of ​​the whole multitude of their species that come across under the tropics; however, many of them have flowers too plain to be worth breeding. More than 30 years ago Lindley (Lindley) estimated the number of orchid species known at that time at about 3000, Bentham and Hooker in Genera plantarum estimate them already at 5000; it is very likely that in our time the number known species orchids reaches 6000.

Vegetation of the equatorial forests

But no matter how great the number of species already collected and described, the number still to be discovered must be colossal.

Orchid Grammatophyllum speciosum (Java)

In contrast to ferns, certain types orchids have a relatively small distribution; therefore, for an exhaustive acquaintance with all the species belonging to only one more or less extensive area, for example, an island the size of Java, many years of work by a good botanist would be required. It is very possible that this remarkable family will eventually prove to be the most species-rich of all the flowering plants.

Despite the fact that any orchid can be recognized by its peculiar appearance, even not during flowering, yet both their size and appearance are extremely diverse. Some small climbing species do not exceed moss in size, while the large Grammatophyllum from the island of Borneo, growing in the forks of tree branches, have densely leafed trunks up to 10 feet long; some terrestrial species, such as the American Sobraliae, reach the same size. Most orchids look extremely peculiar due to their fleshy aerial roots, which often hang far down, crawl along rocks, or are slightly attached to the bark of a tree; They feed on rainfall and atmospheric moisture in general. Despite so many various kinds orchids in the equatorial forests, their flowers are relatively few striking. This is partly because in many orchids they are generally inconspicuous, and partly because the flowering time of each species lasts only a few weeks and falls on different months for different species. In addition, the very type of growth of orchids, which are found in most cases separately, in separate specimens or in groups that rarely reach a large size and therefore do not stand out among the mass of plants surrounding them, also has an influence. Only rarely does a traveler find himself in a place where orchids remind him of the beauties of our orchid greenhouses and exhibitions. Slender Golden Oncidiae of Flooded Forests upper amazon, the magnificent Cattleya of drier forests, the swampy Caelogynae, and finally the wonderful Vanda lowii of the forested hills of Borneo - these are the main examples of beautiful orchids, especially engraved in the memory of the author of these lines during his 12 years of wandering through the tropical forests. The Vanda mentioned above stands out decisively from all orchids: from a relatively small tuft of its foliage, numerous pedicels protrude, hanging down like cords up to 8 feet long, and completely dotted with large star-shaped, red-speckled flowers.

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PandanusesBamboo

Tropical forests are overflowing with flora and fauna. Representatives of ancient groups of mammals have been preserved here - the most primitive marsupials - possums, woolly wings. Also in the forests there is a multiple variety of monkeys and semi-monkeys (lemurs, lorises). The lizards of the Old World and the armadillos and anteaters live in the tropical forests. Among the birds that live in the crowns, there are many that do not fly very well, but mostly jump and climb (toucans, turacos, hornbills, birds of paradise). And Nicobar pigeons, crowned pigeons, bowerbirds are excellent flyers, and parrots (cockatoo, macaws, Amazon, Jaco) climb well and fly. Tree-dwelling animals can be divided into two groups: gliders, which have a well-developed flying membrane (large flying possum, woolly wing, spiny tail) and climbers, which, in addition to strong and dexterous paws, have a tenacious tail used as a fifth full-fledged limbs (kinkajou, anteaters, howler monkeys, pangolins). Among them there are leaf-eating (sloths, colobus), frugivorous forms (gulda, kalong, little flying fox, kinkajou) and animals with more a wide range plant foods (monkeys, ratuf, woolly wing, kangaroo, spiketail). Others, such as the gorilla, mandrill, porcupine, although they can climb trees, are often found on the ground. Insects, goulda, kalong, little flying fox, some birds are pollinators of rainforest flowers. There are also the largest inhabitants of the tropics, which control the number of animals - these are jaguars, leopards and tigers. The boa constrictor, which can swallow prey whole, is also very dangerous. It could be like big monkey, and a small hippo.

Trees in tropical rainforests share several characteristics that are not seen in plants in less humid climates.

