The territory of Siberia. Natural areas of Siberia

Throughout the entire length of Central Siberia there are 3 zones: tundra, forest-tundra and taiga. The taiga, which occupies 70% of the area, is most fully represented. Only the forest-tundra and taiga enter the limits of the Central Siberian plateau.

Lesotundra stretches in a narrow strip (up to 50-70km); the zone border runs along the northern ledge of the Central Siberian Plateau.
  The climate of the zone is attributed to B.P. Alice to subarctic, with continental air prevailing in temperate latitudes during the cold period and transformed Arctic air in summer. The combination of the polar position with continentality with little radiation and the prevalence of anticyclone weather determines the severity of the winter period, which lasts about 8 months, from October to May. Snow cover lasts 250-260 days. Its thickness is 30-50 cm, to the west it is slightly increasing. In summer, the soil and the surface layer of air are heated intensively. The average temperature in July is 12-13 ° C.

Sufficiently high temperatures of the vegetation period, a decrease in the strength of winter winds favors the growth of not only grass and shrubbery, but also trees. Of the tree species, Daurian larch dominates here. In the vegetation cover of the forest-tundra, shrubberies from lean birch, alder, and willow prevail. Trees are scattered in single specimens or groups.
  The taiga zone stretches from north to south for more than 2000 km from the northern edge of the Central Siberian plateau.

The specific features of the Central Siberian taiga, which sharply distinguish it from the taiga of Western Siberia, are its sharply continental climate and almost ubiquitous distribution of permafrost, insignificant swampiness, and the prevalence of monotonous deciduous taiga and permafrost-taiga soils.
  The climate of the zone is sharply continental, with severe little snowy winters and moderately warm and cool, moderately humid summers. Cold winters with persistent and severe frosts lasts 7-8 months. The most precipitation falls on the western slopes of the Central Siberian Plateau, which contributes to the formation of snow cover with a thickness of up to 70-80 cm. The relief and atmospheric circulation features determine the colorful distribution of precipitation in the zone.

Zonal taiga soils are permafrost and taiga. In the central part of the taiga, the closeness of the tree layer and the height of the trees increase. In the understory, in addition to shrubs, birch trees, bird cherry, mountain ash, elderberry, juniper, and honeysuckle are found. Grass-moss cover is typically taiga. Acid permafrost-taiga soils develop under forests. In the southern taiga, the diversity of coniferous forests is increasing. Intrazonal differences related to the nature of the lithogenic base are clearly traced in the taiga zone.

The distribution of forests throughout the territory is most affected by an increase in the severity of winter and a decrease in the thickness of snow cover from west to east. In this regard, in the Yenisei part, dark coniferous spruce-cedar forests predominate. To the east, they are replaced by dark coniferous-larch and pine-larch.

Natural areas of Western Siberia

Western Siberia covers five natural zones: tundra, forest-tundra, forest, forest-steppe and steppe. Perhaps, nowhere on the globe is the zoning of natural phenomena manifested with the same correctness as in the West Siberian Plain.

The tundra, which occupies the northernmost part of the Tyumen region (the Yamal and Gydansky Peninsula) and has an area of \u200b\u200babout 160 thousand km 2, has no forests. Lichen and moss tundra of Western Siberia are found in combination with hypnosis-grass and lichen-sphagnum, as well as coarse bog massifs.

The forest-tundra zone extends south of the tundra with a strip of about 100-150 km. As a transition zone between the tundra and taiga, it is a mosaic combination of areas of light forests, swamps, bushes. The northern limit of woody vegetation is represented by sparse larch crooked forests occupying plots along river valleys.

Forest (taiga, swamp) zone covers the space between 66o and 56o.s. strip of about 1000 km. It includes the northern and middle parts of the Tyumen region, the Tomsk region, the northern part of the Omsk and Novosibirsk regions, occupying about 62% of the territory of Western Siberia. The forest zone of the West Siberian Plain is subdivided into subzones of the northern, middle, southern taiga and birch-aspen forests. The main type of forests in the zone are dark coniferous forests with a predominance of Siberian spruce, Siberian fir and Siberian pine (cedar). Dark coniferous forests are almost always found in ribbons along river valleys, where they find the conditions for the drainage necessary for them. On the watersheds, they are confined only to hilly, elevated places, and flat territories are mainly occupied by swamps. The most important element of taiga landscapes is lowland, transitional, and upland swamps. The forest cover of Western Siberia is only 30.5% and is a consequence of weak dissection and the associated poor drainage of the entire territory of the region, which contributes to the development of not forest-forming, but swamp-forming processes over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe taiga zone. The West Siberian Plain is characterized by exceptional water cut and boggy, its middle and northern parts are one of the most waterlogged spaces on the earth's surface. The largest swamp massifs in the world (Vasyugan) are located in the southern taiga. Along with dark coniferous taiga in the West Siberian Plain there are pine forests confined to the sand deposits of ancient alluvial plains and to sandy terraces along river valleys. In addition, within the forest zone, pine is a characteristic tree of sphagnum bogs and forms a kind of association of sphagnum pine forests on swampy soils.

The forest-steppe zone adjacent to the subzone of deciduous forests of the forest zone is characterized by the presence of both forest and steppe plant communities, as well as marshes (ryams), salt marshes and meadows. The woody vegetation of the forest-steppe zone is represented by birch and aspen-birch forests, which are found in islands or in the form of spikes, usually associated with saucer-shaped depressions, but the main background is the meadow and grass-grass steppe. Only in the Tobolje and Priobye of this zone are natural island pine forests widespread. A characteristic feature of the forest-steppe of Western Siberia is a mane-hollow relief and an abundance of saline drainless lakes.

The steppe zone covers the southern part of the Omsk and southwestern parts of the Novosibirsk regions, as well as the western part of the Altai Territory. It includes Kulundinskaya, Alei and Biysk steppes. Tape pine forests grow along the ancient hollows of glacial waters within the zone.
  The considerable height of the mountains of Western Siberia determines the development of high-altitude zones here. In the vegetation cover of the mountains of Western Siberia, the leading position is occupied by forests covering most of the Salair Ridge and Kuznetsk Alatau and about 50% of Altai.

Natural areas of Eastern Siberia

Due to the great length from north to south, East Siberia is characterized by a variety of landscapes from arctic deserts to steppes. However, the largest areas are occupied by the taiga zone. Nowhere in Russia does the taiga go so far north and do not go so far south as in Eastern Siberia. The width of the forest zone in places exceeds 2 thousand kilometers.

The distribution of taiga vegetation north of the Arctic Circle (in the western West Siberia at this latitude is the tundra) is facilitated by a relatively warm summer. In turn, low winter temperatures do not allow deciduous trees to grow, and therefore the taiga extends to the south. In these latitudes on the East European Plain there were broad-leaved forests, and in Western Siberia there were steppes.
  The main forest-forming species in Eastern Siberia is larch. The tree, dropping needles for the winter, is able to withstand severe frosts. In addition, larch wood is exceptionally dense, contains little moisture and does not crack along the fibers even at very low temperatures.
  In the Baikal region, Siberian pine, which is mistakenly called cedar, is mixed with larch.

Coniferous forests cover a large part of the mountain slopes of the south of Eastern Siberia. On the mountain slopes, in addition to light coniferous larch-pine forests, there are dark coniferous spruce-fir forests. Dry intermountain basins are occupied by steppe vegetation.

