Deserts and semi-deserts of South America wildlife. South America: the plants and animals that inhabit it

The main area of ​​the vast territory of the mainland of South America extends in the equatorial - tropical latitudes, therefore, does not feel a lack of sunlight, although the climate of this part of the world is not at all as hot as African.

This is the wettest continent on the planet, and there are many natural reasons for this. The pressure difference between warm land and the ocean environment, currents off the coast of the mainland; the Andes mountain range, stretching across a huge part of its territory, blocking the path westerly winds and contributing to the increase in humidity and the loss of a significant amount of precipitation.

The climate of South America is extremely diverse, because this continent stretches across six climatic zones: from subequatorial to moderate. Along with areas of fertile nature, there are areas known for mild winters and cool summers, but famous for frequent rains and winds.

In the center of the mainland, precipitation is much less. And the highlands are distinguished by clean, dry air, but a harsh climate, where the bulk of the heavenly moisture falls, even in summer months, in the form of snow, and the weather is capricious, constantly changing during the day.

A person does not survive well in such places. Naturally, the vicissitudes of the weather affect other organisms that live there.

It is not surprising that with these natural features, the world of fauna is incredibly diverse and rich. List of animals of South America is very extensive and impresses with its individual bright features of organic life that has taken root in this territory. It includes many beautiful and rare species of creatures that amaze with their fantastic originality.

What animals are in South America live? Most of them have adapted perfectly to existence in harsh conditions, because some of them have to endure the discomfort of tropical downpours and survive in the highlands, get used to the characteristics of shrouds and subequatorial forests.

The fauna of this continent is amazing. Here are just some of its representatives, the diversity of which can be seen on photos of South American animals.

Sloths

interesting mammals- the inhabitants of the forests are known to the whole world as very slow creatures. Peculiar animals are closely related to armadillos and anteaters, but outwardly they have little resemblance to them.

The number of sloth species included in the number animals endemic to South America, only about five. They unite in two families: two-toed and three-toed sloths, quite similar to each other. They are half a meter tall and weigh about 5 kg.

They resemble an awkward monkey in external features, and their thick shaggy hair looks like a haystack. It is curious that the internal organs of these animals differ in structure from other mammals. They lack hearing and vision acuity, teeth are underdeveloped, and the brain is rather primitive.

Pictured is an animal sloth

armadillos

Animal world South America would be greatly impoverished without mammals. These are the most unusual animals of the edentulous - a detachment to which sloths are also included.

The animals are dressed by nature in something similar to chain mail, as if chained in armor, girded with hoops consisting of bone plates. They have teeth, but they are very small.

Their eyesight is not well developed, but their sense of smell and hearing are quite sharp. When feeding, such animals capture food with a sticky tongue, and are able to dig into loose earth in the blink of an eye.

Pictured is an armadillo

Ant-eater

Scroll animal names of south america would not be complete without such an amazing creation as . This is an ancient outlandish mammal that existed in the early Miocene.

These representatives of the fauna inhabit the territories of shrouds and moist forests, and also live in swampy areas. They are divided by scientists into three genera, differing in weight and size.

Representatives of the genus of giants have a mass of up to 40 kg. They, as well as members of the genus of large anteaters, spend their lives on the ground and cannot climb trees. Unlike relatives, pygmy anteaters skillfully move along trunks and branches with the help of clawed paws and a tenacious tail.

Anteaters do not have teeth, and they spend their lives in search of termite mounds and anthills, absorbing their inhabitants with a sticky tongue, sticking their long nose into the dwelling of insects. Anteater is able to eat several tens of thousands of termites per day.

Pictured is an anteater animal

Jaguar

Among animal forests of south america, dangerous predator killing one jump is . It is in his dexterous, lightning-fast ability to kill his victims that the meaning of the name of this beast, translated from the language of the indigenous inhabitants of the continent, lies.

The predator is also found in shrouds and belongs to the genus Panther, reaches a weight of just under 100 kg, has a spotted color like a leopard, and has a long tail.

Such animals live in the north and in the central part of America, but are found in Argentina and Brazil. And in El Salvador and Uruguay some time ago they were completely exterminated.

Pictured is a jaguar

Mirikin monkey

American monkeys are endemic, and differ from relatives living on other continents by a wide partition separating the nostrils of these animals, for which they are called broad-nosed by many zoologists.

Mirikina, otherwise called durukuli, belongs to this type of creatures inhabiting mountain forests. These creatures, having a height of about 30 cm, are notable for the fact that, unlike others, they lead an owl lifestyle: they hunt at night, seeing perfectly and orienting themselves in the dark, and sleep during the day.

They jump like acrobats, eat small birds, insects, frogs, fruits and drink nectar. They know how to make a huge number of interesting sounds: they bark like a dog, meow; roar like jaguars; chirping and chirping like birds, filling the darkness of the night with diabolical concerts.

Mirikin monkey

titi monkey

It is not known exactly how many species of such monkeys exist in South America, since they have taken root in impenetrable forests, whose wilds cannot be fully explored.

Titi resemble mirikin in appearance, but have long claws. During the hunt, they guard their prey on the bough of a tree, picking up their arms and legs together, lowering their long tail down. But at the right moment, in the blink of an eye, they deftly grab their victims, whether it be a bird flying in the air or a living creature running along the ground.