The base of the trunk in many species has wide, woody ledges. Previously, it was assumed that these ledges help the tree to maintain balance, but now it is believed that water with dissolved nutrients flows down to the roots of the tree. Broad leaves are also common in lower forest trees, shrubs and grasses. Tall young trees that have not yet reached the topstory also have broader foliage, which then decreases with height.

Plants of equatorial forests. Moist equatorial forests

The wide leaves help the plants absorb sunlight better under the tree edges of the forest, and they are protected from the wind from above. The leaves of the upper tier, which form the canopy, are usually smaller and heavily cut to reduce wind pressure. On the lower floors, the leaves are often tapered at the ends so that this allows the water to drain quickly and prevents microbes and moss from growing on them that destroy the leaves.

The tops of trees are often very well connected with each other with the help of vines or plants - epiphytes, fixed on them.

Other characteristics of the tropical rainforest are unusually thin (1-2 mm) tree bark, sometimes covered with sharp thorns or thorns; the presence of flowers and fruits growing directly on tree trunks; a wide variety of juicy fruits that attract birds, mammals and even fish that feed on the sprayed particles.

In humid tropical forests, there are edentulous (families of sloths, anteaters and armadillos), broad-nosed monkeys, a number of families of rodents, bats, llamas, marsupials, several orders of birds, as well as some reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates. Many animals with tenacious tails live on trees - tenacious monkeys, pygmy and four-toed anteaters, opossums, tenacious porcupines, sloths. A lot of insects, especially butterflies (one of the richest fauna in the world) and beetles; many fish (as many as 2000 species - this is approximately one third of the freshwater fauna of the world).

In the very center of Africa, in the basin of the great African river Congo, north and south of the equator line and along the shores of the Gulf of Guinea, there are humid equatorial forests of Africa. The forest zone is located in the belt equatorial climate. It is hot and humid here all year round. Usually in the morning the weather is hot and clear. The sun rises higher and bakes more and more. As the temperature rises, evaporation increases. It becomes damp and stuffy, like in a greenhouse. In the afternoon, cumulus clouds appear in the sky and merge into heavy lead clouds. The first drops fell, and a violent thunderstorm broke out. It rains for an hour or two, sometimes more. Rushing streams of rainwater rush through the forest. Countless streams merge into wide rivers. By evening the weather clears up again. And so almost every day from year to year.

There is an abundance of water everywhere. The air is saturated with moisture, plants and soil are saturated with water. Vast areas are swampy or subject to flooding. The abundance of heat and moisture favors the lush development of dense evergreen woody vegetation. Plant life in the equatorial forests never stops. Trees bloom, bear fruit, shed old foliage and put on new ones throughout the year.

Eternal twilight reigns under the multi-storey green vault of the forest. Only in some places a ray of the sun breaks through the foliage. Oil palm grows in bright places. The palm vulture likes to eat its fruits. 100 or more species of trees can be counted on 1 hectare of the equatorial forest. Among them are many valuable species: ebony (ebony), red, rosewood. Their wood is used to make expensive furniture and is exported in large quantities.

The forests of Africa are the birthplace of the coffee tree. Bananas are also indigenous Africans. And the cocoa tree was brought here from America. Large areas are occupied by plantations of cocoa, coffee, bananas, pineapples.

Most animals have adapted to life in trees. Mammals are characterized by a variety of monkeys. Lord of the African equatorial forest, the largest in the world great ape- gorilla. The favorite food of gorillas is the core of banana stalks. There are very few gorillas left and hunting for them is strictly prohibited. There is a forest antelope bongo, an African wild boar, in the depths of the forest you can meet a very rare hoofed animal akapi. Of the predators, there is a leopard, which climbs trees perfectly.

The world of birds is very rich: kalao - a hornbill, a parrot, a Congolese peacock, tiny sunbirds that feed on flower nectar. Many snakes, incl. poisonous, chameleons that feed on insects.

The inhabitants of the equatorial forest zone are excellent hunters. The significance of hunting is all the more great because the development of cattle breeding is hindered by the spread of the tsetse fly. The bite of this fly is detrimental to livestock and causes severe illness in humans. Rivers abound in fish. And fishing is more important than hunting. But swimming is dangerous. There are many crocodiles here.