Geological structure. Relief. o An area of \u200b\u200babout 4.1 million km². Most of them are occupied by the taiga Central Siberian plateau, alternating in the north with tundra lowlands, in the south and east with high mountain ranges of the Western and Eastern Sayans, Transbaikalia and the Yano-Kolyma Territory. Here are the largest rivers of Russia Yenisei, Lena, Vilyui, Selenga, Olekma, Angara. o There are few bogs in Eastern Siberia; they are found mainly in the lowlands on flat, weakly drained interfluves. o In Eastern Siberia, there are a variety of landscapes and plant communities. Here you can find Arctic deserts, and dry steppes, and taiga, and peculiar alpine landscapes, and deciduous forests in Taimyr.

The climate of Eastern Siberia lies in the temperate and cold zones. The climate of Eastern Siberia is severe, sharply continental. There is less rainfall than in the western regions of the Russian Federation, the thickness of the snow cover is usually small, permafrost is widespread in the north. Winter in the northern regions is long and cold, the temperature reaches °. Summer is warm, hot in the south. July in Eastern Siberia is warmer in places than in the same latitudes of the European part of Russia, and there are more sunny days. The amplitude of fluctuations in summer and winter temperatures reaches 40 ° -65 о

The waters of Eastern Siberia "with its facade facing the Arctic Ocean." The Kara Sea, the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea. The Yenisei, Lena, Vilyuy, Selenga, Olekma, Angara rivers. The length of all rivers is 700 thousand km. All rivers of Eastern Siberia belong to the basin of the Arctic Ocean.

Soils Soils and vegetation of the taiga zone of Eastern Siberia develop in more favorable conditions than in the tundra and forest-tundra zones. The relief is more rugged than in neighboring western Siberia; stony, often thin, soils are formed on the gravelly eluvium of indigenous rocks.

Resources In Eastern Siberia, about half of all forest resources of Russia are concentrated. The main amount of wood stocks is made up of valuable conifers: larch, pine, spruce, cedar, fir. In Eastern Siberia, about 80% of the coal and brown coal reserves of Russia are concentrated. Eastern Siberia is rich in ore deposits: iron ores of the Korshunovsky and Abakan deposits, the Angara-Pitsky region, Norilsk copper-nickel ores, Altai polymetals, and East Sayan bauxites. In Eastern Siberia, the oldest Bodaibo gold deposit in the Irkutsk region, the Minusinsk depression and Transbaikalia deposits; Olympiadninskoye and other gold deposits in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. A significant amount of Russian oil is produced in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Eastern Siberia is rich in non-metallic minerals: there is mica, graphite, Icelandic spar, building materials, and salts. It was on the Yenisei, in the Yeniseisk region, the first diamond was found in the Russian Empire, there is also the largest diamond deposit in Yakutia.

Reserves The Pillars Preserve was established in 1925. Krasnoyarsk region. Olekminsky reserve was created in 1984. Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Olekminsky district. Animals: sable, wolverine, chipmunk, forest lemming, elk, bear, red deer, deer, roe deer, musk deer. Birds: hazel grouse, hawk owl, rock capercaillie, red-necked nightingale, Siberian flycatcher, Siberian thrush. Plants: cedar, Siberian fir, blue spruce, Daurian larch, Scots pine, Siberian spruce, dwarf birch. The Tunguska Nature Reserve was established in 1995. The place of fall of the Tunguska meteorite. Krasnoyarsk Territory, Tungusko-Chunsky District. Animals: sable, ermine, elk, reindeer, bear, fox, wolverine. The crested birds are black, gogol, large merganser, kuksha, hazel grouse, capercaillie, black grouse. Ust-Lensky Reserve was established in 1985. Animals: polar bear, arctic fox, wild reindeer, ungulate and Siberian lemmings. Beluga whales, seal, and walruses are restored.

“Deserts and semi-deserts in Russia” - Semi-deserts are poor in fresh waters. Geographical position. Large areas are occupied by orchards and vineyards. The Baskunchak table salt deposit is located in the Astrakhan region near the city of Bogdo. Unlike the tundra and taiga, the zone does not form a continuous latitudinal strip. Without irrigation, farming is almost impossible.

"East European Plain" - Tectonics and mineral resources of Russia. The height of some elevations and plateaus reaches 600-1000 meters. Russian plain. Satellite view. Glaciation has left its mark on the formation of the relief of the East European Plain. Independent work. Lesson Plan: The East European Plain is almost exactly the same as the East European Platform.

"West Siberian Plain" - The sources of the river begin in the glaciers, replenished below melt snow waters. Iron ore is mined in the Sokolovsko-Sarbaiskoye and Kacharsky deposits. A lot of minerals are found in the West Siberian Plain. The length of the Irtysh in Kazakhstan is -1400 km. Minerals. Geological structure.

“Territory of the Russian Plain” - Journey through the territory of the Russian Plain. Complete tasks using maps, a tutorial, additional material. How are rivers distributed across this plain? Karel and I. Why are there so many wonderful corners of nature in this area? Travel across the Russian plain. Homework. The surroundings of Pskov.

"Siberian Plain" - Flat lowland district. Neither yar nor fall. Sit straight, free, without straining. Excessive moisture. ? ? ? ? High water on the rivers. Climate features of the West Siberian Plain. How can a person protect himself from annoying insects? Young plate, sedimentary rocks. Protecting people from annoying insects.

Northeast Siberia is located east of the Lena valleys and the lower reaches of the Aldan, from the Verkhoyansk Range to the shores of the Bering Sea and is washed by the seas of the Arctic and Pacific Oceans in the north and south. It is located in the eastern and western hemispheres. On the Chukchi Peninsula is the extreme eastern point of Russia and all of Eurasia  Cape Dezhnev.

The geographical position in the polar and polar regions near the cold seas and the dissected relief with a semicircular orographic barrier from the south, west and east and a slope to the north predetermined the country's harsh natural conditions with bright, unusually contrasting physical and geographical processes typical only for this territory.

Northeast Siberia is a country of young and ancient structures expressed by mountain systems, ridges, highlands, plateaus, coastal and intermountain plains. The relief combines ancient glacial forms and modern mountain glaciers, deep terraced valleys with numerous thermokarst lakes. The subarctic climate prevails; almost continuous permafrost, fossilized ice, and giant ары taryn ice are developed. Here, many rivers freeze to the bottom in winter, and in some valleys, on the contrary, permafrost warm waters come out and feed non-freezing streams all winter. Sparse larch taiga and thickets of dwarf pine are widespread. Large areas are occupied by plain and mountain tundra. There are sections of steppe vegetation right up to the north of the Chukchi Peninsula. All these are the specific features of the nature of the Northeast as an independent physical and geographical country.

Geological structure

Northeast Siberia belongs to the Mesozoic folding region. The direction of the Mesozoic structures was significantly influenced by the ancient massifs  Paleozoic and Pre-Paleozoic,  located within the Northeast and in neighboring territories. The intensity and direction of tectonic processes in the Mesozoic time depended on their stability, tectonic activity and configuration. In the west, the Northeast borders on the Siberian Precambrian platform, the eastern edge of which had a decisive influence on the direction and intensity of folds in the Verkhoyansk anticlinal zone. Mesozoic folding structures formed in the Early Cretaceous as a result of the collision of the ancient Siberian continent with the microcontinent of Chukotka and Omolon.

In the Northeast, rocks of different ages are found, but the Mesozoic and Cenozoic are especially widespread. The protrusions of the Doripheian base are composed of gneisses, granite gneisses, crystalline schists and marbled limestones and are overlain by Paleozoic and Mesozoic sediments. They are located in the northeastern and southeastern parts of the Chukchi Peninsula (Chukchi Massif), in the upper reaches of the Omolon River (Omolon Massif), on the Taygonos Peninsula (Taygonos Massif) and in the Okhotsk River Basin (Okhotsk Massif). In the central part of the North-East is the Kolyma massif. It lies at the base of the Alazey and Yukagir plateaus, the Kolyma and Aby lowlands. Its Dorifey foundation is overlain by marine and continental sediments of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic. At the edges of the Kolyma massif, outcrops of Mesozoic granitoids are developed.