Pictured is a titi monkey

saki

These monkeys live in the forests of the interior regions of the continent. They spend their lives on the tops of trees, especially in areas of the Amazon, flooded with water on for a long time because they cannot tolerate dampness.

They jump on the branches very dexterously and far, and walk on the ground on their hind legs, helping themselves to maintain balance with their front legs. Zookeepers, watching these, noticed their habit of rubbing their own wool with pieces of lemon. And they drink, licking water from their hands.

white-faced saki

wakari monkey

Close relatives of the saki, living in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, are known for the shortest tail among the monkeys of the continent. These peculiar creatures, classified as endangered species and rare animals of south america, have red faces and a bald forehead, and with their lost and sad expression, they look like an aged, confused person in life.

However, appearances are deceiving, because the nature of these creatures is cheerful and cheerful. But when they get nervous, they smack their lips noisily and shake with all their might the bough they are on.

uakari monkey

Howler

South American harpy bird

Titicaca whistler frog

Otherwise, this creature is called the scrotum because of the flabbiness of its skin, hanging in folds. She uses her bizarre skin for breathing, as her lungs are small in volume.

This is the largest frog in the world, found in the waters of the Andes and on Lake Titicaca. Individual specimens grow up to half a meter and weigh about a kilogram. The color of the back of such creatures is dark brown or olive, often with light spots, the belly is lighter, creamy gray.

Titicaca whistler frog

American manatee

A large mammal that inhabits the shallow waters of the Atlantic coast. Able to live also in fresh water. The average length is three or more meters, the weight in some cases reaches 600 kg.

These creatures are painted in a rough gray color, and their forelimbs resemble flippers. They eat plant foods. They have poor eyesight, and communicate by touching their muzzles.

American manatee

Amazonian inia dolphin

The largest of. His body weight can be estimated at 200 kg. These creatures are painted in dark tones, and sometimes have a reddish skin tone.

They have small eyes and a curved beak covered with tin bristles. In captivity, they live no more than three years and are difficult to train. They have poor eyesight, but a developed system of echolocation.

river dolphin inia

piranha fish

This aquatic creature, famous for its lightning-fast attacks, has received the title of the most voracious fish of the continent. Having a height of no more than 30 cm, she ruthlessly and brazenly attacks animals and does not disdain to eat carrion.

The shape of the body has the form of a rhombus, compressed from the sides. Usually the color is silver-gray. There are also herbivorous species of these fish that feed on vegetation, seeds and nuts.

Pictured is a piranha fish

Giant arapaima fish

According to scientists, the appearance of this ancient fish, a living fossil, has remained unchanged for millions of centuries. Individual individuals, as the locals of the continent assure, reach four meters in length, and their weight is estimated at 200 kg. True, ordinary specimens are more modest in size, but it is a valuable commercial one.

Giant arapaima fish

electric eel

most dangerous big fish, having a mass of up to 40 kg, found in the shallow rivers of the continent and having enough human victims on its account.

Capable of emitting an electric charge of high power, but feeds only on small fish. It has an elongated body and smooth, scaly skin. The color of the fish is orange or brown.

Electric eel fish

Agrias claudina butterfly

The most beautiful tropical forest with a span, saturated with colors, bright wings of 8 cm. The shape and combination of shades depends on the subspecies of the described insects, of which there are about ten. It is not easy to see a butterfly, as they are rare. Even harder to capture such beauty.

Agrias claudina butterfly

Butterfly nymphalida

With wide wings of medium size, bright and variegated colors. The lower part usually merges with environment against the background of dry leaves. These insects actively pollinate flowering plants. Their caterpillars feed on grasses and leaves.

Butterfly nymphalida

California ground cuckoo- a North American bird from the cuckoo family (Cuculidae). It lives in deserts and semi-deserts in the south and southwest of the United States and in northern Mexico.

Adult ground cuckoos reach a length of 51 to 61 cm, including the tail. They have a long, slightly curved beak. The head, crest, back and long tail are dark brown with light spots. The neck and belly are also light. The extremely long legs and long tail are adaptations for a desert-running lifestyle.

The California ground cuckoo can reach speeds of up to 42 km/h. The special arrangement of the toes also helps her in this, since both outer toes are located back, and both inner ones are forward. She flies, however, because of her short wings very poorly and can stay in the air for only a few seconds.

This bird spends most of its time on the ground and preys on snakes, lizards, insects, rodents and small birds. She is fast enough to kill even small vipers, which she grabs by the tail with her beak and beats her head on the ground like a whip. She swallows her prey whole. Own English title Road Runner (road runner) this bird received for the fact that it used to run after mail coaches and grab small animals disturbed by their wheels.

death valley

Death Valley got its name from the settlers who crossed it in 1849, trying to the shortest way reach the gold fields of California. The guidebook briefly reports that "some stayed in it forever." The dead were poorly prepared for the passage through the desert, did not stock up on water and lost their bearings. Before his death, one of them cursed this place, calling it Death Valley. The few survivors withered the meat of the mules on the wreckage of the dismantled wagons and reached the goal. They left behind "cheerful" geographical names: Death Valley, Burial Range, Last Chance Ridge, Coffin Canyon, Dead Man's Pass, Hell's Gate, Rattlesnake Gorge, etc.

Badwater Basin is the lowest part of Death Valley, located at 85.5 m below sea level. Sometime after ice age The valley of death was a huge lake with fresh water. The local hot and dry climate contributed to the inevitable evaporation of water. Annual short-term, but very intense rains wash tons of minerals from the surface of the mountains into the lowlands. The salts remaining after the evaporation of the water settle to the bottom, reaching the highest concentration in the lowest place, in the Pond with bad water. Here, rainwater lingers longer, forming small temporary lakes. Once upon a time, the first settlers were surprised that their dehydrated mules refused to drink water from these lakes, and they marked "bad water" on the map. So this area got its name. In fact, the water in the pool (when it is) is not poisonous, but it tastes very salty. There are also unique inhabitants here that are not found in other places: algae, aquatic insects, larvae and even a mollusk, named after the place of residence Badwater Snail.

Nearby is the lowest terrain in the Valley Badwater Basin. Salt behaves differently here. On an absolutely flat white surface, a uniform salt net 4-6 cm high is formed. The grid consists of figures, gravitating in shape to a hexagon, and covers the bottom of the Valley with a huge cobweb, creating an absolutely unearthly landscape.

Sailing stones, also called sliding or crawling stones, are a geological phenomenon. The stones move slowly along the clay bottom of the lake, as evidenced by the long footprints left behind them. The stones move on their own without the help of living beings, but no one has ever seen or recorded the movement on camera. Similar stone movements have been noted in several other places, but in terms of the number and length of tracks, Racetrack Playa stands out from the rest.

The territory of the park includes the Salina Valley, most of the Panamint Valley, as well as the territories of several mountain systems. Telescope Peak rises to the west, and Dante's View to the east, from which a beautiful view of the entire valley opens up.

Coati- a mammal from the genus nosoha of the raccoon family. This mammal received its name for an elongated and very funny mobile stigma-nose.
Their head is narrow, their hair is short, their ears are round and small. On the edge of the inner side of the ears is a white rim. Nosukha is the owner of a very long tail, which is almost always in an upright position. With the help of the tail, the animal balances when moving. The characteristic color of the tail is the alternation of light yellow, brown and black rings.

The color of the nose is varied: from orange to dark brown. The muzzle is usually a uniform black or brown. On the muzzle, below and above the eyes, there are light spots. The neck is yellowish, the paws are painted black or dark brown.

the trap is elongated, the paws are strong with five fingers and non-retractable claws. With its claws, the nosuha digs the ground, getting food. The hind legs are longer than the front. The length of the body from the nose to the tip of the tail is 80-130 cm, the length of the tail itself is 32-69 cm. The height at the withers is about 20-29 cm. They weigh about 3-5 kg. Males are almost twice as large as females.

Nosoha live on average 7-8 years, but in captivity they can live up to 14 years. They live in tropical and subtropical forests of South America and the southern United States. Their favorite place is dense bushes, low-lying forests, rocky terrain. Due to human intervention recent times noses prefer forest edges and clearings.

It is said that nosoha used to be called simply badgers, but since real badgers moved to Mexico, the true homeland of nosoha, this species has received its individual name.

All noses, including coatis, are predators! Coatis get their food with their noses, diligently sniffing and groaning, they inflate the foliage in this way and look for termites, ants, scorpions, beetles, larvae under it. Sometimes it can also feed on land crabs, frogs, lizards, rodents. During the hunt, the coati clamps the victim with its paws and bites through its head. In difficult times of famine, nosuhi allow themselves vegetarian cuisine, they eat ripe fruits, which, as a rule, are always in abundance in the forest. Moreover, they do not make stocks, but return to the tree from time to time.

Males usually lead a solitary life and only during the mating season do they join the family groups of females with young. In the mating season, and this is usually from October to March, one male is accepted into a group of females and young. All sexually mature females living in the group mate with this male, and soon after mating, he leaves the group.

Nosukha brings cubs once a year. Usually there are 2-6 cubs in a litter. Newborns weigh 100-180 grams and are completely dependent on the mother, who leaves the nest for a while to find food. The eyes open at about 11 days. For several weeks, the babies remain in the nest, and then leave it with their mother and join the family group.
Lactation lasts up to four months. Young coats remain with their mother until she begins to prepare for the birth of the next offspring.

Red Lynx- the most common wild cat North American continent. In general appearance, this is a typical lynx, but it is almost two times smaller than an ordinary lynx and not so long-legged and broad-legged. Its body length is 60-80 cm, height at the withers is 30-35 cm, weight is 6-11 kg. You can recognize a red lynx by its white

You can meet a red lynx in dense subtropical forests or in desert places among prickly cacti, on high mountain slopes or in swampy lowlands. The presence of a person does not prevent her from appearing on the outskirts of villages or small towns. This predator chooses areas for itself where it is possible to feast on small rodents, nimble squirrels or shy rabbits and even prickly porcupines.

Vision and hearing are well developed. Hunts on the ground, sneaking up on prey. With its sharp claws, the lynx holds the victim and kills it with a bite to the base of the skull. In one sitting, an adult animal eats up to 1.4 kg of meat. The remaining surplus hides and returns to them the next day.For rest, the red lynx chooses a new place every day, not lingering in the old one. It can be a crack in the rocks, a cave, a hollow log, a space under a fallen tree, etc. On the ground or snow, the red lynx takes a step about 25 - 35 cm long; the size of an individual footprint is about 4.5 x 4.5 cm. While walking, they place their hind legs exactly in the tracks left by their front paws. Because of this, they never make a very loud noise from the crackling of dry twigs under their feet. Soft pads on their feet help them to calmly sneak up to the animal at close range. Bobcats are good tree climbers and can also swim across small bodies of water, but they only do so on rare occasions.