Between the ancient massifs and the Siberian platform are the geostructures of the Mesozoic folding. Mesozoic folded regions and ancient massifs are bordered from the south and east by the Okhotsk-Chukotka volcanogenic belt. Its length is about 2500 km, width  250-300 km. All rocks within it are broken through and covered by volcanic dislocated formations of the Lower and Upper Cretaceous, the thickness of which reaches several thousand meters. Cenozoic effusives are poorly developed and distributed mainly along the shores of the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk. The appearance of the Okhotsk-Chukchi belt is apparently associated with the subsidence and fragmentation of the marginal part of the Mesozoic land in connection with the movements of the continental Eurasian, North American, and Pacific oceanic lithospheric plates.

Mesozoic-Cenozoic magmatism covered vast areas of the North-East of Siberia. The metallogeny of this region is associated with it - numerous deposits of tin, tungsten, gold, molybdenum and other metals.

After folding, the elevated area of \u200b\u200bthe Northeast was eroded. Apparently, there was a hot climate in the Upper Mesozoic and Paleogene. This is confirmed by the composition of plant residues (broad-leaved and evergreen forms) of the Upper Mesozoic and Paleogene sediments, the carbon content of these sediments, and the presence of a laterite-type weathering crust.

In the Neogene under tectonic rest conditions, alignment surfaces form. Then the tectonic uplifts led to the dismemberment of the leveling surfaces, their displacement to various heights, and sometimes to deformation. The edge mountain constructions and the Chersky Highlands rose most intensively, and some coasts fell below sea level. Traces of marine transgressions are known in the estuaries of the eastern part of the Chukchi Peninsula. At this time, the northern shallow part of the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk fell, the land of Beringia, the Novosibirsk islands separated from the mainland.

Volcanic outflows occurred along the faults. Volcanoes are confined to a strip of tectonic faults, extending from the Momo-Selennyakh depression to the Kolyma valley. Depression arose as a rift zone on the site of the expanding Eurasian Plate and the Chukotka  Alaska block of the North American Plate. It extends, apparently, from the Arctic Ocean from the rift of the Gakkel ridge to young depressions that cut through the Chersky Highland. This is one of the seismic zones of Russia.

Raising and lowering of individual land areas led to increased erosion-accumulation activity: rivers deeply eroded the mountain systems and created terraces. In their alluvial strata there are alluvial deposits of gold, tin and other minerals. In the river valleys of the Northeast there are up to ten terraces with a height of 2-5 to 400 m. Terraces with a height of 35-40 m were formed in the postglacial time. Interceptions of rivers are associated with a change in erosion bases.

Thus, in the development of the North-East relief after the Mesozoic mountain formation, two periods can be outlined: 1) the formation of widespread leveling surfaces (foam layers); 2) the development of intensive latest tectonic processes that caused splits, deformation and displacement of ancient leveling surfaces, volcanism, violent erosion processes. At this time, the main types of morphostructures are being formed: 1) folded-block areas of ancient middle massifs (Alazey and Yukagir plateaus, Suntar-Khayat, etc.); 2) mountains revived by the latest vault-block uplifts and depressions of the rift zone (Momo-Selennyakh depression); 3) folded and block-folded Mesozoic structures (Verkhoyansk, Sette-Daban, Anyui and others, Yanskoye and Elginskoye plateaus, Oymyakon plateau); 4) stratum-accumulative, inclined plains, created mainly by subsidence (Yano-Indigirskaya and Kolyma lowlands); 5) folded-block ridges and plateaus on the sedimentary-volcanic complex (Anadyr plateau, Kolyma plateau, ranges  Yudomsky, Dzhugdzhur, etc.). As we see, neotectonic movements determined the basic plan of the modern relief.

To the beginning of the Quaternary   glaciation  the territory had a dissected relief with significant contrasts of heights. This had a significant impact on the development of various types of glaciation. On the plains and mountains of the Northeast, traces of several ancient glaciations are known. The ancient glaciation of this territory has been studied and is being studied by many researchers, but there is still no consensus on the number and types of glaciation, the size of the ice sheets, their relationship with the glaciation of Siberia and all of Eurasia.

According to V.N. Sax (1948), in the mountains and on the plains there were three glaciations: maximum, Zyryansk and Sartan. In the work of D.M. Kolosov (1947) said that in the North-East there were two types of ancient glaciation  mountain and plain-cover.

Glaciations developed on different landforms differently, and therefore several types of mountain glaciation formed. The icing of the mountain ranges was expressed in the development valley glaciers  with ice collection in the Karas and in the through valleys on the passes (the length of the glaciers reached 300-350 km). On separate mountain domes formed ice capsfrom which radial valley glaciers departed. On the plateaus huge cross ice fieldscombined with the valley glaciers of dissected plateaus. In the highlands, glaciation took on a varied character: ice accumulations formed on the tops of mountain ranges and massifs, glaciers descended along the slopes of the ridges and then went to the surface of the plateau base, and even lower glaciers descended to the edge of the plateau basement. At the same time, under the influence of climate on different parts of the mountains, the same types of mountain glaciation reached different stages of development. Glaciation of the outer edge of mountain structures, under oceanic influence, developed as much as possible. On the same slopes of the mountains, modern glaciation also develops in the southern parts of the mountain systems of Chersky and Verkhoyansk.

For the northern plains, one glaciation is assumed, preserved as a relic of the lower Quaternary ice sheet until the end of the Pleistocene. The reason for this is that there were no conditions for full interglacial. In mountain structures, several glacial and interglacial eras are noted. Their number has not yet been established. There is an opinion about double glaciation, and many authors reject the existence of glaciation on the northern plains east of the Lena. However, a number of authors (Grosvald M.G., Kotlyakov V.M. et al., 1989) convincingly prove the spread of the Zyryan ice sheet on the Yano-Indigir and Kolyma lowlands. Glaciers, in their opinion, descended south of the Novosibirsk Islands and the East Siberian Sea.

In the mountains of the Northeast, glaciation, depending on the topography, had a different character: semi-cover, valley-net, valley-kar and kar. During maximum development, glaciers overlook foothill plains and shelves. The icing was synchronous with the glaciers of all Siberia and, apparently, caused by global climate fluctuations.

The morphological and geological activity of glaciers and their meltwater in a cold continental climate and permafrost identified the main types of morphosculpture  and Quaternary sediments throughout the territory. The mountains are dominated by relict cryogenic-glacial denudation morphosculptures with erosion processing and Upper Pleistocene glacial deposits, above which collicular clusters of different ages are spread over the mountain slopes. The plains are covered with lacustrine-alluvial deposits with cryogenic and erosive landforms.

Relief

For the North-East of Russia, in contrast to other physical and geographical countries of Siberia, sharp orographic contrasts are characteristic: medium-altitude mountain systems prevail, along with them plateaus, highlands and lowlands are found.

In the west, the Verkhoyansk mountain system serves as the country's orographic barrier. To the south of Verkhoyansk, the Sette-Daban and Yudomsky ranges extend, separated by the Yudomo-May Highlands, and then, along the coast of the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk, the Dzhugdzhur Ridge passes. The eastern Verkhoyansk mountains in the north-west direction stretches for 1800 km Chersky ridge.

Between the Chaun Bay and the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk there is a mid-altitude mountain system consisting of numerous, differently oriented ridges. All this regional system of mountains and highlands forms eastern and southern orographic barriers for the inner regions of the Northeast. The main Pacific-Arctic watershed passes along them, at which the maximum heights of about 2000 m are concentrated. Between the mountains lie deep tectonic depressions overlooking the sea or separated from it by a mountain barrier. The intermontane basins are lowered in relation to the watersheds by 1000–1600 m. Eastern Chaun Bay, and the Chukchi Upland extends to the shores of the Bering Strait with heights of 1600–1843 m. It also serves as a watershed for the two oceans.