The red lynx is a territorial animal. The lynx marks the boundaries of the site and its paths with urine and feces. In addition, she leaves marks of her claws on the trees. The male knows that the female is ready to mate by the smell of her urine. A mother with cubs is very aggressive towards any animal and person that threatens her kittens.

In the wild, males and females love to be alone, meeting only during the breeding season. The only time when individuals of different sexes look for meetings is the mating season, which falls at the end of winter - the beginning of spring. The male mates with all the females that are in the same area with him. Pregnancy of the female lasts only 52 days. The cubs are born in the spring, blind and helpless. At this time, the female tolerates the male only near the den. After about a week, the babies open their eyes, but for another eight weeks they stay with their mother and feed on her milk. The mother licks their fur and warms them with her body. The female bobcat is a very caring mother. In case of danger, she takes the kittens to another shelter.

A male bobcat often occupies an area of ​​100 km2, border areas can be common to several males. The area of ​​the female is half that. Within the territory of one male, 2-3 females usually live. A male red lynx, on whose territory three females with cubs often live, has to get food for 12 kittens.

Among the almost two and a half thousand species of higher plants found in the flora of the Sonoran Desert, the most widely represented are species from the family of Asteraceae, legumes, cereals, buckwheat, euphorbia, cactus and borage. A number of communities characteristic of the main habitats make up the vegetation of the Sonoran Desert.

Vegetation grows on extensive, slightly sloping alluvial fans, the main components of which are groups of creosote bush and ragweed. They also include several types of prickly pear, quinoa, acacia, fukeria, or okotilo.

On the alluvial plains below the alluvial fans, the vegetation cover mainly consists of a sparse forest of mesquite trees. Their roots, penetrating into the depths, reach the groundwater, and the roots located in the surface layer of the soil, within a radius of up to twenty meters from the trunk, can intercept precipitation. An adult mesquite tree reaches a height of eighteen meters, and can be more than a meter wide. In modern times, only the pitiful remnants of the once majestic mesquite forests, long cut down for fuel, remain. The mesquite forest is very similar to the thickets of black saxaul in the Karakum Desert. The composition of the forest, in addition to the mesquite tree, includes clematis and acacia.

By the water, along the banks of the rivers, near the water, poplars are located, to which ash and Mexican elder are mixed. Plants such as acacia, creosote bush and celtis grow in the beds of the arroyo, drying up temporary streams, as well as on the adjacent plains. In the desert of Gran Desierto, near the coast of the Gulf of California, ambrosia and creosote bush predominate on sandy plains, and ephedra and tobosa, ragweed grow on sand dunes.

In the Arizona Uplands, northwest of the Sonoran Desert, the vegetation is especially colorful and varied. A denser vegetation cover and a variety of vegetation are due here to more precipitation than in other areas of Sonora, as well as the ruggedness of the relief, a combination of steep slopes of different exposures and hills. A kind of cactus forest, in which the main place is occupied by a giant columnar saguaro cactus, with an undersized encelia shrub located between the cacti, is formed on gravelly soils with a large amount of fine earth. Also among the vegetation there are large barrel-shaped ferocactus, ocotillo, paloverde, several species of prickly pear, acacia, celtis, creosote bush, as well as mesquite tree, in floodplains.

With a peculiar look, such trees and bushes of the Sonoran Desert as an ivory tree, an iron tree and an idriya, or buoyum, growing only in two areas of the Sonoran Desert, located in Mexico, which is part of such a region as Latin America, attract attention.

The Vizcaino area is located in the central third of the California Peninsula. Precipitation is scarce, but the air is cool, as moist sea breezes often bring fog, which weakens the aridity of the climate. Rain falls mainly in winter and averages less than 125 mm. Here in the flora there are some very unusual plants, bizarre landscapes are characteristic: fields of white granite boulders, cliffs of black lavas, etc. Interesting plants are bujamas, an elephant tree, a 30 m high cordon, a throttling ficus growing on rocks and a blue palm tree. In contrast to the main Vizcaino Desert, the Vizcaino Coastal Plain is a flat, cool, foggy desert with 0.3 m high shrubs and fields of annuals.

Riverside communities are usually isolated bands or islands of deciduous forests along temporary streams. There are very few permanent or drying streams (the largest is the Colorado River), but there are many where water appears for only a couple of days or even a few hours a year. Dry channels, or "washes", arroyo - "arroyos" are places where many trees and shrubs are concentrated. Xerophilic light forests along dry channels are very variable. Near-pure mesquite forest occurs along some temporary streams, while others may be dominated by blue paloverde or ironwood, or a mixed forest develops. The so-called "desert willow" is characteristic, which is actually a catalpa.

Latin America is the place on Earth where natural resources have been preserved virtually untouched since the Mesozoic era.

The favorable climate and features of the development of the mainland have caused the fact that today the nature of countries Latin America attracts more and more tourists. They are eager to see many outlandish plants that are not found anywhere else. The flora of South America is rightfully considered the main wealth of the mainland. Such well-known plants as tomatoes, potatoes, corn, chocolate tree, rubber tree were discovered here.

rainforest plants

The tropical rain forests of the northern part of the mainland still amaze with the richness of species, and today scientists continue to discover new plant species here. In these forests there are different types of palm trees, melon tree. There are 750 species of trees and 1,500 species of flowers per 10 square kilometers of this forest.

The forest is so dense that it is extremely difficult to move through it, vines also make it difficult to move. A characteristic plant for the rainforest is ceiba. The forest in this part of the mainland can reach a height of over 100 meters and spread over 12 levels!

Humid tropical (equatorial) forests of South America on ferrallitic soils, called hylaea by A. Humboldt, and in Brazil called selva, occupy a significant part of the Amazonian lowland, adjacent areas of the Orinok lowland and the slopes of the Brazilian and Guiana highlands. They are also characteristic of the coastal strip of the Pacific Ocean within Colombia and Ecuador. Thus, areas with an equatorial climate are covered with tropical rainforests, but, in addition, they grow on the slopes of the Brazilian and Guiana highlands, facing towards Atlantic Ocean, at higher latitudes, where there are abundant trade winds for most of the year, and during a short dry period, the lack of rain is compensated high humidity air.

The hylaea of ​​South America is the richest type of vegetation on the Earth in terms of species composition and density of vegetation cover. They are characterized by high height and complexity of the forest canopy. In areas not flooded by rivers in the forest, there are up to five tiers of various plants, of which at least three tiers consist of trees. The height of the highest of them reaches 60-80 m.

The humid tropical forests of South America are especially rich in vines and epiphytes, often blooming brightly and beautifully. Among them are representatives of the family of arroinaceae, bromeliads, ferns and orchid flowers, unique in their beauty and brightness. Tropical rainforests rise up the slopes of the mountains up to about 1000-1500 m without undergoing significant changes.

Under the influence economic activity human vegetation has undergone significant changes. In just 15 years, from 1980 to 1995, the area of ​​forests in South America decreased by 124 million hectares. In Bolivia, Venezuela, Paraguay and Ecuador, the rate of deforestation over this period exceeded 1% per year. For example, in 1945 in eastern regions Paraguayan forests occupied 8.8 million hectares (or 55% of the total area), and in 1991 their area was only 2.9 million hectares (18%). In Brazil, about 15 million hectares of forests were destroyed between 1988 and 1997. It should be noted that after 1995

there has been a marked decrease in the rate of deforestation. The main cause of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon remains the expansion of agricultural land, mostly permanent pastures. The destruction of forests leads to the destruction of the upper soil horizon, the development of accelerated erosion and other processes of soil degradation. Due to deforestation and overloading of pastures, soil degradation processes have affected almost 250 million hectares of land.

tropical savanna plants

South of the selva are variable wet forests and savannas, where the quebracho tree grows, which is famous for its very hard and very heavy wood, a valuable and expensive raw material. In the savannas, small forests give way to thickets of cereals, shrubs and tough grasses.

Cerrado

Cerrado region in east-central and southern parts Brazil is the largest savanna biome in South America. Cerrado contains more than ten thousand plant species, 44% of which are endemic. About 75% of the territory has been lost since 1965, while the rest has been fragmented.

Pantanal

Two other areas of the savannah further south are the Pantanal and the Pampas. Although the Pantanal is a savanna, during the rainy season it becomes a wetland and is a habitat for aquatic plants. When the Pantanal dries up, savannahs appear instead of water. This unique area is threatened by various human activities, including shipping, artificial drainage, mining, Agriculture and urban waste.

Pampas

Further south are the pampas - the South American steppes. Here you can find many types of herbs, common for Eurasia: feather grass, bearded vulture, fescue. The soil here is quite fertile, as there is less rainfall and it is not washed out. Shrubs and small trees grow among the grasses.

Flora of mediterranean climate and temperate forests

This climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The vegetation consists mainly of leathery-deciduous evergreen shrubs that are well adapted to the long summer drought. The Chilean Matorral is the only Mediterranean area that has bromeliads. In lower areas, many shrubs are dry deciduous, meaning they shed their leaves in summer.

Since South America extends far to the south, it has a small region with temperate forests called the Valdivian forests. They range from temperate rain forest to drier temperate forests, and in all cases nothophagus tend to predominate. It is dominated by small evergreen trees and shrubs. Fuchsias, which are valued all over the world for their beautiful flowers,

grow in the undergrowth. Although not rich in species, the temperate rainforests of the southern part of the continent can be quite dense.

desert plants

The south of the mainland is desert, the climate is more severe there, and therefore the vegetation is much poorer. Shrubs, some types of grasses and cereals grow on the stony soil of the Patagonian desert. All plants are resistant to drought and constant weathering of the soil, among them are resinous chanyar, chukuraga, Patagonian fabiana.

Atacama Desert

In the Atacama Desert, one of the driest in the world, there is some humidity, but it is limited to certain areas. Coastal areas below 1000 meters receive regular fog (called camanchacas).