In the inner regions of the Northeast there are large highlands and plateaus: Yukagirskoye, Alazeyskoye, Oymyakonskoye and others. The lowlands occupy the coastal territories or enter the intermontane spaces to the south with narrow “bays”.

Thus, the Northeast is a huge amphitheater, inclined to the Arctic Ocean. The complex combination of large relief forms is predetermined by the long history of the development of this largest peninsula of Eurasia, located in the contact zones of the main continental and oceanic lithospheric plates of the Earth (Eurasian, North American and Pacific).

Climate

The climate of Northeast Siberia is sharply continental. Its formation is influenced by many factors. The large extent of the territory from north to south between 73 and 55 ° N determines the uneven arrival of solar heat: a large amount of solar insolation in summer and its almost complete absence in most of the territory in winter. The relief structure and the cold water areas surrounding the territory determine the free penetration of the cold continental arctic air masses of the Arctic Ocean. Sea air of moderate latitudes comes from the Pacific Ocean, bringing the main amount of precipitation, but its entry into the territory is limited by coastal ranges. The Asian maximum, the Aleutian minimum, as well as the circulation processes on the Arctic front have an impact on climate.

The Northeast is located in three latitudinal climatic zones: arctic, subarctic and temperate. Most of the territory is located in the subarctic zone.

Harsh   winter  Northeast Siberia lasts about seven months. North of the Arctic Circle, polar night sets in. On the Arctic coast, it lasts from mid-November to the end of January. At this time, the Arctic North-East does not receive solar heat, and south of the Arctic Circle the sun is low above the horizon and sends little heat and light, so the radiation balance is negative from October to March.

In the winter, the northeast is very cooled, and an area of \u200b\u200bhigh pressure forms there, which is the northeast spur of the Asian maximum. The mountainous terrain also contributes to strong cooling of the territory. Cold and dry arctic air forms here. The Arctic front runs along the coast of the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk. Therefore, the anticyclone type of weather with a predominance of calm and very low temperature is typical for intermountain basins and valleys. Isotherms of the coldest month -40 ...- 45 ° С outline many intermountain basins. In the areas of Verkhoyansk and Oymyakon, the average January temperature is about -50 ° C. The temperature reaches an absolute minimum in Oymyakon -71 ° C, and in Verkhoyansk -68 ° C. Inland regions of the Northeast are characterized by temperature inversions. With a rise of every 100 m, winter temperatures rise here by 2 ° C. For example, in the basin of the upper part of the Indigirka on the Oymyakon Highlands and on the adjacent slope of the Suntar-Khayat ridge, the average January temperature at -777 m is -48 ° C, at -1350 m already -36.7 ° C, and at an altitude of 1700 m only -29.5 ° C.

To the east of the Omolon valley, winter temperature rises: an isotherm of -20 ° C passes along the eastern part of the Chukchi Peninsula. On the coastal plains, it is warmer in winter than in the Verkhoyansk region by about 12–13 ° C. In the mountains, tundra and on the coast of the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk, low temperature is combined with strong winds. Cyclonic activity is manifested on the Okhotsk coast and Chukotka in connection with the development of the Arctic front.

In the inner regions of the Northeast, all types of frosty weather form in winter, but weather with increased frost prevails (severely, severely and extremely frosty). On the coast, the weather is more common, moderately and significantly frosty. Frosty weather characteristic of these areas with wind creates significant severity of winter in coastal areas.

A stable snow cover lasts 220-260 days, its height is about 30 cm on the coast of the Laptev Sea and in the Verkhoyansk region; to the east and south, it increases to 60-70 cm, on the windward slopes of the mountains of the Okhotsk-Chukotka arc reaches 1-1.5 m. During the period of maximum snow accumulation (March-April) avalanches descend in all mountains. Mountainous systems of Verkhoyansk and Chersky are referred to areas with significant avalanche danger. There, in many places, avalanches are widespread and descend year-round. Favorable conditions for avalanches to fall out are sufficient precipitation in the mountains and its redistribution under the influence of strong winds (the creation of many-meter snow faces and snow cornices), intense solar insolation in the summertime, which contributes to the recrystallization of snow into firn, insignificant cloud cover and afforestation of slopes, as well as distribution clay shales, the moistened surface of which contributes to the sliding of avalanches.

Summer the influx of solar heat increases. The territory is filled mainly with continental air of temperate latitudes. The Arctic front passes over the northern coastal lowlands. Summer in most of the territory is moderately cool, and in the tundra overcast, cold, with a very short frost-free period. In the mountains from a height of 1000-1200 m there is no frost-free period, strong winds prevail and temporary snow cover can form in all summer months. The average July temperature in most of the territory is about 10 ° С, in Verkhoyansk 15 ° С. However, on certain days, the temperature may increase in the inner intermontane basins to 35 ° C. During the invasion of arctic air masses, warm weather can be replaced by cooling, and then the average daily temperature drops below 10 ° C. In the coastal lowlands, summers are cooler than in the interior. The weather is changeable, with strong winds. The sum of active temperatures reaches a maximum in the basins, but at the same time it is only 600-800 ° С.

The summer weather is characterized by the following types of weather: cloudy and rainy, with daytime cloudiness with strong heating of the underlying surface; with night cloudiness (typical of coastal areas). In July, up to 10-12 days in the basins there is cloudy arid weather. Many mountainous regions are characterized by frosty weather during the period of advective cooling.

Summer precipitation is highly variable from year to year. There are dry years and wet, rainy years. So, in Verkhoyansk over 40 years of observations, the minimum rainfall was 3 mm, and the maximum 60-80 mm.

The distribution of annual precipitation over the territory is determined by atmospheric circulation and topography. There is a lot of rainfall in the Pacific Basin when southern and southeastern air flows prevail. Therefore, the largest number of them (up to 700 mm per year) is received by the eastern slopes of the mountains of the Taygonos Peninsula and the southern slopes of the Okhotsk-Kolyma watershed. In the Arctic Ocean basin, precipitation occurs with the arrival of northwestern air masses.

The greatest number of them is received by the western slopes of the Verkhoyansk mountain system and Suntar-Khayat (718 mm at an altitude of 2063 m), in the mountain system of the Chersky ridge  500-400 mm. The intermontane basins and plateaus, as well as the coast of the East Siberian Sea, receive the least amount of rainfall per year  about 200 mm (in Oymyakon  179 mm). The maximum rainfall occurs in the short warm period of the year  July and August.

Modern glaciation and permafrost

Modern glaciation  It is developed in many mountain systems: the Suntar-Khayat ranges, Verkhoyansk, Chersky (Ulakhan-Chistay ridge) and on the Chukchi Highlands. The total area of \u200b\u200bglaciation formed by glaciers and large snowfields is about 400 km 2. The number of glaciers is more than 650. The largest center of glaciation is the Suntar-Khayat ridge, where there are more than 200 glaciers with a total area of \u200b\u200babout 201 km 2. In the mountains of the Indigirka basin, the largest number of glaciers is concentrated. This is explained by the high height of the mountains, the ruggedness of the relief and the abundance of snow.

The formation of glaciation is greatly influenced by moist air masses coming from the Pacific Ocean and its seas. Therefore, this entire territory is assigned to the glaciological area of \u200b\u200bpredominantly Pacific nutrition.