The rainfall in the Atacama Desert is so low that even cacti (which normally accumulate moisture) can hardly get enough water from a single rainstorm, so many plants, including species from the Bromeliad family, take some of the necessary moisture from the mists. There is no regular fog in sections of medium height; thus, there is almost no vegetation cover. In higher areas, the rising air cools enough to produce moderate rainfall, although the vegetation is still desert. Shrubs tend to grow near stream beds where their roots can reach a permanent water source. The Atacama Desert often appears barren, but when enough moisture is available, the ephemera changes its appearance.

Patagonian wilderness

Conditions in the Patagonian desert are less harsh. Vegetation ranges from grassland tussocks near the Andes to much shrub-steppe flora further east.

In the shrub steppes of Patagonia, cushion-shaped plants and kulembay shrubs are found. Where the soil is salty, quinoa and other salt-tolerant shrubs grow.

4 unusual plants of South America

jacaranda

You can meet him in Brazil, Argentina and the West Indies.

Jacaranda is so beautiful during the flowering period that streets, squares and squares are decorated with it. This tree is especially loved in Buenos Aires. It blooms almost always.

So, at the end of spring and at the beginning of winter, the flowering of jacaranda is the most abundant, and in summer and autumn - a little more modest. However, the spectacle is incredible anyway. Bright purple delicate flowers cover the crown so densely that it is almost impossible to see green leaves behind them, very similar to mimosa leaves.

Although jacaranda is not such a rarity in South America, it is unlikely that anywhere else you can walk along a thick carpet of crumbling purple petals and enjoy the violet scent emanating from these beautiful trees.

Psychotria

Psychotria is considered no less interesting - a small tree whose flowers resemble juicy scarlet lips, as if folded into a kiss. In total, there are about a hundred species of this plant, and you can find it in Panama, Ecuador, Colombia and Costa Rica. With its seductive appearance, the flowers of this plant attract the main pollinators - butterflies and hummingbirds.

Psychotria is under threat complete disappearance due to uncontrolled deforestation. But you can still catch "hot sponges" by finding them in Latin American forests.

Balsa

If you decide to go to Ecuador, then you may be lucky to see the balsa, or the so-called hare tree. This is a very tall tree from the baobab family.

It almost disappeared from the face of the Earth because of its valuable wood: very light, soft and loose, after drying it becomes harder than oak. Balsa was once used to make boats, rafts and canoes, but today its wood is only enough for surfboards and fishing lures. This tree is called hare because of its fruits - pods with seeds, which, after opening, become like fluffy hare legs.

There are no more balsa forests left, but small groups of these trees can still be found in the rain and humid Ecuadorian forests.

cashew tree piranji

Another unique tree grows in Brazil, near the city of Natal.

This is the Piranji cashew tree, which is already 177 years old and has “snipped off” almost two hectares of land. Piranji is a mutant tree. An ordinary cashew tree grows like a tree, but not Piranji, as its branches, as soon as they touch the ground, take root, as a result of which the tree continues to grow. Thus, a single tree replaced a whole forest. By the way, it still bears fruit - about 80 thousand fruits a year. It is the largest cashew tree in the world as it is 80 times the size of a normal cashew tree.

conclusions

The plants of South America are also quite diverse. tropical rain forests The Amazons occupy vast areas, including, in addition to the northern part of Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, the southern part of Venezuela, the west and south of Colombia, Ecuador and the east of Peru. In addition, this type of forest is found in Brazil in a narrow strip along the Atlantic coast, as well as on the Pacific coast from the border of Panama to Guayaquil in Ecuador. Trees in these forests reach 80 m (ceiba), melon tree, cocoa, rubber hevea grow. Plants are entwined with vines, many orchids. However, scientists fear that these “lungs of the planet” may disappear from the surface of the Earth by the end of the 21st century (such a sad forecast was made by climatologists participating in a conference on climate change, which was held in Copenhagen from March 6 to 18, 2009 ).

The savannahs occupy the Orinok Lowland and most of the Guiana and Brazilian Highlands. In the northern hemisphere, among tall grasses (llanos), there are tree-like spurges, cacti, mimosas, bottle trees. In the south (campos) it is much drier, there are more cacti. The steppes of South America (pampas) have fertile reddish-black soils, cereals predominate. Deserts and semi-deserts are located in the temperate zone in Patagonia. The soils are brown and gray-brown, dry grasses, cushion-shaped shrubs.

Video

Sources

http://latintour.ru/sa/sa-info/rasteniya.html

South America is the most diverse continent in the world in terms of flora, primarily due to its geographical location.

The diversity of the flora of South America is increasing due to the high mountains, especially the Andes, which stretch from north to south along the western part of the mainland.

South America includes as diverse as tropical rainforest, tropical, extremely dry, temperate and alpine forests.

The largest biomes are deserts, savannahs and rainforests. Due to the rapid rate of deforestation in places like , some plants may disappear before being registered, let alone studied.

The desert biome is the driest biome in South America and is generally limited to the western coast of the continent.

Arid conditions prevail from the coast to the relatively high Andes. The Atacama Desert in northern Chile and the Patagonian Desert in central Chile are the most famous deserts in South America. Smaller desert regions are also found in the rain shadow regions of the Andes.

Next on the humidity scale is the savannah biome, which is found in two completely different areas of the mainland. The largest savannahs are concentrated in regions such as: Cerrado; Pantanal; and further south, in southern Brazil, Uruguay, and northern Argentina, are the steppe savannas called the Pampas.

Although some of the forests in South America are dry, most of them receive 2000-3000 mm of rain annually. The Amazon rainforest is the world's largest rainforest, accounting for more than 3/4 of the mainland's forest area. This is one of the richest areas of vegetation on the planet, but it is rapidly being destroyed due to agricultural and other human activities. Young rainforests grow along the southeast coast of Brazil and in northern Venezuela.

A much smaller area is occupied by a small Mediterranean region in central Chile, characterized by cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers.

In the far south of Chile and in Argentina there is a small area that becomes the alpine tundra in the very south. Temperatures are relatively cool and mild throughout the year, except in the far south where it can get very cold in winter.

Plants of the Atacama and Patagonia Deserts

Atacama Desert

In the Atacama Desert, one of the driest in the world, there is some humidity, but it is limited to certain areas. Coastal areas below 1000 meters receive regular fog (called camanchacas).

The rainfall in the Atacama Desert is so low that even cacti (which normally accumulate moisture) can hardly get enough water from a single rainstorm, so many plants, including species from the Bromeliad family, take some of the necessary moisture from the mists. There is no regular fog in sections of medium height; thus, there is almost no vegetation cover.

In higher areas, the rising air cools enough to produce moderate rainfall, although the vegetation is still desert. Shrubs tend to grow near stream beds where their roots can reach a permanent water source.

The Atacama Desert often appears barren, but when enough moisture is available, the ephemera changes its appearance.

Ephemera

Ephemera are usually annual plants whose seeds are kept in dry soil. When humidity increases, they quickly germinate, grow, flower and set seeds before drought sets in.

flowering plants

Bright flowers in the Atacama Desert

In the first days and weeks after good rain many grasses appear, serving as a backdrop for endless varieties of bright flowers, many of which are endemic to the Atacama Desert (found only in this region).

Nolana volcanica of the genus Nolan

Flowering plants include species from the Alstroemeria family (commonly called irises, although they are actually lilies) and the Nolan genus (native to Chile and Peru).

Patagonian desert

Conditions in the Patagonian desert are less harsh. Vegetation ranges from grassland tussocks near the Andes to much shrub-steppe flora further east.

Feather grass

Feather grass is especially common throughout Patagonia, and cacti are also not uncommon.

cushion plants

cushion plants

In the shrub steppes of Patagonia, cushion-shaped plants and kulembay shrubs are found.

Quinoa

Where the soil is salty, quinoa and other salt-tolerant shrubs grow.

tropical savanna plants

Cerrado

The Cerrado region in east-central and southern Brazil is the largest savannah biome in South America.

Cerrado contains more than ten thousand plant species, 44% of which are endemic. About 75% of the territory has been lost since 1965, while the rest has been fragmented.

Pantanal

Two other areas of savannah further south are the Pantanal and the Pampas. Although the Pantanal is a savanna, it becomes a wetland during the rainy season and is a habitat for aquatic plants.

When the Pantanal dries up, savannahs appear instead of water. This unique area is threatened by a variety of human activities, including shipping, artificial drainage, mining, agriculture and municipal waste.

Pampas

The Pampas, like the great prairies that once covered central North America, are composed almost exclusively of grasses. Trees and shrubs grow near water bodies, but herbaceous vegetation dominates.

Raising cattle, growing wheat and maize are the main human activities in the area and thus the main threat to the natural flora. Since the region is located south of the Pantanal, it has a more temperate climate.

rainforest plants

Amazon rainforests

The Amazon rainforest is the largest rainforest in the world. It is so large and has dense enough vegetation that the evaporation of moisture partially affects the humidity of the climate in the region.

The diversity of vegetation is so great here that there is currently no comprehensive information on all species in many parts of the Amazon rainforest. Of the tens of thousands of plant species, a large number have never been described.

This one-of-a-kind botanical treasure is shrinking at a terrifying rate - from 13,000 to 26,000 km² per year. The causes of such destruction are primarily the felling and burning of trees, agriculture, and cattle breeding.

The Amazon rainforest is an extremely complex biome. The main plant biomass consists of trees, which form a closed dome that prevents much sunlight from reaching the forest floor.

Epiphytes

The forest floor has a small amount herbaceous plants, and most small species growing as epiphytes on the branches and trunks of trees. Epiphytes in the Amazon rainforest include species from the orchid family, bromeliads, and even some cacti.

There is a wide variety of bromeliads, ranging from small, inconspicuous species to larger species that can collect significant amounts of moisture in their central whorl of leaves. The water in these plants can form miniature, consisting of mosquito larvae, aquatic insects and frogs.

ferns

Ferns are considered another significant member of the epiphyte community. Some more large species ferns, often referred to as tree ferns, grow in the undergrowth.

creepers

Thus, the typical vegetation of the Amazon rainforest includes different kinds vines.

The trees that form the canopy are divided into three fairly discrete levels. The two lowest levels are overcrowded, and the top level consists of tall trees that stand out randomly over the continuous lower layers.

There are a few smaller palm trees, shrubs and ferns under the canopy, but they only occur densely where there is a break in the dome that allows sunlight to enter.

Some types of rainforests are well known, primarily for their economic value. The most popular wood for making furniture is mahogany. Because its wood is highly valued, many mahogany species are rare or have disappeared entirely.