The snow line in the Indigirka basin runs at an altitude of 2350-2400 m, on the Suntar-Hayat glaciers it reaches about 2200-2450 m. The ends of the glaciers are in the Indigirka basin at an altitude of about 2000 m. Numerous snowfields are located at various levels. The most common are caravan and valley glaciers. Glaciers ников up to 8 km long. There are many hanging glaciers on the steep, steep slopes of the mountains. Currently, the size of glaciers is decreasing. This is evidenced by the division of large glaciers into smaller ones and the retreat of the tongues of glaciers from the final moraine to a distance of 400-500 m. However, some glaciers advance, even cover the final moraine and descend below it.

Modern harsh climate favors conservation and development   permafrost  (underground glaciation). Almost the entire Northeast is covered by low-continuous (almost continuous) permafrost, and only small sections of the Okhotsk Sea coast have permafrost spots in the midst of thawed soil. The thickness of frozen soil reaches 200-600 m. The greatest freezing of soil with minimum temperatures in the middle part of the country, in the mountainous region  from Lena to Kolyma. There, the permafrost thickness is up to 300 m under the valleys and 300-600 m  in the mountains. The thickness of the active layer is determined by the exposure of the slopes, vegetation, local hydrological and climatic conditions.

Water

Rivers  from the territory of the Northeast flow into the Arctic and Pacific Oceans. The watershed between them runs along the ridges of Dzhugdzhur, Suntar-Khayat, Kolyma highlands, Anadyr plateaus and Chukchi highlands, therefore, the watershed is close to the Pacific Ocean. The largest rivers  Kolyma and Indigirka  flow into the East Siberian Sea.

River Kolyma begins on the slopes of the southern ridges of the Chersky mountain system, has a length of 2130 km and a basin area of \u200b\u200babout 643 thousand km 2. Its main tributary, the Omolon River, is 1114 km long. High water of the rivers of the entire basin occurs in June, which is associated with melting snow. The water level at this time is high, since there is much more snow in its pool than in the Yana and Indigirka basins. The high level is partially due to ice congestion. The formation of powerful floods is associated with heavy rains, especially in early summer. Winter runoff is negligible. The average annual water consumption is 4100 m 3 / s.

River Indigirka  it originates on the slopes of the Suntar-Khayat ridge, flows through the Oymyakonsky Highlands, cuts through the Chersky mountain system through deep gorges and enters the Momo-Selennyakh depression. There it receives a large tributary  the Moma river and, bending around the Momsky ridge, goes to the Aby lowland, and then to the Yano-Indigirsky. The length of the river is 1726 km, the basin area is about 360 thousand km 2. Its main tributaries are the rivers Selenii and Moma. Indigirka is fed with snow and rainwater, melting snowfields and glaciers. The rise of water and the main flow (about 85%) occurs in spring and summer. In winter, the river is shallow and in some places on the plain it freezes to the bottom. The average annual flow is 1850 m 3 / s.

River Janait begins in the Verkhoyansk mountains and flows into the Laptev Sea. Its length is  879 km, the basin area is 8 238 thousand km 2. In places, it flows through wide ancient valleys filled with alluvium. There are fossil ice outcrops on coastal cliffs. In lake-alluvial deposits, ice intrusions  hydrolaccoliths are widespread. Spring floods are poorly expressed, since a small amount of snow falls in the Yana basin. High water usually occurs in summer when it rains. The average annual flow rate is about 1000 m 3 / s.

The rivers Kolyma, Indigirka and Yana at the confluence form vast low-lying swampy deltas with numerous shallow lakes. Buried ices lie in deltas at a shallow depth from the surface. The area of \u200b\u200bthe Yana Delta is 28 528 km 2, Indigirka  7700 km 2. In the mountains, rivers have mostly narrow valleys, rapid currents, rapids. In the lower reaches, all valleys are wide, rivers flow along vast swampy lake lowlands.

The rivers of the Northeast freeze in October, and open in late May and early June. The water temperature reaches 10 ° C, but in June-August it can rise up to 20 ° C in some places. In many areas in the lower reaches of the river they freeze to the bottom in winter. An interesting and important feature of the winter regime of the rivers of the Northeast  widespread icing  (in Yakut  taryn).

Ice is a complex, complex geographical concept. It develops under a combination of hydrological, climatic, permafrost and other conditions. But ice itself affects the morphology, the nature of sediments, the microclimate and vegetation of the valley, and also creates its own natural complex.

The nali-east are among the largest in the world. Some of them cover an area of \u200b\u200bmore than 100 km 2. Their formation is most intense in tectonically mobile areas, where they are associated with places of rock disturbance caused by faults. Scales grow throughout the winter, filling riverbeds and floodplains, especially in the mountainous areas of the Yana, Indigirka and Kolyma basins. The largest of them  Momskaya ice  is located on the Mome river and has an area of \u200b\u200b150 km 2. Almost all of the large ground ice is fed by sub-permafrost waters extending along the lines of tectonic faults. Powerful ascending sources in places of tectonic fracture overcome the cooled soil layer, come to the surface, form ice and feed them all winter even in frosts of -40 ° С and below. In summer, large ice fields persist for a long time, and some remain for the next winter.

A large amount of water is concentrated in the ice, which in the summer period enters the rivers and is an additional source of their nutrition. In winter, wormwoods form on some mountain rivers. Their occurrence is also associated with the emergence of warm sub-permafrost waters. Fogs arise over them and ice and frost forms. Sources of permafrost waters, especially in winter, are of great practical importance for the water supply of the population and mining.

All major rivers of the North-East in the lower reaches are navigable: Kolyma  from the mouth of the Bahapchi river (Sinegorye village), Indigirka  below the mouth of the Moma river, and ships go from Verkhoyansk along Yana. The duration of navigation on them is 110-120 days. The rivers are rich in valuable fish species  nelma, muksun, whitefish, sturgeon, grayling, etc.

Lakes. In the lowlands, especially in the lower reaches of the Yana, Indigirka, Alazey and Kolyma, there are a lot of lakes and swamps. Most lake basins are of thermokarst origin. They are associated with the thawing of permafrost and underground ice. Lakes freeze in September and early October and are covered with thick ice (up to 2–3 m) for a long winter, which leads to the frequent formation of kills and the death of ichthyofauna. Melting of ice occurs in May and early June, and floating ice on large lakes also occurs in July.

Soils, vegetation and wildlife

A variety of physical and geographical conditions (mountain and plain topography, low temperature of air and soil, different amounts of precipitation, low thickness of the active layer, excessive moisture) contribute to the formation of motley soil cover.  Severe climatic conditions and permafrost hinder the development of chemical and biological weathering, and therefore soil formation is slow. The soil profile is thin (10-30 cm), cartilaginous, with a low humus content, peaty and moist. In the lowlands are common tundra-gley, humus-peat-bog and gley-taiga permafrost soils. On the floodplains of river valleys developed floodplain humus-soddy, permafrost-gley or permafrost-bog soils. In the floodplains of tundra rivers, permafrost lies at a shallow depth, sometimes layers of ice appear in the coastal cliffs. The soil cover is poorly developed.

In the mountains under the forests prevail mountain pickupsare also distributed taiga permafrost  soils, among which there are on gentle slopes, gley-taiga permafrost. On the southern slopes are widespread permafrost-taiga with slight podzolization. In the mountains of the Okhotsk coast dominate mountain podzolic  the soil. In the mountain tundra, underdeveloped roughly skeletal mountain tundra soilsturning into stony placers.

Vegetation  Northeast Siberia consists of representatives three floras: Okhotsk-Kamchatka, East Siberian and Chukchi. The Okhotsk-Kamchatka flora occupying the coast of the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk is most diverse in species composition. Most of the mountains are covered with north-taiga rare-standing forests and mountain tundra. The lowlands are occupied by the tundra, passing into the forest-tundra.

The history of the development of the Northeast and adjacent territories (the ancient land of Beringia, Okhotia, and Eoarctic that connected the Northeast with Alaska), as well as the climate, predetermined the modern appearance of the vegetation cover of the tundra, forest-tundra, and taiga; therefore, they differ in species composition from similar zones of neighboring territories Siberia.

On far north, on the coastal lowlands, located tundra. Lichen tundra is not typical for it, since clay soils are very waterlogged and marsh-peat and peat-gley soils prevail. Here dominates the hummock-hypnosis-sphagnum tundra. Its surface is formed by dense tufts of cotton grass. The height of the grass stand is up to 30-50 cm. The hummock tundra occupies about 30-50% of the area of \u200b\u200btundra groups. Uneven thawing and freezing of the soil leads to soil deformation, soil rupture and the formation of bare spots (0.5-1 m in diameter) around the bumps, in the cracks of which mosses, lichens, saxifrages, creeping polar willow huddle.

Farther south  there is a strip forest tundra. It is formed by bushes of alder, willow, birch, which alternate with tufts of cotton grass and with individual specimens of oppressed larch Kayander.

All the rest of the plains and lower parts of the mountains  covered larch forests  on gleyo-taiga abominable soils and mountain taiga pick-ups. The main forest-forming tree species is Kayander larch. Of the deciduous species in the floodplain forests, fragrant poplar and relict Korean willow choosen are found. Pine and spruce are common only on the southern slopes of the mountains of the Verkhoyansk Range and rise in the mountains only to a height of 500 m.

In the undergrowth of larch forests, cedar elfin, shrubby alder, bluecurrant, or wild salmon, overgrown birches  Middendorff and lean are common; the ground cover consists of lingonberry shrubs, crowberries and lichens. There are few lichens on the northern slopes; mosses dominate there. The highest larch forests grow on the slopes of the southern exposure. On the slopes of the northern exposure, forest tundra is predominantly distributed.

On the slopes of the southern exposition of valleys and high terraces preserved steppe plots. They are known in the wide valleys of Yana (between the mouths of its tributaries Dulgalakh and Adycha), Indigirka (in the estuarine parts of Moma, etc.) and the Kolyma, as well as in the Chukchi tundra. The vegetation of the steppes on the slopes consists of steppe sedge, bluegrass, tipets, wheatgrass, forbs  Veronica, cinquefoil. Under the steppes, thin gravelly soils formed close to chestnut soils. On floodplain terraces, grass-motley grass steppes developing in drained areas, and sedge-grass-motley grass steppes, located in the lowest places, are found. Among the steppe vegetation, local species are distinguished, genetically related mainly to the vegetation of the mountainous regions of Southern and Central Siberia, other species came along river valleys from Central Asia during the warm interglacial period, and species preserved from the “tundra-steppe” past of the Bering North.

The prevalence of mountainous terrain within the Northeast determines altitude  in the placement of vegetation. The nature of the mountains is extremely diverse. It determines the structure of the zonality of each system while maintaining the general type of high-altitude zones, characteristic only for the North-East of Siberia. They are clearly shown on maps of soils and vegetation, as well as on a diagram of altitudinal zonation. Light coniferous taiga begins in the lower parts of the slopes (except for the Kharaulakh mountains and the Chukchi highlands), but it does not rise high in the mountains: up to 650 m in the Chersky ridge system and about 950 m in the Dzhugdzhur ridge. A closed shrub belt forms above the taiga cedar elfin up to 2 m high with an admixture of yernik.

Northeast  one of the main places of growth cedar dwarf   nut-bearing plant, adapted to the harsh subarctic climate and thin gravelly soils. Its life forms are different: bushes 2–2.5 m high grow in river valleys, and single-stem trees spread on top plateaus and hills. With the onset of frost, all branches are pressed to the ground, and they are covered with snow. In the spring, the warm rays of the sun "raise them." Dwarf nuts are small, with a thin shell and very nutritious. They contain up to 50-60% oil, a large amount of protein, B vitamins, and young shoots of the plant are rich in vitamin C. On the slopes of hills and ridges, the elbow is an important flow regulator. Elbows are the favorite places of many animals of all high zones, they find shelter and plentiful food here.

At the upper limits of the belt, the elfin gradually grows thinner, more and more clings to the ground and is gradually replaced by a mountain tundra with stony placers. Above 800-1200 m, tundra and cold deserts dominate with many snowfields. The tundra descends in separate spots and into lower belts  cedar dwarf and larch woodlands.

There is no such combination of altitude zones in any mountain system in Russia. The proximity of the cold Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk determined a decrease in altitudinal zones in the coastal ranges, and even at the foot of the mountains of the Taygonos Peninsula, cedar tundra gives way to the ridge analogs of the northern lowland tundra (this occurs at the latitude of southern Timan and the north of Lake Onega).

Animal world  Northeast Siberia belongs to the Arctic and European-Siberian subregions of the Paleoarctic region. The fauna consists of tundra and taiga forms. However, many species of animals typical of taiga do not inhabit the eastern Verkhoyansk mountains. The fauna of the Chukchi Peninsula is very similar to the fauna of Alaska, since the Bering Strait was formed only at the end of the ice age. Zoogeographers believe that the tundra fauna has formed on the territory of Beringia. The elk of the Northeast is close to the moose of North America. The white-headed goose nests on the Chukchi Peninsula, and winters near the rocky coasts of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. The endemic form for the Northeast and Alaska is the purpurea. Dallia (black pike) from the order of salmonids is found in small rivers, lakes and swamps of the Chukchi Peninsula and in northwestern Alaska. This is the most frost-resistant breed of fish. In winter, when a water body freezes, it burrows into the ground and winter there in a frozen state. In the spring, Dallia thaws and continues to live normally.

Mountain-tundra species of animals penetrate far away to the south, within the forest zone. The most typical of them is endemic yellow-bellied lemming, not penetrating east of the Indigirka. Next to them in the mountain tundra of the Northeast live animals of open spaces of Central Asian origin. They entered here in the xerothermal period and are now preserved here. These include, for example, black-capped marmot (tarbagan). In the cold season (eight to nine months), he falls asleep in holes located in permafrost. For the same long period, the inhabitant of the forest zone Kolyma gopher falls asleep. A mountain reel penetrated the Lena Delta through open alpine landscapes. Of the predators in the taiga are a bear, a fox, an ermine. Sometimes lynx and wolverine are found. Sable was almost completely destroyed. But now it has been restored and in the basins of Kolyma, Oloy, Yana and on the Koni Peninsula there are separate foci of its habitat.

Of the ungulates, wild reindeer is widespread in the taiga and tundra, and elk in the taiga. Musk deer are found on the stony forest slopes of the mountains. Snow sheep (Chukchi subspecies) live in the mountain tundra. He lives at heights from 300-400 to 1500-1700 m and prefers rocks when choosing sludges. Of rodents in mountain forests, protein is common, which is the main commercial animal. In the past, the Asian river beaver lived in the Kolyma and Omolon basins, the northern border of its distribution was about 65 ° N. Currently, small rodents  red vole, house vole, forest lemming, northern pika are diverse. In the thickets of river valleys, the hare is common.

Of the birds, it is worth mentioning the capercaillie, hazel grouse, pike, kuksha, cedar and partridge living on stone placers. A very beautiful bird  a pink gull was called the pearl of the Arctic. Small swan, white goose, handsome Siberian Crane ерх white crane, white-headed loon, falcons ала balaban, gyrfalcon and rescued, hawks  white-tailed eagle and golden eagle became rare.

Mountain areas and provinces

In the Northeast, natural complexes of plains and mountains are developed. In the lowlands, natural zones of tundra, forest-tundra and rare-standing taiga are represented. On the territory of the plains, two physiographic provinces stand out: the tundra and forest-tundra provinces of Yano-Indigiro-Kolyma and Abyisko-Kolyma northern taiga. The rest of the territory is occupied by mountains and is divided into mountain regions.