South American rainforests are also a rich source of rubber. Brazil had a rubber monopoly until the seeds were smuggled out and planted in Malaysia, and synthetic rubber replaced natural rubber in several countries.

brazilian walnut tree

Another popular tree is the Brazilian walnut tree. Its fruits are rich in proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

cocoa tree

The fruits of the cocoa tree are widely used in cooking as the main ingredient in chocolate, as well as in medicine.

Every year during the rainy season, the lowest areas of the Amazon rainforest are filled with water (up to 1 m), which recedes after a few months. Trees grow well during this flood cycle.

Some trees have unique fruits that are eaten by fish and thus their seeds are dispersed. Flooding can be so extensive in some areas that the water reaches the lower parts of the canopy.

Coastal tropical rainforests are also found in northwestern and southeastern South America. Each of these forests contains a large number of endemic species. Some species of trees are so rare that they can be found in an area of ​​​​several square kilometers and nowhere else.

mangroves

Where the rainforest meets the ocean, they have adapted to the tidal environment.

Mangrove trees have a tangle of roots that often rise above the water, giving the appearance of "walking trees". Special root structures that rise above the water level during high tides allow the roots to breathe. Mangrove trees are also extremely salt tolerant.

Flora of mediterranean climate and temperate forests

Plants of the Mediterranean climate and temperate forests

This climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The vegetation consists mainly of leathery-deciduous evergreen shrubs that are well adapted to the long summer drought.

Chilean Matorral

The Chilean Matorral is the only Mediterranean area that has bromeliads. In lower areas, many shrubs are dry deciduous, meaning they shed their leaves in summer.

temperate forests

Since South America extends far to the south, it has a small region called the Valdivian forests. They range from temperate rain forest to drier temperate forests, and in all cases nothophagus tend to predominate.

It is dominated by small evergreen trees and shrubs. Fuchsias, prized throughout the world for their beautiful flowers, grow in the undergrowth. Although not rich in species, the temperate rainforests of the southern part of the continent can be quite dense.

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South America is the fourth largest continent and lies in the southern hemisphere. Five climatic zones determine the features of the flora and fauna: equatorial, subequatorial, tropical, subtropical and temperate, most of the mainland has a warm climate.

The flora and fauna are very rich, many species are found exclusively here. South America is a record holder in many ways, the longest and most deep river in the Amazon world, there is the longest mountain range of the Andes, the largest mountain lake Titicaca is located, it is the rainiest continent on earth. All this significantly influenced the development of wildlife.

Nature of different countries of South America:

Flora of South America

The flora of South America is rightfully considered the main wealth of the mainland. Such well-known plants as tomatoes, potatoes, corn, chocolate tree, rubber tree were discovered here.

The tropical rain forests of the northern part of the mainland still amaze with the richness of species, and today scientists continue to discover new plant species here. In these forests there are different types of palm trees, melon tree. There are 750 species of trees and 1,500 species of flowers per 10 square kilometers of this forest.

The forest is so dense that it is extremely difficult to move through it, vines also make it difficult to move. A characteristic plant for the rainforest is ceiba. The forest in this part of the mainland can reach a height of over 100 meters and spread over 12 levels!

To the south of the selva there are variable-moist forests and savannahs, where the quebracho tree grows, which is famous for its very hard and very heavy wood, a valuable and expensive raw material. In the savannas, small forests give way to thickets of cereals, shrubs and tough grasses.

Further south are the pampas - the South American steppes. Here you can find many types of herbs, common for Eurasia: feather grass, bearded vulture, fescue. The soil here is quite fertile, as there is less rainfall and it is not washed out. Shrubs and small trees grow among the grasses.

The south of the mainland is desert, the climate there is more severe, and therefore the vegetation is much poorer. Shrubs, some types of grasses and cereals grow on the stony soil of the Patagonian desert. All plants are resistant to drought and constant weathering of the soil, among them are resinous chanyar, chukuraga, Patagonian fabiana.

Fauna of South America

The animal world, like vegetation, is very rich, many species have not yet been described and qualified. The richest region is the Amazonian selva. It is here that such amazing animals as sloths, the smallest hummingbirds in the world, a huge number of amphibians, including poisonous frogs, reptiles, including huge anacondas, the world's largest rodent capybara, tapirs, jaguars, river dolphins, are found. At night, a wild cat ocelot hunts in the forest, resembling a leopard, but found only in America.

According to scientists, 125 species of mammals, 400 species of birds and an unknown number of species of insects and invertebrates live in the selva. The water world of the Amazon is also rich, its most famous representative is predatory fish piranha. Other famous predators are crocodiles and caimans.

The savannahs of South America are also rich in fauna. Armadillos are found here, amazing animals covered with plates - “armor”. Other animals that can only be found here are anteaters, rhea ostriches, spectacled bear, puma, kinkajou.

In the pampas of this continent there are deer and llamas who live in open spaces and who can find here the grasses that they feed on. The Andes have their own special inhabitants - llamas and alpacas, whose thick wool saves them from the high mountain cold.

In the deserts of Patagonia, where only hard grasses and small shrubs grow on stony soil, mainly small animals, insects, and various types of rodents live.

South America includes the Pacific Galapogos Islands, which are home to amazing turtles, the largest representatives of the family on earth.