The Yano-Indigiro-Kolyma province is located along the Arctic coast within the Yano-Indigir and Kolyma lowlands.

In the distribution of vegetation and soil, zoning is manifested. The coast is occupied by the arctic tundra on gley, peaty-gley and bog soils. Further south, they are replaced by typical moss-lichen, which pass into the forest-tundra with gley-permafrost soils. A specific feature of the Northeast is the lack of a subzone of shrub tundra. Within the limits of their distribution band, larch woodlands also appear, which is due to the sharp continental climate. Larch woodlands and shrub tundra alternate with areas of sedge-cannon hummock tundra.

The Yano-Kolyma tundra is the main nesting place for many waterfowl, among them  pink gull and Siberian Crane. A pink gull arranges nests on the hummocks of sedge-cannon tundra and islands near small lakes and channels. After nesting (late July – early August), adult and young birds fly to the north, northwest, and northeast. The area of \u200b\u200bwinter migrations of the pink gull extends from the Bering Strait to the southern islands of the Kuril ridge. The main nesting sites of the Siberian Crane are low-lying, highly moistened, grained tundra between Yana and Alasea. For wintering, birds fly to Southeast China.

Abyisko-Kolyma province is confined to the largest intermountain basin. The surface of the watersheds is covered with sparse larch forests, sedge-cannon swamps and lakes. Swampy meadows and bushes are developed along river valleys, and forests of larch, aromatic poplar and chosenia are developed on drier sites.

Verkhoyansk region  occupies a marginal western position. The altitudinal zonality of the land cover is most fully expressed on the ridges of Suntar-Khayat and Setta-Daban. The lower belt here is represented by north-taiga rare-standing larch forests, which rise along the northern slopes to 1200–1300 m, and along the southern slopes to 600–800 m. Lichens predominate in the ground cover; the shrub layer is formed by lingonberry, funnel, and rosemary. Developed dwarf from birch Middendorff. Gallery valleys of fragrant poplar and chosenia with an admixture of larch, birch, aspen and Siberian mountain ash stretch along river valleys on sand and gravel deposits.

Above the upper border of larch wormwood, thickets of dwarfish, shrubby alder and cedar dwarf dominate in combination with lichen-shrub tundra. The next belt is mountain tundra with taryn. Its upper boundary should be drawn at the ends of the glaciers (1800-2100 m). Above are high mountain deserts with glaciers and snowfields. Avalanches descend in autumn, winter and spring.

Anyui-Chukotka region  extends from the lower Kolyma to the Bering Strait for almost 1,500 km.

The Chukotka tundra differs from other tundras of the Arctic coast of Russia in that its main part is the mountain tundra with stony placers, rocks and thickets of shrubs, and the coastal ная flat tundra is grassy-shrubby and hummocky with vagina and cormorant cormorant.

The flora of vascular plants of the Chukchi tundra contains about 930 species and subspecies. This is the richest flora of the Arctic region. Chukotka was part of Megaberingia, and this had a significant impact on the composition of the flora of its plant communities. On the southern slopes of ridges and floodplain terraces, mountain-steppe vegetation  the remains of Beringian tundra-steppe landscapes have been preserved. North American plant species grow there: among the dryad tundra, limestone contains the meckenzee penny, the cat's paw is dense, and edible balsam poplar and viburnum in the willow-grass communities. In the nival tundra, Egalik primrose is common. In the steppe areas, fescue Lensky is common. B.A. Yurtsev calls it the emblem of the steppe complexes of the North-East of Siberia. Once upon a time, horses, bison, saigas and other herbivores lived in the tundra and steppes of Beringia. Now the problem of the sunken Beringia is attracting the attention of various experts.

In Chukotka, thermal springs with temperatures from 15 to 77 ° C come off the Beringian coasts. They create favorable conditions for the development of lush and diverse vegetation. There are up to 274 plant species. In severe climatic conditions, the flora at the hot springs has a subarctic and temperate character with a predominance of arcto-alpine elements  mountain shrub-moss communities. Cassiopeia, diapensia, loiselaria, phyllodoce, Kamchatka rhododendron, etc., as well as mountain-tundra Asian-American or Beringian species  anemone, chrysanthemum, primrose, saxifrage, sedge, and others grow among them.

Anthropogenic impact on nature

The nature of the Northeast is experiencing a noticeable anthropogenic impact due to the operation of off-road vehicles (all-terrain vehicles), construction, geological surveys and mining, deer grazing and frequent fires.

The territory has developed animal husbandry and fur trade for squirrel, arctic fox, ermine, white hare, and muskrat. Plain and mountain tundra and forest-tundra are good pasture for deer. One of the main reindeer feeds in winter is bushy cladonia lichen (deer moss). The restoration of its reserves is five to seven years. Due to anthropogenic impact, the pasture fund is reduced, therefore, strict observance of the pasture load and the careful attitude of the whole population to deer pastures are necessary.

The main commercial fish  vendace, muksun, nelma, omul, whitefish, etc.  are concentrated in the lower sections of the Yana, Indigirka, and Kolyma rivers. In the warm sections of the valleys of Yana, Indigirka, Kolyma and other rivers with special agricultural techniques, early varieties of cabbage, potatoes and other vegetables are grown.

Active development of the territory contributed to a change in natural landscapes, a reduction in the number and ranges of many species of animals and plants, for example, Chukchi snow sheep, Siberian Crane and Shovel, nesting only in Russia, Byrdov’s sandbox, present shoe, etc.

The nature of the Northeast is very vulnerable, therefore, with increased human activity, whole natural complexes (ecosystems) die. For example, when developing alluvial deposits, significant areas of floodplains, on which a wide variety of animals and plants are concentrated, are completely destroyed. On the territory of this huge physical and geographical country, there is so far only one nature reserve  Magadansky, several complex and industrial reserves (nesting of waterfowl) and natural monuments, and among them there is a conservation zone for the mammoth fauna.

Scientists propose creating here a number of protected areas, for example, the Buordakhsky natural park with pools of the left tributaries of the Moma and Mount Pobeda. Among the unique geographical features of this region are the largest in the world, not every year completely melting ice Ulakhan-Taryn (Momskaya), and in the valley on the gravelly slopes of the southern exposure - the Yakut mountain steppes, turning into steppe alpine lawns and mountain tundra. It is also proposed to create the Central Yakutsky Reserve as a biosphere reserve, where on the rocky shores of Lake Elgygytgyn Chukchi snow sheep are preserved, where there are places for calving wild reindeer  the only large population in the entire Northeast. Here, at the limit of distribution, there are poplar-chosenia valley forests, and steppe areas have been preserved.

In almost 3 million square meters. km, a flat flat terrain with small low manes and a continental climate contributed to the pronounced geographical zonality of its landscapes from the northern cold tundra to the warm southern steppes. The main territory here is occupied by forest-bog dark coniferous taiga inaccessible landscapes.

The natural ecosystem of the northern cold tundra is located on the coast and islands of the Kara Sea, the gulfs of the Gulf of Ob, Baydarat and Gydan, on the Yamal Peninsula and the Gydan Peninsula north of the Arctic Circle. A feature of the tundra is the widespread swampiness on permafrost soils and the complete absence of forests.

At first glance, it seems that the tundra does not caress the eyes of lush vegetation and bright colors. But a person who takes a closer look at her severe beauty can not but be charmed. Bright spots by groups of growing plants of all kinds of shades from emerald green to olive, red, bright yellow and brown are visible everywhere.

The climate of the tundra is very severe, a long winter polar night presents a serious test for animals and plants living in the tundra. The average January temperatures in the tundra are -22 ° C, -24 ° C. The absolute minimum may fall here to -51 ° C, -54 ° C. Cold northerly winds further cools the plains.

Summer is cool and very short, which led to a short growing season. Average summer temperatures range from 0 ° C to + 8 ° C, the maximum temperature on hot days can rise to + 32 ° C, + 34 ° C. The tundra blooms profusely and amicably, against the background of continuous moss, islands of partridge grass whiten with large lawns, forget-me-not and polar poppy, veronica and cyanosis, buttercups and yarrow bloom with carpets. Plants of the northern tundra spaces are most often stunted and creeping, propagating by rhizomes. Tree forms are also stunted, dwarf species of birch and willow grow here.

The main food of numerous birds in the tundra is a huge number of mosquitoes and midges, there are so many that they can obscure the sun. The food of predators and large birds became very prolific mouse pestles. For the winter, they hide in deep snow, while feeding on the roots of plants. Reindeers, arctic foxes, hares, Arctic partridges and owls became characteristic animals for the tundra.

  Forest tundra

A forest-tundra zone stretches along the Arctic Circle from Salekhard to a narrow strip. This is, first of all, the transition zone between the vast expanses of the tundra and the vast taiga open spaces in the south. Here the climatic conditions are milder, and among the tundra, low-growing trees rarely appear at first with a characteristic flag-shaped crown formed by the prevailing winds. More and more south of trees, and the forest-tundra ecosystem passes into typical taiga forests.

  Taiga

The largest area up to 1,850 thousand square meters. km, located a wide strip in Western Siberia occupy s. They are located along the middle course of the Ob and the lower course of the Irtysh. The main conifers of taiga West Siberian forests are fir and spruce, cedars, pines and larches mixed with birch, aspen and alder. Endless taiga wilds stretch here along the swamps and lowlands enormous in area for thousands of kilometers. Urmans grow in more elevated areas - dense cedra, spruce and fir.


  Under the thick cinquerated branches of trees in the Siberian taiga it is always damp, cool and gloomy. There are very few bushes and grasses; the land is covered by a continuous carpet of emerald green fluffy mosses and water-loving lichens. In the taiga, there are many windbreaks and dead trees dried up on the root with drooping blocks of gray lichens. In damp places fern grows abundantly, fallen trees are covered with dense green moss. On the trees intertwined, broken branches hang, further obscuring the space between the trees.

The climate in the taiga is temperate continental with average January temperatures of -16 ° C, -24 ° C. The absolute minimum on vast taiga spaces can drop to -48 ° C, -50 ° C. Cold northerly winds are already cooling the vast plain taiga space. Summer in the taiga is quite cool, with average temperatures in July + 16 ° C and an absolute maximum of + 38 ° C, + 41 ° C. The main precipitation falls in the summer.

In a cool gloomy taiga forest, conditions for insufficient evaporation are created and therefore the largest array of marshy ecosystems on the planet is located in the Siberian taiga zone. A cheerful chirping of birds is heard in the crowns of the trees, among which the tender voices of the froths stand out. Downstairs among the dusk it is very quiet, dark and humid.

The rays of the sun practically do not penetrate here. Only clouds of midges swirl in motionlessly frozen air. Yes, sometimes a woodpecker with a sharp cry sits down and knocks on dead trees, and a wood grouse with a noise breaks from a dry branch. Sometimes a squirrel peeks out from behind the trunk with curiosity and a striped chipmunk flashes. But you can walk tens of kilometers along the taiga wilds, and not see a single bird, not meet a single animal.

Only along the rivers, where alder trees and willows, birch forests with an admixture of mountain ash grow more than sun, life boils. Gorilnika coo, warblers and reeds are busy in the bushes, magpies chatter loudly and cuckoo cuckoo. The bird's roar trails off only when a hawk appears nearby. Cranberries, lingonberries and blueberries come to broods of capercaillie and hazel grouse, and the bear comes to “fatten” here.

Moose graze in low-lying swampy taiga with abundant moisture-loving vegetation and young shoots of deciduous trees. In hot weather, moose climb into the water in the very face to escape from the vulture. Long winter for many months, taiga is covered with deep snow. It hangs with a hat from wide spruce paws, and nibbles unsteady swamps. Foxes, squirrels and ermines regale themselves with the gifts of a generous forest.

  Mixed forests

In mixed forests, stretching in Western Siberia with a narrow strip from Yekaterinburg to, it is noticeably warmer. Average January temperatures here range from + 16 ° C to + 18 ° C. The absolute maximum temperature can rise from + 38 ° C to + 40 ° C. With sufficient moisture in mixed forests, bushes and grasses grow violently in the undergrowth.

Mixed forests are more elegant and lighter, sometimes they consist of one type of tree, spruce or birch, aspen or pine. But more often in the forest stand there are conifers mixed with broadleaf. A mixed forest always consists of two tiers, pine and maples stretch towards the light, candle-shaped firs and spruces, viburnum and walnut, wild apple trees and cherries grow below.

In the understory there are many berry bushes, raspberries, currants, rose hips, acacia and spirea. Below are whole clumps of veronica oak grove and lily of the valley, wild strawberries and bones. In forest glades, daisies turn white with a cloud, buttercups turn yellow, and forget-me-nots are found.

The fauna of the mixed forest is richer than the taiga. Here you will no longer find sables and a column; red deer, martens, minks, black ferrets and wild boars appear. In the crowns of trees, whistling melodiously, twigs a nest of the Oriole. In spring, forests ring with the voices of birds, finches, blackbirds, siskins, cooing doves. Many hedgehogs and badgers, hares and foxes. Large forest predators are wolves, wolverines and brown bears.

  Forest steppe

From Chelyabinsk to the upper reaches a wide strip of forest-steppe stretches across Western Siberia. This is also a transition zone from a mixed forest to the steppe, characterized by a more comfortable climate and sufficient annual moisture. Forests are gradually thinning, remain shreds and birch spikes along rivers and natural lake bodies of water.

  Steppe

In the very south of the plain, partly in the Omsk region, partly in the zone of dry steppes. This is an absolutely flat territory with low manes covered with grassy vegetation and lack of moisture. It is the ability to tolerate a lack of moisture that distinguishes steppe vegetation from meadow grasses.

The steppe is characterized by a continental climate with short cold winters and long dry, hot summers. Average winter temperatures in the steppe range from -14 ° C to -16 ° C. The absolute minimum in the steppe can drop to -49 ° C. In summer, average temperatures rise to + 18 ° C, absolute to + 40 ° C. The steppe is moistened only in spring with precipitation and snowmelt. In summer, small amounts of up to 400 mm / year fall out, which, with large evaporation, creates conditions for salinization of soils and the formation of solonchaks.

Among the steppe landscapes, grassland meadows with birch and aspen-birch spruce forests prevail here, feathery richly herbaceous, fescue-feather-grass, fescue with halophytic wormwood and saltpeter-wooded communities, wormwood-fescue, wooded and camphor-brown chestnut-plant communities.

Especially beautiful is the brightly flowering steppe in May and on a bright sunny June day in the morning. All the flowers turned their corollas strewn with sparkling dew drops to the sun and opened their buds to the maximum. Within an hour, another picture will change dramatically, under the rays of the rising bright sun, I close the corollas by noon, and the steppe will fade.

The air over the steppe is filled with buzzing and chirping of countless insects, bees, bumblebees, grasshoppers. Silently, but all kinds of butterfly colors flutter very beautifully, gophers whistle. And at the top, spreading its wings, it looks out for prey hawk.

Large expanses of steppe on fertile soils in Western Siberia are plowed up. It was here that the virgin lands came to the steppes of East Kazakhstan, mastered and plowed the steppes, built villages and roads. And today the steppes of Western Siberia are the breadbasket of the country.